Creating Community in a Digital World

Last month I had the good fortune of attending, presenting, playing and performing at the Applied Improvisation Network World Conference in Austin, Texas (Yeehaw!). What the heck is applied improvisation anyways? It’s using the principals of improvisational theater off the stage for personal and professional development. And let me just say that there are no shortage of opportunities use improv … from corporate team building to summer camp for adults to English as a second language – it’s in there! Besides being amazed and dazzled by the talent and creativity from all corners of the globe, there was another facet of the event that stood out to me – the community.

When I arrived in Austin, I was walking blindly into a situation like I had been doing for much of the year – retreats, camps, conferences, summits where I knew either no one or almost no one and saying, “yes” to what lay ahead even though I wasn’t exactly certain what that was. With this particular conference, there was an interesting twist as it was a professional conference that revolved around play. This made ice breakers all the more fun as there were no reluctant participants. There was also a fair amount of support for newbies like me who were in awe of the scope of presentations and the opportunity to play in regular intervals throughout a conference. At the closing ceremony, the community celebrated the event and vowed to move forward together to present the power of play to the world. I was – and am – completely in support of this and champion the cause whenever I have the chance. However, I still have a question floating around in my head … Is it possible to be part of a community after experiencing it for only four days?

A few weeks later, I was home in Philadelphia for my high school reunion. I wasn’t quite sure exactly what drew me there except for the fact that I actually knew about this one before it happened, as that had not been the case in 20 years. There were a very small number of friends that I had wanted to reconnect with and could have done so without a forking over $55 for mediocre food, an uninspired atmosphere and an overpriced cash bar, but, that wouldn’t have reconnected me to the community of my youth. After having a lot of fun reconnecting with that small group of friends, I took a glance around the room and realized that there were many faces in the room I didn’t recognize and not because people aged, but because I never knew them in high school. Of those I did recognize, I wasn’t quite sure what to discuss, as I no longer live in the area, I don’t have kids and I’m a recovering Catholic. While thrilled to reconnect with those few close friends of the ‘80s, I felt like the 1989 graduating class of Cardinal O’Hara was a community better left with the rest of the ‘80s relics – in my scrapbook. How did this community – where I spent four formative years of my life – become nothing more than speed dating dialogue? … Where do you live? What do you do? Do you have kids?

Over lunch in South Philadelphia during that same trip, I discussed community with a close friend and his wife. My friend said he was never comfortable referring to people who shared the same hobby or school or travel experience as his community. He felt those are contrived situations where people happened to land. For him, true communities develop organically. His wife, however, disagreed as she feels some of her best friends have come from shared interests and experiences making for almost instant communities.

Considering that debate, what happens when you leave a community? For example, I’m part of the improvisational theater community in Denver. What would happen if I stopped doing improv – or, went on a hiatus. Would I still be part of the community and would I still interact with people from the community? Are we only bonded because of improv, or, do we have relationships that extend beyond our shared interest?

This becomes even more complex when thinking about transformational experiences, retreats, camps, conferences and small group travel experiences. I thought about all the experiential situations I’ve thrown myself into during the past nine months:

• We Move Forward Women’s Conference, Retreat and Celebration
• Camp Grounded — Summer Camp for Adults
• World Domination Summit
• Life of “Yes” Sleepaway Camp
• Camp Improv Utopia East
• Applied Improvisation Network World Conference

Each one addressed community. Each one brought value – professional and/or personal – into my life. And each one left me with a void once home as – to me — a virtual community doesn’t have the same impact as one that can share a pot of coffee or exchange stories in person.

So maybe a true community is one that exists right in the neighborhood. But that seemed to have holes too. I’m about to celebrate two years in my house and I really only know two of my neighbors. Even my neighborhood community is more active in our online forums than we are on the street.

That finally led me to Wikipedia, which defines community as: “A social unit of any size that shares common values. Although embodied or face-to-face communities are usually small, larger or more extended communities such as a national community, international community and virtual community are also studied. In human communities, intent, belief, resources, preferences, needs, risks, and a number of other conditions may be present and common, affecting the identity of the participants and their degree of cohesiveness. Since the advent of the Internet, the concept of community has less geographical limitation, as people can now gather virtually in an online community and share common interests regardless of physical location. Prior to the Internet, virtual communities (like social or academic organizations) were far more limited by the constraints of available communication and transportation technologies.”

Wikipedia cites common values and also addresses the prevalence – and value – of virtual communities. So that still leaves me with the question of what makes a community, or, more precisely, what makes a community for me?

I recently had foot surgery. I’m due to spend 10 weeks at home healing and relearning how to walk. What’s odd is that people around the world — from my various life experiences and travels — know this because of my Facebook posts, however, my neighbors don’t, as I haven’t seen them in weeks. Today I received a “get well” card from my laughter yoga club filled with nice notes and offers to visit. So maybe that’s a community – a group of people with shared interests and values that are supportive of each other – offline – when support is needed.

What’s your definition of community? I’d love to know. Whatever it may be, I hope your community supports you in your personal and professional adventures as we move into a new year.

Want more on developing integrity and purpose through your personal values? Visit psychology and behavior expert, Marcus Neo.