Community

Community is a very strong word which emphasizes a commonality of members in a society. In ‘Webster’s American Family Dictionary’ this word is described as ‘a social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests’. Though the dictionary describes the word in different ways, this statement seems to fit it best. Contrary to popular belief, community is more then just a group of people that happen to be in the same place. In fact, Community, as it is described in the definition above, is not even characterized by a common locality but by a common thought process or goal.

Sociologists might use words like primary group—or even Gemeinschaft in some cases—to describe one important aspect of community. This is the idea that one has a strong, more intimate social tie with a certain group of people. Joe somebody, for instance, may go every Sunday evening to a friends home where three other guys meet. In this meeting Joe and his friends sit together at a table in the basement playing poker and talking about their childhood antics. This example shows a group of people, Joe and his friends, who have a common interest, poker and their childhood. They interact in an intimate personal way. Also their Goal is not the ultimate end to the relationship; they do not have a relationship so that they can play poker. Instead, the Goal is only a result of the relationship; they play poker because they are good friends.

A stark contrast to Gemeinschaft, Gesellschaft is a less-thought-of aspect of community. It describes community at its most primitive state. In this case the relationships are less intimate and more business related. Joe somebody, for instance, may go every Monday afternoon to a meeting with ten co-workers. In this meeting Joe and his co-workers talk about the previous week’s accomplishments and about ways to improve worker efficiency in the next week. This example shows a group of people, Joe and his co-workers, who have a common interest, work-efficiency. In this example, however, the group of people interacts in a less intimate way. Also, Their Goal is the ultimate end of the relationship; they meet so that they can improve worker efficiency.

Not only can community be very diverse but people can engage in multiple groups. For instance, Joe somebody can have friends he meets with every Sunday night and he can also have those ten co-workers he brainstorms with on Monday afternoons. As long as the communities do not contradict each other anyone can engage in both Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft relationships through out his life.

So a social group may interact because they like each other or because they have to and individuals will probably interact in both. But no matter how you look at it, these interacting individuals are exhibiting an important point about our world. We need people and, more often then not, we are apart of communities.

Yesterday I was apart of a community of people. We met in the evening to learn different kinds of dances together. For two hours we laughed, sweated, and talked with each other. This was an example of a Gemeinschaft group. Our interactions and Goals were a result of our close relationship with each other—not vise versa. After yesterday it struck me how much I enjoy and need the first example of community. I love to interact with people I know and appreciate being around. Our interaction did not just produce a goal but it satisfied our deep human need for belonging.

In a strict human way of speaking, we need more Gemeinschaft type communities. So many of us have friends we know. These are people we could easily have a close enjoyable relationship together. But, more times then not, we choose to stick to ourselves and we only interact with people we have to, like in a Gesellschaft type relationship. We sacrifice relationships and enjoyable times for a life of necessity.