Virtual Community - Essay Example

Virtual Community a) A group has much to gain by designating itself a "community." Communities, inasmuch as they are defined as groups "sharing common characteristics or interests," cultivate an atmosphere of association and communication (Random House pg. 414). Communities are often self-governing entities that assign values and delegate rules for maneuvering throughout the community in a productive, cooperative manner. And, communities are larger and louder than the sources from which they emanate, whether that is a system of ideas as in the case of the "democratic community" or a smaller group like the band Phish.b) Phish profited from the establishment of Phish.net. Phish fans wanted to be a part of Phish.net. They wished to share, listen, and receive information about the band.

But, they also wanted to be connected to a larger "community" of people representing the ideas characterized by the band. Phish.net members established "norms to direct behavior in the larger Phish fan community" that carried beyond virtual boundaries into actual venues (Watson 112). Phish.net was able to "prove to record industry executives that as a group they were worth listening to because of the collectivity's large size and tight coherence" (Watson 127). c) Virtual communities have louder voices, are more capable of assigning principles, and are better equipped to influence change.

But, there are also potential negative consequences associated with online communications. Online communities can become so large that they alienate the standards and ideas upon which they were originally founded. They require no commitment and little accountability. And, there is a general lack of the intimacy that binds off-line communities. Works CitedRandom House Dictionary of the English Language. 1987. Pg. 414 Watson, Neissim. Virtual Culture. Why We Argue About Virtual Community. Pgs. 112 and 127.