Postcard from the Edge
Community
I think “community” is one of those words that has been hijacked by those wishing to claim authority over, or delegate responsibility to, others.
When a politician stands up and says “we”. who is the we he has in mind? His cabinet, his party, his constituency, his country?
When someone in power talks of ‘community responsibility”, who is she talking about - people she knows and is part of or a distant geographic parcel of people she will likely never meet?
When we think of community, who comes to mind?
Community. In English, the meaning "common possession or enjoyment" is from c. 1400. Sense of "a society or association of persons having common interests or occupations". Etymyonline.
At the heart of community is the energy of common interest, shared narrative, a common vernacular and an understanding of common interest and shared responsibility.
However, the notion of shareholder primacy, the search for efficiency and productivity, the pursuit of scale and cost reduction, and the ability of technology to enable globalisation have shredded communities.
We have lost the mycelial connection that is at the heart of any community.
Saying “we” requires permission from those whose authority we are assuming.
Those who say it would do well to remember that.