Comments on: How do we convert crowds into communities? http://danielpatricio.com/2009/04/23/how-do-we-convert-crowds-into-communities/ Rethinking how we communicate, collaborate and innovate Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:32:59 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: danielpatricio http://danielpatricio.com/2009/04/23/how-do-we-convert-crowds-into-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-801 danielpatricio Tue, 28 Apr 2009 02:34:31 +0000 http://danielpatricio.com/?p=152#comment-801 I agree, I guess that means we have to do a better job teaching people to communicate effectively. I believe it is the catalyst of every effective community. I agree, I guess that means we have to do a better job teaching people to communicate effectively.

I believe it is the catalyst of every effective community.

]]> By: danielpatricio http://danielpatricio.com/2009/04/23/how-do-we-convert-crowds-into-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-800 danielpatricio Tue, 28 Apr 2009 02:33:07 +0000 http://danielpatricio.com/?p=152#comment-800 I totally agree with you, I think a effective community is objective. If they work well together to achieve their mandate - then it is a successful community irrespective of what that mandate is, be it negative or even illegal one. We need to take a look at the essence of what a community comprises of and build it up from there. There are many terrorist organisations that are more effective communities that some of the more civil organisations from our subjective view. What we need to do is look at what makes them tick. I totally agree with you, I think a effective community is objective.

If they work well together to achieve their mandate – then it is a successful community irrespective of what that mandate is, be it negative or even illegal one.

We need to take a look at the essence of what a community comprises of and build it up from there.

There are many terrorist organisations that are more effective communities that some of the more civil organisations from our subjective view.

What we need to do is look at what makes them tick.

]]> By: Danny Brown http://danielpatricio.com/2009/04/23/how-do-we-convert-crowds-into-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-671 Danny Brown Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:43:15 +0000 http://danielpatricio.com/?p=152#comment-671 Whenever I speak to clients and they ask why it's so important to "get" community in the social media space, I always use the same analogy: "Think of community being made up of two separate words - Communicate and Unity. If you communicate well, you'll get the unity." I think this is the key difference between crowds and community - in the crowd, your voice is lost. In the community, your voice is heard. Technology has a huge part to play in bringing the worldwide community together. Whenever I speak to clients and they ask why it's so important to "get" community in the social media space, I always use the same analogy:

"Think of community being made up of two separate words – Communicate and Unity. If you communicate well, you'll get the unity."

I think this is the key difference between crowds and community – in the crowd, your voice is lost. In the community, your voice is heard.

Technology has a huge part to play in bringing the worldwide community together.

]]> By: Andrew Lane http://danielpatricio.com/2009/04/23/how-do-we-convert-crowds-into-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-645 Andrew Lane Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:07:33 +0000 http://danielpatricio.com/?p=152#comment-645 Daniel, I didn't want to insinuate you were being a snob, I just wanted to point out that communities come in all shapes and sizes. I agree with all your points if we're talking about an effective community looking to work as a group to create change. What you're describing is right on the nose. I just wanted to play a little devil's advocate and point out that there's a lot of communities out there that are more selfish and don't care to be a part of a productive and supportive society, just as there are communities that are happy to simply be a group of people with a commonality and don't care to collaborate to bring about change. I think this is fine. It may not be the optimal community, but it's still a community and is entitled to that label, whether or not they're progressive or socially conscious. That's all I'm saying. Still love your points on the optimal community. Daniel, I didn't want to insinuate you were being a snob, I just wanted to point out that communities come in all shapes and sizes.
I agree with all your points if we're talking about an effective community looking to work as a group to create change. What you're describing is right on the nose. I just wanted to play a little devil's advocate and point out that there's a lot of communities out there that are more selfish and don't care to be a part of a productive and supportive society, just as there are communities that are happy to simply be a group of people with a commonality and don't care to collaborate to bring about change. I think this is fine. It may not be the optimal community, but it's still a community and is entitled to that label, whether or not they're progressive or socially conscious.
That's all I'm saying. Still love your points on the optimal community.

]]> By: Andrew Lane http://danielpatricio.com/2009/04/23/how-do-we-convert-crowds-into-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-646 Andrew Lane Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:07:33 +0000 http://danielpatricio.com/?p=152#comment-646 Daniel, I didn't want to insinuate you were being a snob, I just wanted to point out that communities come in all shapes and sizes. I agree with all your points if we're talking about an effective community looking to work as a group to create change. What you're describing is right on the nose. I just wanted to play a little devil's advocate and point out that there's a lot of communities out there that are more selfish and don't care to be a part of a productive and supportive society, just as there are communities that are happy to simply be a group of people with a commonality and don't care to collaborate to bring about change. I think this is fine. It may not be the optimal community, but it's still a community and is entitled to that label, whether or not they're progressive or socially conscious. That's all I'm saying. Still love your points on the optimal community. Daniel, I didn't want to insinuate you were being a snob, I just wanted to point out that communities come in all shapes and sizes.
I agree with all your points if we're talking about an effective community looking to work as a group to create change. What you're describing is right on the nose. I just wanted to play a little devil's advocate and point out that there's a lot of communities out there that are more selfish and don't care to be a part of a productive and supportive society, just as there are communities that are happy to simply be a group of people with a commonality and don't care to collaborate to bring about change. I think this is fine. It may not be the optimal community, but it's still a community and is entitled to that label, whether or not they're progressive or socially conscious.
That's all I'm saying. Still love your points on the optimal community.

]]> By: danielpatricio http://danielpatricio.com/2009/04/23/how-do-we-convert-crowds-into-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-644 danielpatricio Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:52:27 +0000 http://danielpatricio.com/?p=152#comment-644 I didn't mean to be a snob in defining communities coming from the hyper-connected or highly educated community. A community is still a community irrespective of the subjective assessment of it's effectiveness. Quite simply I see the differences between a crowd and a community is that communities are sustainable and more suitably organised. I don't care if you have a tuba playing or tiddly-winks community - I have a fundamental belief that collaborative communities contribute to a more productive and supportive society. It is not a question of us affirming the viability or credibility of any community but rather, identifying catalysts to assist in forming them. Crowds are often passionate, reactionary and unsustainable - ie. riots. If we want to bring change we have to collaborate, with a focused vision. I didn't mean to be a snob in defining communities coming from the hyper-connected or highly educated community.

A community is still a community irrespective of the subjective assessment of it's effectiveness.

Quite simply I see the differences between a crowd and a community is that communities are sustainable and more suitably organised.

I don't care if you have a tuba playing or tiddly-winks community – I have a fundamental belief that collaborative communities contribute to a more productive and supportive society.

It is not a question of us affirming the viability or credibility of any community but rather, identifying catalysts to assist in forming them.

Crowds are often passionate, reactionary and unsustainable – ie. riots.

If we want to bring change we have to collaborate, with a focused vision.

]]> By: Andrew Lane http://danielpatricio.com/2009/04/23/how-do-we-convert-crowds-into-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-643 Andrew Lane Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:00:14 +0000 http://danielpatricio.com/?p=152#comment-643 This community discussion has been raging since Monday and I wonder if we might be becoming a little semantic about it? I think you make many great points here, but I feel like you might be a little strict in your definition of "community". Sure crowds and mobs aren't ideal, but at times, that's how a community manifests itself and that doesn't make them less of a community - just perhaps a less efficient one. A few examples from other organizations I think might illustrate what I mean. If a pro sports team won 20% of its games, it might be considered a laughing stock, but its still a sports team. The Green Party of Canada struggles to get a single seat in Parliament each election, but its still a full-fledged political party. I think it's great that you're setting such high standards for a community, but I feel like what you're describing is an optimal community. Just like people, communities comes in all shapes and sizes. They come together for very different reasons and exhibit their community pride and organize themselves in many different ways. In the same way we're encouraged not to be prejudiced against those people who are of a different race, religion, fitness level, etc from our own, I'm not sure it's fair to label a community that hasn't organized itself for optimal efficiency as a "mob". Just because they're just different from our hyper-connected and highly educated community here, in my humble opinion, it doesn't make their status as a community any less viable. This community discussion has been raging since Monday and I wonder if we might be becoming a little semantic about it? I think you make many great points here, but I feel like you might be a little strict in your definition of "community". Sure crowds and mobs aren't ideal, but at times, that's how a community manifests itself and that doesn't make them less of a community – just perhaps a less efficient one.
A few examples from other organizations I think might illustrate what I mean. If a pro sports team won 20% of its games, it might be considered a laughing stock, but its still a sports team. The Green Party of Canada struggles to get a single seat in Parliament each election, but its still a full-fledged political party.
I think it's great that you're setting such high standards for a community, but I feel like what you're describing is an optimal community. Just like people, communities comes in all shapes and sizes. They come together for very different reasons and exhibit their community pride and organize themselves in many different ways. In the same way we're encouraged not to be prejudiced against those people who are of a different race, religion, fitness level, etc from our own, I'm not sure it's fair to label a community that hasn't organized itself for optimal efficiency as a "mob". Just because they're just different from our hyper-connected and highly educated community here, in my humble opinion, it doesn't make their status as a community any less viable.

]]> By: Roberto Sarjoo http://danielpatricio.com/2009/04/23/how-do-we-convert-crowds-into-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-636 Roberto Sarjoo Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:38:59 +0000 http://danielpatricio.com/?p=152#comment-636 Great article and technology can make a difference but do those in power want to give them that technology. I look at China and Google, how we know Google and such an unrestricted search engine, however in China its regulated. These powers that be do not want people to see on the outside, or see something different. It reminds me of that Apple commercial from 1986 where PCs are drones but the athlete comes in and changes everything by breaking the large monitor. It then goes on to create civil unrest, something uncontrollable that after years of having it that one way, can they afford to have enlightened people to bring forth change that is not what they might have had planned. Now in Toronto its a different story. We have the ability to do this but do again these corporations want us to, or will they lobby against it. Got this story this morning (<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/22/time-warner-and-embarq-cant-compete-with-city-owned-isp-trying/)" target="_blank">http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/22/time-warner-an...</a> from @jonlim and it just goes to show that the city has the ability to provide will they. Maybe it will take a community of those who believe it should, in order to start making a change and to leverage the same technology to bring that awareness and change. But I wonder how far it will be able to go until someone who is part of a bigger community (maybe more $$$) starts pushing back. Great article and technology can make a difference but do those in power want to give them that technology. I look at China and Google, how we know Google and such an unrestricted search engine, however in China its regulated. These powers that be do not want people to see on the outside, or see something different. It reminds me of that Apple commercial from 1986 where PCs are drones but the athlete comes in and changes everything by breaking the large monitor. It then goes on to create civil unrest, something uncontrollable that after years of having it that one way, can they afford to have enlightened people to bring forth change that is not what they might have had planned.

Now in Toronto its a different story. We have the ability to do this but do again these corporations want us to, or will they lobby against it. Got this story this morning (http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/22/time-warner-an... from @jonlim and it just goes to show that the city has the ability to provide will they. Maybe it will take a community of those who believe it should, in order to start making a change and to leverage the same technology to bring that awareness and change. But I wonder how far it will be able to go until someone who is part of a bigger community (maybe more $$$) starts pushing back.

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