Sunday, February 23, 2014

Communities

What is community? I know the typical answers, but I think in the age of technology we need a new response. I read of one individual who proclaimed that his community existed within the confines of a particular video game. He's a character and feels connected to other characters-- all of whom are played by real people who reside somewhere in the world.

Another person said that their on line friends were their community. Perhaps we need to broaden the scope of what it means to be part of a community.

Occasionally, when I become immersed in a book, the characters within that book become completely real. Of course when I put the book down I move on to other communities.

I once knew someone who played the part of a medieval princess in a dramatic re-enactment of that time period. Her group met several times a year and each person played one role for an entire weekend. In real life, or what we call reality, the princess had a low paying job, wore baggy clothes and never wore make-up.

As a princess she wore a dress fit for a princess. It wasn't as if she lost fifty pounds to play the part, but it didn't matter. Her dress-- part of the wardrobe belonging to the group-- enabled her to move into a totally new persona.

I recall her saying that for one weekend every three months she became herself. Her community embraced the princess.

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