a librarymonkey's blog

thinking about howard rheingold's virtual communities. there is something distinctly romantic and utopian about the language and ideas. i feel right at home. we must be about the same age. i am delighted to have lived in the second half of the 20th century. a time full of riches. i visited the haight in 1969 and considered transferring to Berkeley. transferred to Ub instead, the Berkeley of the east as it was known. if any of you have seen the current UB magazine with the story about the riots, i was there, on the peace patrol, experienced tear gas, the police lines were in front of my apartment on main street. i saw/heard all the music rheingold mentions, jefferson airplane, quicksilver messenger service, big brother and the holding company with janis joplin. rheingold mentions michel foucault. did you know he taught at UB in the early 70's. i would not have missed this ride for anything.

Oxford English Dictionary (OED)

community: being held by all in common.Common character; quality in common; commonness, agreement, identity. The body of those having common or equal rights or rank.A body of nations acknowledging unity of purpose or common interests. A body of persons living together, and practising, more or less, community of goods.

communicate: to make common to many, share, impart, divide. To put oneself into familiar relations; to hold or have intercourse or converse. o convey one's thoughts, feelings, etc., successfully; to gain understanding or sympathy.To open into each other by a common channel or aperture whereby the whole becomes as one space, etc.; to have communication or continuity of passage. Also said of the connecting channel or passage.

society: Association with one's fellow men, esp. in a friendly or intimate manner; companionship or fellowship. Association or intercourse with or between persons. The state or condition of living in association, company, or intercourse with others of the same species; the system or mode of life adopted by a body of individuals for the purpose of harmonious co-existence or for mutual benefit, defence. The aggregate of persons living together in a more or less ordered community. The fact or condition of taking part with others or another in some thing or action; participation. A sharing or use in common. The fact or condition of being connected or related; connexion, relationship; union or alliance; affinity. Co-operation; assistance.