More on Virtual Community

Back on the 15th Feb this year, in a post on this site, we presented a short video clip in which Shane Hipps was interviewed on 'virtual community'. His view of it was fairly negative, and has caused quite a lot of common on the Out of Ur site.

He now responds:

First, my language in the video was less nuanced than it might have been in written form. That is my tendency in a spontaneous oral interview. I will try to be more precise here.

When I say that “virtual community” is not “community,” that does not mean it has no value. As I indicated in the interview, I know that all kinds of deeply meaningful connections and interactions happen online all the time. I have experienced them myself. Some may want to call this “community.” Fair enough. I just don’t call it “community.” That is not intended to dismiss or demean any one’s experience online.

The rest of the post is here.

And for more on the subject, including Twitter, Facebook et al, we have Anne Jackson's take on the subject.