Community, Networks, and The Business of Connection.

In our Discussion Board posts for this week, Dr. Dennon proposed a conversation about communities vs. networks and how we navigate these different terms both online and off. After my initial participation in this discussion, my mind continued reeling and had more thoughts on these distinct terms.

One thing to note about me is that I love YouTubers. It all began about ten years ago when I stumbled across two different couples who would occasionally video their trips to Orlando theme parks and post them on YouTube. As a huge Disney fan myself, I loved feeling connected to this world without having to travel or pay the money to experience it myself. Sometimes I would learn helpful tricks and tips from them, but other times it was wonderful just to watch someone else love something that also meant so much to me. This devolved over the years into following other theme park or travel YouTubers and even families who simply posted their life on this social media platform.

Over the years, I watched these individuals live and grow- all through a screen. I’ve seen them struggle with infertility, experience the deaths of loved ones, participate in family trips, have kids, and make important memories. Yet, I have never met these people. In some ways, though, I feel I know so much about them. Through the wonderful world-wide web, these individuals have even turned their lives into a business- making money from sharing their experiences and memories through social media. For example, one family I have followed over the years is The BucketList Family.

What started as a couple with two young kids selling all their belongings and traveling the world has turned into a full-fledged company with merchandise, books, travel guides, and even an upcoming cartoon. The family frequently talks about how much they love their community of followers.  Some of this community they have met in person, but the majority only connect with them virtually through comments, likes, and financial support. For them, what seemingly began as a network of connections has turned into a community of like-minded supporters.

https://www.thebucketlistfamily.com/

I know many people who firmly believe in the significance of these virtual communities: becoming friends online through a shared interest, oftentimes never meeting in person or only meeting after years of virtual relationship. Interestingly, I often viewed networks as a business connection meant for individual gain; however, in the space of many social media platforms, individuals transform mere business connections into a community of followers where people feel connected with common values and beliefs. As we continue to discuss the differences and similarities between these terms, I want to consider the impact that entrepreneurship and business have on our communities and networks.

-SMT