I decided to join the National Breast Cancer Foundation for my new internet community. I thought that this community would be a great one to be involved with and it is one close to my heart. The registration process was very easy, easier than I thought in fact. All I had to do was fill in a small amount of information and I was accepted as a member of the discussion group and website. I then proceeded to look at other people’s profiles and the information they had listed on them and read some of the blogs posted between the users. Some people were friends and I noticed others just responded to a person’s blog they didn’t know in support of something they had posted online. In chapter six of Wood and Smiths book they state on page 124,“Virtual communities thus allow people to transcend geographic boundaries and unite with others who share their common interests, whether that’s watching a particular television series, promoting a social cause, or collecting original vinyl recordings of ‘Love Me Tender’.” I like this quote because I think this is one of the main reasons people decided to converse online. They want to talk with other people that share the same views as them and they have the opportunity to do so whether they are living in the country or in the big city. Sometimes it's hard to find other people to relate to and the virtual communities give people a broader spectrum to find those individuals. It was very easy to assimilate into the group I chose and as far as I know if you fill out the required information then you are automatically accepted. Once I did I had a message informing me I now was a member and congratulations. I guarantee that everyone is accepted into this community if you fill out the small amount of information. My group happens to promote a social cause so that to can be the reason for the quick acceptance.
I think that it has become so easy to find an internet community today. All I had to do was search in Google related to my area of interest and I found a lot of sites. It was easy, convenient and very simple. I think that one of the draws to internet communities is that people like things to run smoothly and easily. Since it is so easy to find a community online related to your interest and then become accepted quickly, people are probably more willing to do so especially if they are not as fond of face to face interaction. Postman states on page 118, “We have devalued the singular human capacity to see things whole in all their psychic, emotional and moral dimensions, and we have replaced this with faith in the powers of technical calculation. Because of what computers commonly do, they place an inordinate emphasis on the technical processes of communication and offer very little in the way of substance.” I agree that as people we have began to rely on technology and replace what we have commonly known for a different type of substance. I don’t think communicating online equals very little substance but that is a change that has been made. There are a lot of people that probably have or feel that their online community has given them more importance because they can relate to others through this virtual realm.
For my new found community I believe that the agreements or disagreements are resolved through the discussion groups and posted blogs. For the most part though I have found through discussion and observation that the messages are of hope and encouragement. I have read some people having struggles related to breast cancer. Some have just learned they have cancer or a family member or are starting chemotherapy/radiation and are asking for advice. Others write just for someone to listen and give them guidance. Even though some of the messages and conversations are very tough and not always the most uplifting topics I haven’t found any disagreements but instead encouragement for others. I think that these online communities say a lot about our culture and society today. We like to be able to connect with those we can relate to and share similar stories with. For my community knowing that I’m not the only one impacted by breast cancer is very healing because I can go online and discuss with others who are going through the exact same experience. Now normally I might not have had the opportunity to meet them if it wasn’t for the internet. I might not have gotten along with a particular person but because we share a deep common interest in this case we don’t find those areas we might dislike in face to face interaction. We focus on the topic or area of interest whether its sports, religion or any other cause and focus primarily on that.
Our society revolves around some sort of personal connection and communication between other people that are similar to us. We choose our friends based on common interests, looks, hobbies you name it and the internet communities are another opportunity to take. I think that everyone’s internet community experience depends on the person and the community they are involved with. I think that if someone does have a negative experience because there are so many communities that the person could find another group with the exact same area of interest. I liked joining a new online community besides Facebook or Myspace and it has given me an opportunity to meet other people that share the same passionate view. It’s nice to talk to other people that want to fight for the same cause and I really like that we have that chance because of the internet, technology and all the separate realms of the internet community. What community did you join?
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Three years ago my aunt passed away after a long, hard battle with breast cancer that later turned into brain cancer as well. While my family was certainly there to support my aunt every step of the way (even to the point of taking shifts to cook meals, read to her, and help with household chores), I know she also found a lot of support in online communities. Because no one else in our family had been diagnosed with breast cancer, it was really encouraging for her to talk to others who had it, and more importantly, who had survived it. Much like your experience, her's was one of immediate acceptance, especially amongst others suffering from the same ailment, and encouragement. United by the same cause, they all worked hard to create a loving, supporting network that people could use to lean on one another during the most difficult times of their lives.
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