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purplerabbits at 11:05am on 03/02/2005 under rant/opinion
purplerabbits at 11:05am on 03/02/2005 under rant/opinionBy request: a rant about community
Community is such a misused word. Care in the community = the state refusing to help. Community service = compulsory slavery. Sense of community = living in a village with everyone knowing their place.
To some community is talking to your neighbours - these people are usually politicians who are rich enugh to chose their neighbours yet still spend most of their time away from their constituencies.
To me community is making connections over whatever distance is necessary to find people I have something in common with. Those same people who argue for local community are often the people who make it necessary for me to go far afield to find friends, because what I am and what I believe is not tolerated in traditional local community values.
And no, I don't want to be the middle class English wanker joining some local save our facilities demo because I can't stand what that would say about me.
Community is such a misused word. Care in the community = the state refusing to help. Community service = compulsory slavery. Sense of community = living in a village with everyone knowing their place.
To some community is talking to your neighbours - these people are usually politicians who are rich enugh to chose their neighbours yet still spend most of their time away from their constituencies.
To me community is making connections over whatever distance is necessary to find people I have something in common with. Those same people who argue for local community are often the people who make it necessary for me to go far afield to find friends, because what I am and what I believe is not tolerated in traditional local community values.
And no, I don't want to be the middle class English wanker joining some local save our facilities demo because I can't stand what that would say about me.
bored