Community

            Groups are to communities as individuals are to groups.  The community, therefore, is the group on a larger scale, with each group serving a role, as an individual might. Communities are what we are- all the people together. A community requires some measure of acceptance to even exist; therefore, we should build on this. When we move beyond the group, we reach the community, though in some instances the two are interchangeable. The difference is the matter of choice. That is to say, In regards to groups, individuals within them may be defined by their appearance or their belief. However, in terms of communities, groups tend to be defined by what they do.

            For the sake of simplicity in regards to Acceptance Theory, the community is an accumulation of individuals who have(perhaps tentatively) agreed to come together for the common goals of survival.

            When employed correctly, community is a relationship, a system that (ideally) allows everyone to survive and contribute, though the definitions of survival and contribution definitely vary between communities and the minds within them. By coming together, the needs of many may be met where such would otherwise be impossible. People can specialize in one aspect of a process in order to meet a survival need, and working together with others, complete the process in its entirety so that everyone survives. This is particularly sound in situations where resources are scarce, or difficult to procure for some groups, while processing or manufacturing techniques are difficult for others- working together allows both groups to thrive.
            When employed incorrectly, community may also bring oppression, if one’s needs differ significantly from the populace; if there are moral concerns for this difference, calamity may result. Community gives people a sense of pride and purpose, a sense of direction for those who may not know how they wish to spend their time. However, this can also be restrictive if the people are not educated in regards to possibilities, or are told by others that they must mind a certain place. ‘Practicality’ and ‘plausibility’ can hold the community together and keep those within it alive, but taken too far (or embellished) these things may also keep people within the community from reaching their full potential.
            Furthermore, in this world of perception(particularly when aspects that do not match the truth are magnified) people are encouraged to focus only on the self, and therefore they forget the strengths of working together. This makes it easy to discount others, trivialize their importance as people, their contributions to our lives and our communities. Worse, we may alienate them from our communities altogether; this may result in the hate and fear we associate with that we do not understand.
            The ideal community will be balanced in the sense that it is receptive to the needs of all its people, and does not tread upon the freedoms of some for the sake of others- this means allowing people to pursue their desires and their goals(freedom) , but also ensuring everyone has the opportunity to do so. As we are all inherently part of groups, by birth, and again by choice, we are all also part of communities in some sense. If we seek to understand others, we must recognize that we all seek the same things, and acknowledge that the best way to reach these is through a community- so that everyone’s needs are met and we and devote our focus to understanding and treasuring one another.