You Asked Me How I Was Doing, Was That Some Kind of Joke?

Part XIII (Luke's Response)

Good thoughts on a new definition/kind of community. Spot on. And I agree that the catalyst has been technology, more specifically the internet. Contact with people nowadays requires zero effort and almost zero intentionality. Does this lead to "soundbite community"? Where our relationships are as shallow as our contact is short?

Though it's tempting, I can't in good conscience say that community/relationships now are less meaningful than 15, 30, 60 years ago. People are different than they used to be. I don't need to cite a source for that claim, I think everyone would agree. Technology has changed us, such that for the function community served 60 years ago to be served again today, community must look different.

Last week after a long series of events with a certain client, I wrote him a note thanking him for his help/patience/cooperation. He called me when he received the letter, in shock. He couldn't believe that people wrote handwritten letters anymore. Now I'm not bragging, I'm just saying I'm better than most people. But really, the fact that he was floored speaks to a change in people, and by extension a change in the way our relationships/communities look.