Country or Community or Neither?

Maps are such a big part of my life as I experience the world via my sailboat so the TechCrunch posting XKCD Updates Its Map: We No Longer Live In Actual Countries But Digital Ones provided some serious fun for me this morning looking at this updated map for 2010 and this previous 2007 Map of Online Communities from XKCD.  These maps show online communities as countries with size based on the volume of daily social activity. 

It is both a fun perspective on the world we live in and very useful to support the trend I’ve been talking about for many years that the whole notion of national boundaries is fading fast relative to their importance and relevance in our daily life.  Let me be quick to point out that I am not in any way suggesting that national boundaries will be eliminated or forgotten nor that we will be any less proud of your national heritage.

But in terms of what matters in our daily lives as we go about living, learning and working together I think we are all seeing more and more examples where national boundaries matter less and less.  The country of origin of a person, product or service matters less and less to us compared to their fit and match to our unique needs and preferences.

Think about it, in your conversations and correspondence over the past week which have you mentioned more often; what country you are from or what online community you are from?

I’m certainly pleased and proud to be Canadian for example and just sent out a Happy Canadian Thanksgiving (Oct.11th) wish to one and all.  But guess where and how I sent it?  My blogs, Facebook, Twitter and all done from the cockpit of s/v Learnativity here in Majuro atoll in the Marshall Islands group. (07 06.274 N, 171 22.358 E)

I would also point out a related pattern that the importance of and the differences between the physical and the digital, between the real and the virtual, between the geographic location and the online location, are also becoming less and less relevant and distinct. We can and should start dropping them as qualifiers in our conversations. Just like we are less likely to feel the need to point out that we are calling someone from our car or an airplane and focus on the conversation at hand, we will have less need to add that some thing, or even some one, is digital or online or Canadian and focus more on having the right people and things connected together at the right time and way to meet the unique needs of the moment.

Perhaps more importantly it seems to me that communities matter more than countries.  I don’t see this as anything uniquely modern or new or digital.  Reflecting back on human history one could argue that communities have often been more important than nationalities.  What is new however is the reduced need to factor things like location or nationality or digital into our daily decisions.  They are not irrelevant, just less relevant. 

Taking an even longer view, which is my nature, I see all single point categorization such as nationality, gender, age group, digital, real, and so on, fading in importance and relevance as we instead use these as bits of metadata or characteristics which number in the hundreds, millions and centillions (10⁶⁰⁰) and which we combine into mashups and mine to help us make faster better decisions and help us avoid stereotyping and other forms of mass production thinking.

While not without new problems and challenges I for one see all these changes as a VERY good thing and a major step forward by providing more ways and opportunities for all of us to help make this a better world to live, love and work within.

In any case, have fun wandering and pondering these maps.

Comments

[Mark Brown]

Well, while I was planning my CE proofing before getting my first boat, I met a lot of good people from different places around the world. They often ask, "What country you come from?" and I proudly say that I came from Miami. I agree, communities are much important than countries 'coz it's where people come from and build relationships with other members.

[vibram five fingers]

They are not irrelevant, just less relevant.

[dr dre headphones]

Well, while I was planning my CE proofing before getting my first boat, I met a lot of good people from different places around the world. They often ask, "What country you come from?" and I proudly say that I came from Miami. I agree, communities are much important than countries 'coz it's where people come from and build relationships with other members.

[vibram five fingers]

What is new however is the reduced need to factor things like location or nationality or digital into our daily decisions.

[ray ban sunglasses]

i am liking cheap ray ban sunglasse there.

[ray ban sunglasses]

It sounds so well of your post. i like it very much.

[wholesale sunglasses]

you give it away for free. There’s much more to be gained. It is the old what goes around comes around routine.
http://www.wholesalesunglassesmart.com

[knock off oakley sunglasses]

I’ve seen progression in every post. Your newer posts are simply wonderful compared to your posts in the past. Keep up the good work!

[cheap jordan heels]

Apparently Shaun T.’s high intensity workout methods work efficiently for quite a few people. It is why so many of the aggressive workout products are such good sellers. Be cautious that you don’t just look at affiliate sales sites when you investigate for truthful feedback of this exercise DVD, because they may not be unbiased.

[Knock off oakley sunglasses]

So, the whole time we chillin’ in L.A., and you ain’t gonna tell me about these joints you desinging???? These kicks are FIYAH!!!!! Def. gonna cop these. Keep in touch, brother.
P.S. If I didn’t tell you Sat. night, I’ll say it again, you and Spinna killed it…ttyl, peace.

[oakley sunglasses men]

ion is using new technologies to get their message out — in particular the Internet. All the candidates campaigning in the 19 March presidential election have launched websites, w

[fake oakley sunglasses]

This article is well written,give a person very deep impression, I really have no language to describe it, I hope the authors make persistent efforts, come on!

[superdry sale]

s will be eliminated or forgotten nor that we will be any less proud of your national heritage.
http://www.lacosteuk.uk.com/ lacoste uk

[replica gucci belts]

Fantastic looking site! I have a site as well but unfortunately I'm not very good with design and other computer (tech) related stuff, but would like to make my theme a bit more custom as well. Could you refer me to your designer please? Thank you so much, hottle

[moncler Jacken]

High heels shoes design depends on the individual preferences, so can choose their favorite style. But a pair of high heels "heel" and "bottom", I think is no compromise, must have perfect key position, because that is the key to comfort of influence to walk.

[oakley sunglasses]

theory I would like to write like this too. You need time to creat that interesting and additionally real effort to make such a good article

[fake oakleys]

I am a great fan of your blog, when I first started with drupal I found it difficult due to trying to work with panels. I am in the process of launching my site and your drupal "best modules" post was v. helpful. Thanks for such a great site.

[fake louis vuitton belt]

Interesting site you have here. And it would be nice to see, and It is going to be a regular visitor for a long time….

[fake louis vuitton belt]

I am in the process of launching my site and your drupal “best modules” post was v. helpful

[true religion outlet]

This individual is cheap true religion and one to be protected at all jeans. In this dark time I fear he has real enemies as does true freedom and real democracy.

[fake oakley sunglasses]

Many thanks to the person who made this post, this was very informative for me. Please continue this awesome work.