The Commodification of Community: Are Intentions All We Need?
A Quick Intro 👋
Hello! My name is Joseph. For a long time, I've had a vague sense that my experiences in various communities didn’t really feel like community. That led me to spend the past two years seeking answers to explain feeling like a commodity rather than a part of community.
What's This About❓
A casual hang out and loosely facilitated discussions over some wine🍷 and cheese 🧀. All are welcome to contribute your experiences in community to the discussion.
Let's explore questions such as...
1️⃣ What does community mean to you?
2️⃣ What are your intentions in communities, how do they differ from other people?
3️⃣ What can we do in community that we couldn't otherwise do?
Summary of my Research ✏️
✋🏻I-communities are where we co-discover opportunities. For example, you want to go for a run, I want to go for a run. We discover that we both have the I-intention of running, so we decide to run together.
👐🏻We-communities are where we co-construct opportunities. Maybe we both don't like running, but we want an excuse to hang out. So we decide to go for a run together. That's when we have what might be called a We-intention.
🫶🏻Sustainable collective intentionality is the sweet spot that sustains community. It’s when a community balances—not resolves—the tension between I-community and We-community.
Who’s This For? 👥
🔍 People navigating their eternal journey in community
🤔 Anyone questioning the agendas behind community initiatives
🎓 Researchers who want to contribute to the shared discourse on community, third spaces and commodification
What Might Emerge ✨
🗺️ A map of quiet hopes and challenges we rarely voice about community
🕳️ Shared language for the gap between community ideals and reality
🌀 Space to reimagining community that isn’t just for fulfilling agendas (personal or corporate)
Though I sometimes come off cynical, I'm fundamentally optimistic and curious about the emergent properties of community—How people come together, potentially do amazing things and provide hope to reinvent our relationships with work and society.
What To Bring 📦
🎒 Your experience and stories (no prep needed)
Printed excerpts from my research will be around for browsing—no homework, just sparks for conversation.
Spill wine on my thesis draft; I’ll thank you for it.
📅 Fri, April 11th 5:30-7:00PM
📍 The Stranger Space, 195 Pearl's Hill Terrace #02-38D
💸 Pay what you can, 100% goes to supporting the space (suggested $5-$20)
🍴Light bites and drinks provided (non-alcoholic option available too!)
Guest List
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