Community Disemination

The term community is difficult to comprehend when seen solely seen through the lenses of individuality. Community is the arena in which many of the significant requirements for working out issues that affect us all are being nurtured. People do not work in a vacuum; a person is often not the first one to puzzle over certain aspects or issues. We require the enrichment, endeavors, and assistance of our peers as to check our perception and to affirm their validity. Likewise, our conclusions, if deemed correct, have importance for others.

Community is the first level that provides accountability; it offers the environment in which we can formulate our thoughts. This accountability guards against maverick and individualistic views. It provides a check against selfish and self-serving conclusions by those who lack the perspective to see beyond their own circumstances.

The term international community is even more difficult to wrap oneself around, as it crosses all cultural boundaries and local interests. Ideally it incorporates our African sense of community, where an individuality is defined through the collective, and the more Western sense of community, where the collective is defined by the sum of individuals. Embedding of knowledge needs communities, as in search of meaning it will make sense or ring true to others when evidence to reach conclusions are openly assessed. Thus the need for an international community.

In Africa the term community thrives tangibly. It is what make the environment tick. It is where one exists, where one regards to be member, and where one finds security. Now with Internet our rural African community expands innovatively. It is wonderful to see Facebook, Twitter and collaboration tools like Wave being embraced in our community. Now a most precious part of African Culture – community expressions – is augmenting the international community.