Sustainable community and the reality show Format

Published on: July 19, 2012

So here is the idea which I have been pondering among, " how to build a sustainable community?" An important question, I suppose for all the developing and under developing nations. But this is a question not only among the nation builders but also among brands. Today, brands are competing head on to build a community around its services and products. So what is the right way?

I suppose there are different methods to it. For example, lets take an analogy:

Lets say, I build a house, equip it with furniture and all the necessary resources like food and energy. Then I invite people to come to the house and stay over. I think it will be wrong to assume that the people will finally evolve into a community because this is not how a community is built. This particular format is more like a Reality TV show format, and we all know that this format is not designed to be sustainable but to collapse with time. Because in Reality TV show format, rather than building a community, it disintegrates into one single member - who will be the winner.

Community is mostly build out of necessity. It starts with few people, there is a reason and context behind their meet, then they communicate, collaborate and create. As a result, they build their surrounding to suit their needs and hence we have a community. This community is more sustainable.

So what is my point? My point is that instead of investing in infrastructure and resources, the first thing that any community or nation builders must invest is on PEOPLE. Cause investing in people will empower people who will then there by communicate, collaborate and create.

Its like game of life. Currently, there are millions of small communities competing to exist and sustain the changes. Few will raise and fall, few will remain unheard but some will leave a legacy. Community doesn't have to die, but they surely change with time.