What is community?
Welcome to Why Tho?, an ongoing series that further explores the subjects and themes presented in CEO.com Magazine. Today, I’d like to address the topic of community — what it is, why it’s so important, and what makes one strong and cohesive.
Let’s start with the definition of community — my definition, at least: Community emerges when free individuals come together as equals, unburdened by hierarchy or dependency.
It is important to note that this ideal is fragile and often undone by success, perception, and power, especially when individuals come together not as equals but as opportunities.
The great Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw was at a party one night when the host approached him and asked, “Are you enjoying yourself, Mr. Shaw?” He replied, “Yes — and that’s the only thing I’m enjoying.”
Shaw’s quip exposes the emptiness of gatherings where people are present but not genuinely connected — where the room is filled with opportunists seeking advantage, not free individuals coming together as equals, unburdened by hierarchy or dependency.
It’s all sunshine and roses in the beginning, as most communities initially organize themselves with the belief that everyone involved is a leader who has earned their place at the table. This is why many newly formed communities achieve significant success right from the start. Members value each other’s company and share a clear perspective on reality — that each individual matters, but no one matters more than anyone else. There is no anxiety, pressure, fear, passivity, or struggle for power. Everyone involved is free.
Success alters this reality. People from outside the community begin to care about what’s happening and what this new group of leaders has to say. Now, there are stakes, reputations to uphold, and power that must be exercised. Some individuals begin to perceive themselves as mattering more than others. Credit must be given, egos must be stroked, and the land that’s been seized must be defended. Other groups emerge to claim a share of the harvested crop for themselves.
Inevitably, the community’s spirit shifts. Of course, nothing has truly changed, but reality can’t compete with perception. The community comes to be seen as just a small group of leaders trying to control everything and everyone else. “Screw that,” say those outside the perceived inner circle. The character, integrity, and motivations of the community and its leaders come under scrutiny. Competitors arise solely from this, promising to achieve the same results as the original community but with more honorable intentions.
Social media has conditioned us to believe that having followers is a good thing. In reality, followers — when they’re just dependents — weaken a community’s core. A strong, cohesive community cannot thrive if it is split into distinct groups of leaders and followers. Free people — not followers — create community.
This cycle of growth and collapse is not exclusive to a specific type of community; it has clearly manifested itself across all areas of human organization. Think of a startup humming with ideas — until investors swoop in, egos swell like balloons, and the team splinters.
To tread on safer ground, let’s consider political parties, as they seem to be disliked by almost everybody. In 2012, following President Barack Obama’s defeat of Mitt Romney, pundits and the media confidently claimed that the Republican Party was bound to remain a minority, non-governing party for decades. After Romney’s loss, the party produced a notorious autopsy report advising that it soften its stance on immigration and place significant emphasis on outreach to minority voters.
You know what happened next. Four years later, Donald Trump won the presidency by doing the exact opposite of what party leaders recommended. Trump’s success didn’t come from appealing to followers with a softened message; it arose from mobilizing free individuals who rejected being labeled followers by the perceived party elite, demonstrating that a community of leaders treated as leaders can defy expectations.
The Democratic Party is where the Republican Party was in 2013. The current division among Democrats reflects a trend towards top-down control, where leaders dictate, and followers comply — undermining the freedom and hope that once unified them.
However, it’s important to note that because the ruling party will eventually overlook the reason for its success, you can be certain that the Democrats will regain power much sooner than today’s analysts expect.
The cycle repeats, always.
Why does this happen? Nietzsche said it best: “Madness is rare in individuals — but in groups, parties, nations, and ages, it is the rule.”
A person who depends on others for access, validation, success, or happiness will eventually want to break free. Nobody wants to be a follower. Nobody wants to be the one mid-conversation, watching their partner’s eyes drift over their shoulder for someone better. Followers aren’t free — they rely on others, giving up control of their destiny. That’s what sheep do, not communities. True community rejects this dependency — it thrives on freedom instead.
The term “community” has been diminished to the point of losing its meaning. Let’s reclaim it as a space for individuals who are free and unafraid to be themselves.
In our own lives, we understand that when we treat another person with respect and dignity, our relationship with that person will be productive and meaningful. The same holds true in a community. When you treat a fellow human being as a leader, the boundaries of what can be accomplished diminish.
It’s important to remember that a community is simply a group of individuals. When individuals understand that no one matters more than they do — and they don’t matter more than anyone else — when they come together to execute a mission bigger than any one person, well, a community like that can conquer the world. And the world would be better for them having done so.
