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Leveraging the Power of
the Community (Physical
9 and Online)

Community has in recent years made a resurgence in
its importance in people’s lives. These is due to many
factors:

● the global warming and group focus on trying to take
better care of the environment;

● the increased connectivity of countries;
● the economic slowdown’s global impact; and
● the increasing move to reprioritization of values by

governments, businesses, and individuals.

It is typical in times of economic slowdown to return some-
what to “the basics”. For individuals to need to rely more
on community – whether it be the homeless supporting each
other in shanty Hooverville towns during the Great
Depression, FDR’s New Deal, or the current stimulus pack-
ages of numerous countries.

The difference this time is the Internet. It takes the phrase
“It’s a small world” to a whole new level of meaning. It has
also become a virtual community that in many ways rivals
the “real” world.

Both the physical community and the virtual community
have a role to play during boom and bust economic
cycles.