You say:
” The leaders are the people who blaze the trail for everyone else, and fight the tigers along the way. They are the ones who are infinitely helpful and kind and generous, even though it takes up a lot of their time and energy.”

This only makes sense, right? I mean, there are followers, who will do so ‘blindly’ and base their decision to do so on what? Maybe history, or peer pressure or perhaps the lack of genuine interest in researching what it is that a ’so-called’ leader has to offer, in terms of guidance or change, etc.

However, as we all become more adept at social networking, and communicating our ideas clearly and feeling justified in our positions as contributing members of society or community (whether it be web-based or proximity-based), we expect a certain level of leadership and strength of character to be demonstrated by our community leaders and creators.

Is it trail blazing, or is it awareness of a community’s needs and the nerve to stand up and speak up for what is required?

fg

You raise an excellent point about relating all this stuff to real life. So many older people I know are so afraid of the technology, they don’t want to even try it. If you can provide examples of how it can enhance their ability to communicate and connect (which is really what it’s all about!) and relate it to their life as they know it now, then I think you’ll be onto something.

Thanks for sharing your insights.

I live in a small town hundreds of miles away from Arborg, but I bet the people of that town share a lot in common with the people who live in my town, Murphy, NC.

Most of the social networking is offline and the older people in the community are only reluctantly moving online. Some of the reasons for the move include lower costs, farther reach, and faster communications.

I’m working to help those who are interested to move online and to participate in networking here, but it’s a slow process.

The photo of the bulletin board gave me a flash of insight. One way to bridge the transition is by providing something people already know how to use. Maybe a simple online bulletin board would be useful.

I’m still mulling that over.

I’m happy to have found your blog and look forward to your future posts.

Act on your dream!

JD

John Dilbeck’s last blog post..Small towns, social networks, and communicating

i also see within the scope and diversity of these new media the great potential for cooperation and collaboration, especially on what really matters, as you say here…

“This global scale means that we hold a great deal potential in our hands. We now have the power to do great things not only for the success of our communities, but ultimately for the success of humankind.”

tim o’reilly said something similar in an interview with scoble…”the talent of our entrepreneurial community needs to be turned towards solving the world’s great problems as opposed to delivering yet another consumer experience…we really do have to get serious”
http://www.fastcompany.tv/video/part-i-tim-o-reilly-steers-us-a-post-web-20-world

This is getting at the Toqueville stuff!…