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In lugnet.general, Tim Courtney writes:
> Over the better part of the last year, I've done a lot of thinking about the
> LEGO hobby and the LEGO community, trying to develop a philosophy on it
> which I use to channel my efforts, energies, and interactions. I'm
> interested in hearing others' thoughts on the LEGO community.
>
> Particularly - what do you think the LEGO community includes?
My personal feeling is that the "LEGO community" doesn't really exist. That
is to say there isn't a singular entity that can qualify to classify the
group that might make up this definition. But rather, in my mind what you
might really be talking about is a loose affiliation of separate groups or
'communities' that collectively are regarded as a whole. I guess to
consider yourself a part of any one of them is to be included in the overall
group.
I think of LEGO fans as small towns spread across a wide terrain. Each town
is its own 'community' if that word must be used. Each town shares a bank,
a grocery store and perhaps a Toys 'R Us. :)
But these towns as a whole make up a vibrant and growing state (or
province... depending on your cultural bias) which shares a common goal.
For example, maybe the LEGO state is a a mid-western region heavily
dependent on farming. I think of LEGO as the 'farming' aspect that binds
the towns together. But each town shops at a different Toys 'R Us and each
town cultivates a different crop. Their own versions of farming (LEGO) are
different from each other, while still holding to a common broad definition.
Some towns build castle creations out of their LEGO bricks, some towns build
space stuff, some towns build.... town, of course... and others put their
LEGO on the internet, selling it to other towns across the province. All
the same... but all different.
How's that for overthinking a question? :)
> what does it exclude?
In my analogy above, it would include a state that doesn't farm. That would
really equate to a person who doesn't buy, collect or build with LEGO.
Which means they probably don't want to be a part of this group anyway. :)
In essence this would suggest that anyone wanting to be part of the LEGO
state can be just that... part of the group, defined in more finite terms by
the smaller town (community) of which they are a part.
> Since then, we've seen an apparent change in the demographic of the fan
> community. More people online and involved today are general computer users,
> and perhaps barely computer literate. They come from a wide variety of
> backgrounds and with that have different attitudes and outlooks towards the
> LEGO community.
This is sort of what I was trying to express above. The idea that LEGO may
be the only common factor for some of the people that are being lumped
together under the umbrella term 'community'.
> Through local clubs and community events worldwide, we know that many LEGO
> fans are not connected to the internet, or choose not to participate in
> online discussion. There are also people who aren't a part of the
> "mainstream" LEGO hobby - they embrace "controversial" [1] themes such as
> Bionicle, or participate in LEGO organizations not directly connected to the
> online community such as First LEGO League.
I'll bet there's at least one person waiting to hear me rant about Bionicle.
But I won't do it here. :)
> As I'm trying to determine what the LEGO community means to me, I'd like to
> hear what it means to you.
To be honest. I rarely give it the kind of thought I expressed above. For
me, the idea is people who share a common hobby, and getting to know their
views of that hobby. I personally don't view it as any sort of 'community'.
Then again, I've not really had much contact with LEGO fans other that what
I've had online. Maybe I'm the exception... maybe I'm just an outspoken
example of one of the fringe groups. I've never really understood where I
fit in.
> I've encountered very conservative and very liberal attitudes towards what
> "the LEGO community" is. I think some feel it is (or should be) limited to
> LUGNET, others limited to active online participants.
LUGNET may be the provincial (or state) capital. Without it, many of those
like me would still be wandering around the streets of our own towns
thinking that we were a bit odd perhaps. LUGNET deserves tremendous credit
for what it has done for LEGO fans around the world.
However, I don't feel that LUGNET defines the community as a whole. No more
than Ottawa defines the "community" of Ontario. This is not to belittle
LUGNET, but merely to attempt to define its role.
> attitudes towards how the LEGO Company fits in (or doesn't fit in) as a
> participant in the LEGO community.
For what it's worth... I continue to hope that the LEGO company continues
its march toward community involvement. It is such a rare example of a
company who's product has been not just embraced.... but adopted as a part
of the family, by numerous people. Computer geeks like to think that Apple
fans are loyal. I think LEGO fans put them to shame.
> I also firmly
> believe in the in-person community; local clubs, groups like First LEGO
> League, and people who follow LEGO news and attend public shows like those
> at BricksWest, Northwest BrickCon, LEGOWORLD, LEGO Train shows, and more.
Tim... I'll let you know if I agree, after this year's Hobby Show in
Toronto. I'm going to meet some other LEGO fans for real! For the first
time ever.
> I'm for evangelizing the LEGO hobby.
Ditto. I'm sure people at work tire of hearing me talk about LEGO and how
good it is for their kids... etc. etc. Of course, I often grow tired of
hearing about their kids' soccer games, their kids' report cards, their
kids'.... well, you get the idea. Needless to say I'm a vocal proponent of
LEGO and credit it for at least some of why I turned out to be such a good
guy. ;)
> I want to see more people discover this
> amazing hobby and the resources that are available to them.
I sometimes get emails from lost parents... searching for some particular
LEGO resource or another. And I'm always left to wonder if there wasn't
some better way (besides me sending them tons of links) to continue to bring
adults and kids into LEGO. It seems to me that the learning curve could be
flattened, though I'm not entirely sure how.
> So, where do you think LEGO interests which aren't necessarily "mainstream"
> accepted values fit in?
They fit in perfectly... if you ask me. They are another town on the map.
Perhaps stuck up in the corner of the map... accessible by only a rough dirt
road... but they're on the map. The map shows the community and all its
varied features; all of its many many towns.
> What makes someone someone a "member" of the LEGO
> community?
Just being. No rules required here. I think that over-analysing this
particular question is just opening up certain people for exclusion. I see
no need for this.
> If someone actively participates in a league such as FLL, but
> doesn't post on LUGNET, are they "in?"
A better question might be, "why would they be 'out'"? As noted above, I
think that rules which may possibly exclude someone are rules that should be
erased.
> I know there are no concrete answers to the questions I am asking.
You're right. But talking about such things never hurt anyone. :)
Tim... you are wise for your age. I've said it before, but it's worth
noting again.
All the best,
Allan B.
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