What community do you belong to? What is a community? According to Webster’s dictionary, a community is a group of people who share common interests within societies. So, what do you expect when you are in a community? In a community, each member has their input. They can express themselves openly, and they feel comfortable in their environment. The community I observed is the “2k gaming community”.This community is huge so, I chose to focus on a small group within this community. I have come to know how a community that is revolved around a video game can bring new friendships where you feel comfortable. For example, the members of this community can ask questions and even ask for advice in their own lives. When I was observing this group, the goal was any patterns, how open the participants were, and how each individual would respond.
So how is this group structured? Are there a set of rules in play? No, this community is not run under a set of regulations however there is a set of patterns I have discovered. The online forum used to communicate and interact with this group would be the Playstation 4 Party and this group would meet almost every day around the time interval of 4 pm – 2 am. However, there are times when the members of the group would be on earlier and even stay up later. All the members of the group are unique and have their own stories. However, the strong bond between these individuals comes from sharing similar interests in the game and being able to express their thoughts. Most of the things brought up during the conversations include relationship issues, school issues, current situations, clothes, sports, news, etc.
From the time I entered this chat, I have observed the members of this community and determined how they communicate with each other. I have found many phrases that they use mainly to communicate through the game. These consist of:
- “Are you down for 3s”
- “Are you down for 2s”
- “That’s green”
- “You are 50”
- “Get the board”
All these phrases have their own definition and they are used only through communication on the game. However, when it comes to having regular conversations relating to the game, everything is on the table. One participant, I have talked with and exchanged experiences with, named Femi Ayeni, told me about one time he has felt discriminated against. This shows how within this group, there are always marginalized individuals and can find a space where they feel comfortable. Femi Ayeni distinctly told me around two officers confronted him. He recorded the situation and the officers kept being hostile to him telling him “if he doesn’t do what they [the officers] say they will arrest him.” Femi told me that this was confusing to him because he did not understand why he was approached by the officers. Eventually, they figured out Femi was not the person they were looking for and left the area instantly. This story is one of the many conversations this group has when the members of the groups are talking about a serious topic.
This group serves a purpose. Yes, this group chat is a place where individuals can come together. You can state that the relationship between these individuals resembles a “longstanding bond; it’s positive; and it’s cooperative—it’s helpful, reciprocal, I’m there for you, you’re there for me.” (Newman K. M. (2020), Why Your Friends Are More Important Than You Think). Each participant feels comfortable and that is what this group is all about, being able to have a group to talk to and feel comfortable with.
In conclusion, I find this astounding. Everyone in this group is welcoming. If you are a new member, there are things you can always bring up to make conversation. In addition, I found the coordination between the members intriguing. The members in this group worked well together and each individual was open to sharing. However, what I found disturbing was the story Femi told me. It showed how confused he was about the situation and how it changed how he would view people.
