So many of then keep saying 'we are a community", “our little community” and so on. Who is this “community”?, the country?, the state?, the town? Politicians love saying for 'the community" and “us the community” like it’s some kind of buzzword. I think this is just some tribal mentality of us versus them.
i blame abed
The same reason a bad person constantly talks about how they are a good person
Of all the valid things to criticize the US over this is the most petty, and because the account is just a day old I just assume this is trolling.
‘community’ is an incredibly generic term. its a loose group of human beings… generally with a common interest.
thats it.
not some conspiracy
did you take your meds today?
I asked why they mention it so much compared to other countries and why is it so popular to say it.
As American’s we’re taught to be inherently distrusting of outsiders. This is present at every level.
- Nationally we’re taught that other nations either hate us for our freedom or want to steal it for themselves, that’s why we hate foreign powers and immigrants respectively.
- On a state level we’re taught that other states are either a burden supported by ours or look down on us, that’s why everyone talks shit on Mississippi and California respectively.
- On an inner state level we’re told about the crimes and horrors of living in other cities, if you move there you’ll be shot and raped and get hooked on drugs. Better to stay where you were born.
- On a city level we’re told that other neighborhoods are either crime riddled slums or look down on us for being crime riddled slums. You can’t go there because you’ll be shot by gangs or they’ll call the police on you respectively.
- On a neighborhood level, we’re taught that our neighbors may secretly be evil. Sure they seem nice but that’s what they thought about the serial killer or the rapist before they found out. Best stay inside.
The only thing we’re never taught to fear is our community, the people we already know and trust, the people that cannot be easily alienated. By evoking community the politician is saying that they’re one of you, they’re someone you trust. Not an outsider that seeks to harm you like all the rest.
You sit at home scared of the monsters that pass your house, fearing the beasts that stalk the borders and the barbarians that hate you for your way of life. Wholly incapable of reaching past the smoke and mirrors to seethe only monster is the one pretending to help you see these false dangers. That is why they use community.
Thank you for this answers. Have this image of a french Capybara:
Frequently it is used in the US to promote conformity for non-positive reasons while pretending to be positive.
Minimizing dissenting views by saying something is what the community wants.
Using implied stereotypes by saying things like loud celebrations and other common cultural norms aren’t something that belongs in their community.
Most of the use that I see for community in the US is similar to calling a workplace a family. It implies things in a way that makes disagreement stsnd out like a sore thumb.
Clever name you got there.
i see… like, why the fuck do the inuit have so many fucking words for snow! amiright or amiright
If you’re talking about the Fediverse then this specific community we’re on right now is called !asklemmy@lemmy.world
Because Americans are so starved for community and businesses, politicians, etc. know that they can get people to buy in if they make it seem like their business or campaign or organization will give them the social bonds they lack.
The extent of the community depends on the context. I think most Americans when they hear the word would think of the people in their neighborhood or town. But it can mean any group of people, like a university, the LGBT community within a city, an internet fandom message board, etc. When a politician or elected official is saying “community” without prefacing specifically what community, they are probably referring to someone’s local town or neighborhoods.
Yea but why say community instead of exactly what you’re referring. You can just say town, county, country, etc. Even with context the person next to you might interpret it as something else then what you think.
A great example is a politician giving a speech in a town and saying “I’m going to fight for this community and make it better”. The town? the county? The country? Why say it in a vague way?
They are different things. Saying “community” IS using the word for exactly what they are referring to. A city is a legal artifice. A community is a group of people with social connections to each other. Different things.
Just because it’s possible to be more correct doesn’t mean it’s wrong.
Why say it in a vague way?
Because being vague in that context is the point. So that they can recontextualize it later, when quotes in a different group/setting. People who see or hear that speech or sound it’s can simply perceive themselves as part of the referenced community and feel included and spoken for.
usually they mean their church or town but I think I have maybe heard it as high as the national level but feels like most of the time I think its about the local one. Don’t think I have ever heard us the community. Sounds wierd to my ear. I think like anything it can be tribal when taken to far. Its like patriotism is not totally bad. I think its when its false or inscincere that you really get bad things. When foundational good things are ignored about a society to just make a blanket we ware great and everything we do is fine even if we break our own rules. Its like the flag wavers in the us vs folks who talk about the constitution. One is just a nationalism for nationalisms sake and another is talking about the foundation of the society and how it involves rights and democratic structure.
It’s code for “Us, not them.”
“Who’s them?”
“You know…. the others.”
