Will Social Networking make “place” more important?

May 28th, 2009 by

Last week I raised the question; Will Gen Y, with their infatuation for on-line social networking tools, ruin how people develop a sense of belonging to a community?  Today, I’d like to share a story suggesting that social networking is actually contributing to an increased desire for local.

Titled “Demographic trends now favor downtown,” the article traces the growing demand for retail space in downtown settings and its connection to the “buy local” movement. 

 

Besides offering the economic causes driving people to the downtown setting, the article identifies how on-line computer activities contribute to the importance of place:

Humans are social beings, and all the time we spend at our computers makes us, if anything, even hungrier for real-world interactions. The Internet, paradoxically, is making place even more important. Marrying great online services with appealing real-world presence will be the secret to success for many a company. So pay attention to where you are and to where your community is going.

If we are hungry for face-to-face interaction, and if a sense of place will become more important for businesses, does it not suggest an opportunity for small rural communities?  After all, isn’t “being real” inherent in most small rural communities? 

But it also begs the question, what are we doing to take advantage of this growing sentiment?  If we are not thoughtful and willing to take action, this opportunity may slip through our fingers. 

Note:  Readers may also be interested in knowing that I discovered this article through the Main Street Mitchell and Beyond’s Facebook page .  It pays to be a part of a social network.

Photo Source:  Jordan MacDonald/Flickr (photo of facades in downtown Broken Arrow, OK)

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Posted in Economic Development, In the News, Rural | Comments ( 0 )

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