What DO We Owe To Each Other?
More people are recognizing that community takes work – and they’re willing to put in the effort.
What’s going on?
“Being annoyed is the price you pay for community” tweeted (xed?) creator Divya Venn on March 1 – and the pick-up was huge. It quickly traveled to TikTok, where creators like Zaid Leppelin amplified the original post and gave practical examples of the type of annoyances community members need to put up with (“it means having guests when you’d rather be alone”).
And people are increasingly realizing that the “price” is worth it.
What’s driving it?
The decline of community has been a recurring anxiety for decades, and it’s backed by data across regions:
In the US, traditional community involvement (like being a member of a club) has declined since the 1970s – as has the degree of trust people have in others.
Europeans are feeling increasingly lonely and disconnected (with some variants by market).
“Social cohesion” metrics in Australia are decreasing year on year.
The good news? People are figuring out how to rebuild community, and willing to put in the effort:
Over the last momnths, the sentiment that “You do owe people things – [for example] if you’re friends with someone, you do owe them a text back,” championed by creators like Gracie, gained more traction.
Similarly, creators like Jenni are gaining support for making the case that “If you want to have the village, sometimes you have to be the village first.”
What It Means
Many brands clearly already know and value the role of community in staying front of mind and building salience – we see it in signals like:
The creation of brand-run community spaces like Discord servers (which actually don’t seem to be doing that well – specifically GucciVault is reportedly now defunct).
The rise of collaborations and fandom marketing, which is ultimately about brands tapping into passionate groups united by a common cause.
When done right, it’s powerful. Tapping into communities can create impactful if-you-know-you-know moments, helping people feel seen, and provide real value – Nike x Corteiz resonated deeply with a dedicated community of streetwear afficionados.
But real community isn’t just about shared interests or demographics – it’s about responsibility. It’s not just about creating spaces but offering a shared purpose, the infrastructure to sustain it, and long-term meaning that goes beyond a single campaign.
The Final Takeaway
Real community isn’t built overnight, and it isn’t frictionless – because community also means tolerating and cooperating with people we disagree with, or even dislike (hence the annoyance part). If brands want to facilitate real connection, they need to go beyond engagement and actively help people do the work of belonging, not just participating.