Communities of the 90's form rapidly, evolve, reform, disintegrate and form again. Many are highly driven by technology and often knowledge resides with the young rather than the elders. This is a dramatic shift in the way in which communities have traditionally operated which was through personal interaction, structured along hierarchical and bureaucratic lines and defined by geography. Examples of all of these communities exist in Canada today. For virtual communities the key is connection.
Communities can be inclusive and yet some are exclusive.
Technology may not be able to assist in this respect because basic social and cultural perspectives drive these behaviours. Tensions will always exist within communities between these two forces. In some cases technology may go so far as to drive one community to undo the work of another. Yet, technology can be a significant force in connecting the disconnected and easing the tensions by bringing like minded but different communities to the table to achieve a set of goals leading to a better quality of life and prosperity. Hopefully, this will result in better information, jobs, better health and education for the grass roots of the community.