At its most basic, community stands for common interest. But, it is not the purpose of this short piece to define the meaning of community. Rather, what is most important here, is the relationship between community and the symbols that communities use to define their activities. For example, a farming community is largely defined by a shared economic activity that is underpinned by social and cultural interaction. On a smaller scale, a kinship system brings diverse people together under the heading of family and together they form a community of interest.
Some families use religion as a unifying force, as do some communities.
Others may use a shared historical experience, a traumatic event or even music to bring meaning to what connects them. In other words, every social formation has a variety of communities within it and an often-unpredictable way of portraying the ways in which those communities operate. The best way to understand community is to examine people's experiences within the communities that they share. And one of the most important activities that communities concern themselves with is learning. It doesn't really matter what form that learning takes, or whether it is formal or informal.