The WELL - A pioneering form of virtual communication
The WELL is a virtual community where members interact in conversations on a large range of topics. It is "a cherished destination for conversation and discussion," and has been widely regarded as the origin of the concept of an online community. (The Well: Learn About, para. 1) It was conceived in 1985, a time when internet had not yet reached its widespread popularity, though individuals were seeking a new, innovative way of interacting with like-minded individuals.
A prominent member of the WELL, Howard Rheingold wrote a book, 'Virtual Community' (1993) that addressed the appeal that such a medium would have, in that it has brought those who are isolated in this technological age into a community where they collectively thrive. This issue is at the heart of our modern age: "the relationship between individuality, self-expression and communitarianism..." (Matei 2005)
Individualism has an emphasis amongst the WELL; members could participate in conversation that ranged from the very trivial to more weighty topics of discourse. Its peak saw thousands of users regularly using the medium, and also became a very early use of online communication for journalists.
Its influence on the ways in which we communicate and interact through technology is highly significant. It was an early example of how inventors of communication mediums tapped into the collective desire to express one's self and interact with others who possess similar interests, rendering a sense of community in individuals.
Many of Facebook's functions are not dissimilar to those of the WELL; groups and pages on Facebook allow members to discuss topics of interest and engage in conversation that ranges from the academic to the trivial.
Bibliography:
The WELL- Learn About The WELL, viewed 14 August 2011,
<http://www.well.com/aboutwell.html>
Matei, S.A. 2005, 'From counterculture to cyberculture: Virtual community discourse and the dilemma of modernity', Journal of computer-mediated communication, Vol. 10, Issue 3, viewed 14 August 2011 via WILEY Online Library
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