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26
Introduction
Ontheotherhand,thecurrentinvestmentintheideaofthecommunity
ofeninvolvesitsinstrumentalizationorreduction.Jean-LucNancywarnsthat
thinkingaboutcommunityintermsofan“original”,“untainted”or“unified”
communityveryeasilyslipsintosectarian(ifnottotalitarian)attitudes,and
fuelsdesirestopurgeandpurifyagroupofanythingthatisdeemedunwanted
orthreatening.Insofarastheconditionsforthetruecommunityinmodernity
aregone,insofarasthegroundingofcommunityin“strongontologies”-in
predetermined,fixed,unnegotiablestructures-isnolongerpossible(Blackshaw
2010:11),thepostmodernsocietycanonlytrytobuilditscommunitiesthrough
interpretationandimagination(Blackshaw2010:27;Bauman1992:xvii-xx;
Bauman2001:8-11).AsBlackshawexplains,“withtheonsetofmodernity,
communitywastransformedfromawayoflifetoanarrative,ataskofinter-
pretation;orinotherwords,itwastobecomeahermeneuticalexercise.Tatis,
oncecommunityceasedtobeathinginitself,itinsteadbecamemoreandmore
meaning”(2010:27).Buttheinterpretation-basedcommunity(orthe“herme-
neuticcommunity”[Blackshaw2010:6])-theonlyavailabletypetoday-can
degenerateintoanideological,nostalgic,orcommodifiedphenomenon.Itcan
becomeadisciplinarianandhomogenizingidea,legitimizingexclusionofthe
otherandauthorizingprejudices.Also,contemporarycommunityfrequently
turnsouttobenothingmorethanasubstancelessappropriationoftheideaof
thecommunity,anemptysignifieralluringpeoplewithitssemblanceofbelong-
ingandstability.Simplisticallytreatedastheconverseofthenegativeaspects
ofmodernity(i.e.ofinsecurity,instability,lackofsolidarityandcommitment),
communitytodaycanbecomeeitheramereconduitforindividualanxieties,
hopesandbeliefs,orastopgap,facileresponsetothewidelyfeltsocialupheav-
als.Unabletooferanythingpermanent,itattractspeoplewithitspromiseof
intensesatisfaction,andthen,likeotherconsumerproductsinthethrow-away
world,waitstobereplacedwithsomethingelse.“Sincecommunityitselfcannot
bebroughtback[ł],thenextbestthingistogetaconvincingalternativeto
performitssongsandgothroughitsroutines”(Blackshaw2010:43).Asacapti-
vating,believableillusion,today’scommunityisofenwell-tailoredtotheneeds
ofthecontemporaryindividual,whofrequentlywantsonlysuchcommitments
whicharenottoodemanding,andwhichdonotrequirethesacrificeofher
freedom.
Significantly,thefateofcommunitytodaydoesnotdependsolelyonthewild
goosechaseforthestrong-ontology-basedcommunityoronthe“magnesium-
flare-likewaysofrelating”(Blackshaw2010:36),characteristicofsometypes
ofpostmoderncommunities.Contemporarysearchforbelongingdoesnot
havetomeanthatonelooksforatraditional,spatially-oroccupationally-based
community,orthatonetriestorecoversomeideal-but-lostconditionofsharing
(deeperandinheritedvalues,commonidentity,clearmorality,civicvirtuesor
ideals).Today,theideaofcommunitydoesnothavetobereducedtoaclear
