Book SummaryThe Art of Community, by Charles Vogl

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of The Art of Community

Have you ever wondered how to give back to the communities you belong to? In his 2016 book The Art of Community, Charles Vogl explains how you can participate meaningfully in your communities, make them stronger, and help them become more sustainable.

Vogl is a social justice documentary filmmaker, leadership consultant, and former member of the Peace Corps; drawing on this expertise, he offers advice for communities and their leaders in books like Storytelling for Leadership and Building Brand Communities.

In this book, Vogl describes several key practices you can...

The Art of Community Summary Establishing Your Community

Before you can strengthen your community, you need to establish the fundamental components that bring your community together. In this section, we’ll define what a community is and discuss the three basic building blocks of a community: healthy guidelines, a suitable meeting place, and meaningful customs.

Defining Community

According to Vogl, a community is a formal or informal collective of people who care about each other and support each other’s growth. Communities demonstrate care by fostering relationships between members, which creates a sense of belonging (the feeling that others welcome and value you). They support members’ growth by sharpening their skills and helping them refine their character.

(Shortform note: One reason to be part of a community is that it can help you satisfy a basic psychological need. According to experts, humans are a fundamentally interdependent, social species; being in community with others enhances our well-being because we’re innately wired for connection. The psychologist Abraham Maslow referred to this as our need for “[belongingness and...

The Art of Community Summary Enhancing Your Community

Now that you understand the basic elements that bind a community together, let’s explore some key characteristics that enhance connections between community members. First, we’ll discuss the value of sharing community lore; then, we’ll explain how emblems and keepsakes foster a sense of belonging.

Sharing Community Lore

According to Vogl, sharing community lore can enhance connection between members of a community by helping them understand each other and their morals better. (Vogl calls this the Stories Principle). Typically, lore is shared via in-person conversations, but online communities can enable lore-sharing by giving members an opportunity to speak with each other virtually through text or video.

(Shortform note: According to neuroscientists, sharing lore doesn’t just help you connect with others on a mental or emotional level—the connection also happens on a physical level. Studies suggest that when you listen to a compelling story, your brainwaves synchronize with those of the storyteller; this means your brain acts...

The Art of Community Summary Expanding Your Community

Once your community has been strengthened with lore, emblems, and keepsakes, it’ll be ready to invite new members in. In this section, we’ll explore Vogl’s tips for incorporating new members and discuss how to use stratification to your community’s advantage.

Incorporating New Members

Vogl explains that when communities truly believe in their moral code, they’ll want to open their group to all who could benefit from joining it. However, communities should have barriers to admittance—a line that separates those who are welcome within the community and those who aren’t, based on whether they share the same moral code. (Vogl calls this the Boundary Principle).

(Shortform note: Sociologists explain that there are two kinds of barriers to admittance to communities: symbolic boundaries and social boundaries. Symbolic boundaries are concepts people use to distinguish between members and non-members of a group—for example, if your community only admits people under 30, “youth” might be one of the symbolic boundaries that maintains your group’s exclusivity. Social boundaries are concrete or material...

Shortform Exercise: Reflect on Your Community Experience

Think about the relationship you have with a community you belong to.

Name a community you’re a member of. Why do you belong to this community? For example, maybe you appreciate that other members understand and accept you.