Today, I read a most interesting article in Reader’s Digest while in the waiting room of my ophthalmologist’s office.
“We can all be rich” by Austin Hill. Now, who can resist reading an article with such a catchy title? 😉
I actually enjoyed reading the article. It has a different twist to it.
The article is not talking about your conventional wealth and riches in the monetary sense, but it talks about being rich in social capital!
Austin believes that in a world of abundance, it will be social capital (not money) that will matter most.
Now what is social capital, you may ask?
Wikipedia defines social capital as the connections within and between social networks. Social capital in the broadest sense is made up of reputation, goodwill, esteem, fellowship, social intercourse, and mutual sympathy among a group of individuals and families that makes up a social unit.
Social capital is what you accumulate as you interact with your peers, and as you participate in the activities in your chosen communities, either online or offline.
In the article, Austin talks about his website, like a kind of online game, akoha.com, where you engage in missions, and build up your credibility and reputation as you participate within that community.
This led me to thinking of the wonderful online community that I found and belong to, SmartCanucks.ca!
In the last 5 months, I have met, and grown to love some of the sweetest and kindest souls that can be found in this community. And the most amazing thing is that I’ve not even met most of them personally! 🙂
I find an abundance of kindness, support, and generosity in this community.
Although I believe that the initial intent of the website is to advertise shopping deals and savings for its members, SmartCanucks has unconsciously grown into a community, filled with and visited by kind and generous people looking to connect with the world out there. It is living proof that our world is still filled with lots of good people. 🙂
Sure, we do get the oddballs here and there, who are rude, negative, and nasty, but for the most part, the SCers (as we call ourselves) are fun-loving, sweet, kind and wonderful people, out to make this world a better place for ourselves, and for others in our own little ways. And we do this by sharing savings tips, by sharing our coupons, by doing random acts of kindness for one another, by lending a listening ear when someone feels down.
And in our own ways, the SCers are building reputation, goodwill, esteem and fellowship. accumulating our social capital, as we participate in the activities of the SmartCanucks community.
Hmm… some food for thought eh… 🙂
Till the next time I muse.
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I LOVE smart canucks too and the family got to go to Medieval Times in Toronto this week because of the deal I found on the site.
Great post Woofy! 🙂
Great post! I totally agree 🙂
I must say, I’ve been a long-time lurker of Smartcanucks, have not gotten an account or participated in the forums. I’m not sure why I haven’t though, I have found many great deals on there before, some of which I have spread to family and friends alike. I should likely get an account just to say “thank you” to some of the most amazing deals (sometimes even known before I get local flyers) or “hidden catches” that the community members find.
Although I’m not sure when I’ll have that account made and start (trying) to contribute, this is an excellent post 🙂 Thank you!
Thank you so much for the acknowledgement of the article in Readers Digest.
While reading your response the line that struck me the most was “I find an abundance of kindness, support, and generosity in this community.”
Regardless of your goals with your website – I find the statement above to be honourable. Serving the community you have built.
Akoha.com is an attempt (mostly executed by my incredible partners & co-workers who do the real work) to invite people to simply be adventurous & happy in public 🙂
If you believe in social capital then the ability to be the johnny appleseed of happy is a rare commodity indeed 🙂
Thank you for your Akoha shout out. I enjoyed reading your post,
I would appreciate more visual materials, to make your blog more attractive, but your writing style really compensates it. But there is always place for improvement
Thanks for leaving me comments.
My blog is mostly about reflections of my own life, and I am not a big fan of posting personal pictures of myself and my family.
However, I will look into more general visuals to make my blog more attractive. 🙂