Decoding A Community

The Basic Issue

Entrance to a community is guarded by members of that community in order to protect the integrity of that community. When we approach a community (whatever its size), we are confronted with a "code" just like the little box in the front of public buildings for people working after hours. In that case, we get 90 seconds to punch in a 4-didget code, and failing to do so means the police come and we are ejected as an intruder. In the case of a community, we get several months to intuitively feel out the community code, and if we fail to do so admittance is not permitted.

The community code is actually a style of interacting with one another, and usually is related to some historical incident, current dynamics, and future hopes. Either we learn to interact the way the local people do or we become tiresome to others and they will choose not to inter-relate with us. Once we have figured out the nature of local inter-actions, then we are gradually allowed to participate in local community life.

There are usually several "digits" in he code, that is, several aspects to the community's way of interacting, but the basics can usually be described in several sentences. The difficulty is, that most people who grew up in the community cannot describe that code, they simply operate out of it, and expect others to pick it up intuitively.

There is an observation about children's games that they actually imitate adult behaviors. In the matter of community codes, insight can be gained by looking at the children's campfire game of "magic". Two people start the game by one leaving. The other has several objects on the ground before him/her. The group selects one object to be the designated object. The second person returns and tries to guess which article is the designated object. He does so by the first person asking "is it this one, is it this one etc. until he finally asks about the designated one. The second person is always able to guess which one is correct because there is a subtle signal which the first person passes to the second one or two "guesses" before he points to the designated article (e.g. scratching his elbow or using his left hand). The object of the game is to discover the signal. The key point of the game is take a turn and see if your theory works, and the rules are that you are no to speak about the signal, just to use your understanding to guess correctly. That is, you are not to speak about the code, but use it.

In community life, as we discover the elements of the community code, we are to speak to the code but not about it. We are to act in light of our knowledge about local human inter-relationships but not about them.

Once we get the community code, we can do just about anything in the community and get away with it. If we do not come to understand the code, we can do very little. We may or may not be tolerated within the community but the chances of exercising any leadership or engaging in significant functions will be minimal.

One way to speed up the process of decoding the community is to watch for what can only be described as a piece of "aberrant behavior" which is typical of the community and also unique to that community. Then look for someone who can explain the meaning the incident. Often that gives a clue to the inner dynamics of the community. I find that a "perceiver" (using the "Gifts model of personality types) who has either lived in the community and has moved away, or moved away and returned has sufficient objectivity to be able to explain what it means.

One word of caution her, though, is that "Perceivers" when asked point blank about something like an observed behavior will often be able to give a snap answer which is worth its weight in gold, but cannot recall what they said two minutes later. They will be unable to repeat what they said even if they wanted to. So, be sure to ask the question with a pencil in your hand, and grasp it on the first utterance.

Over time, a pattern of several "digits" to the code will emerge, and then you will understand how the community works. A few behavioral errors will occur but they will generally be minor.

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On-Line Resources