How many online "communities" would be better described as online "associations"?Community should be distinguished from association. The distinction is fundamentally one of commitment and identity. Associations, even while they provide their own form of social glue, make little claim on our loyalties and at best make minor contributions to our identities.from The Dismal Science: How Thinking Like An Economist Undermines Communityby Stephen A. Marglin#seizethemeansofcommunity​