The Fellowship Thing

I just returned from a road trip which consisted of driving 7 hours, hanging out in a parking lot, watching a football game, hanging out in said parking lot for a few more hours, sleeping, and driving 7 hours home. The purpose? The Griz vs. Viking game at Portland State. But what is the real purpose? Why would I embrace and look forward to such an ordeal? Community. To be part of a group that shares a common background, beliefs and purpose.

The classic football tailgate:

    Brent, Niki, and Brian enjoying the
    Griz victory perhaps a bit too much.

• To share relive old stories with friends over beer and brats.


• To high five and hug strangers in the carefree thrill of a touchdown.


• And to join the deafening roar which echos across the pitch from one side of the stadium "Montana", to another answering "Grizzlies".

Ok, maybe the last was unique to Montana, but the fellowship is not:

community

a set of people (or agents in a more abstract sense) with some shared element — in particular a group of people who live in the same area is a community. The substance of shared element varies widely, from a situation to interest to lives and values. The term is widely used to evoke sense of collectivism.
[source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community ]

You may laugh, but I put forth the thesis that community is one of the driving forces behind all human endeavors. Sports, architecture, hobbies, occupations, family, civilization and this very website are driven by a need for community, to be part of a larger supporting social structure.