Can "Community" Come Back?

 Following from yesterday's post, some thoughts on what effect the pandemic is having on our sense of community.

We all know about the major conventions and meetings that have been forced to cancel or postpone or go virtual over the past six months: Comic-Con, the World Science Fiction Convention (which previously had only been cancelled by World War 2). even the American Library Association cancelled its summer gathering. But what about the smaller local groups that have not met in that time?

I'm talking about the dozens of PTA meetings around the country that weren't held; the library book groups put on hold; the church socials, bingo games and fundraisers cancelled. These are events that bind local communities together, that bring neighbors into contact with each other to share time and experiences.

I have a two-fold fear: First, that even when, with any luck next year, those events can be held, the impetus to arrange and run them will have dissipated, that the organizers will say, "We got along without it last year, it's a a lot of work, why not just do something virtual again?" Second, that if the organizers go ahead, will there be enough people who feel safe attending to make it worthwhile?

Are we about to lose another part of American life forever?