Ah--"If you're lucky enough to go through these phases in one place with one set of peers then it's a continuum and probably represents a strong culture."

That's a huge root of current alienation--I think it's becoming much more rare than it used to be for people to do that. Also, as the economic situation demands that most families have two working parents for real financial stability, this paradigm of community is going to have to shift, if it's going to keep up with the changing needs/values of the individuals it used to serve.

I'll look forward to your thoughts on online communities. I've noticed the trend with interest--and value many of my online friends very dearly indeed. Some I've met in real life, others I've not, but the formation and cohesiveness of some of these communities is fascinating to me.