Web trends

Has anyone noticed that the web has changed? Whereas before we were all quite content to use it as a tool. To book a holiday, order a pizza, download music (paid for, of course, ahem), find the latest news on the Iraq debacle, etc.
Now there is this seemingly unquenchable desire to tell others that we are here! Presence. What is your web presence? It started with chat, then moved to IM, and now we are seeing the next phase with blogs and sites like 43things and flickr.
My thoughts are that this trend will continue and lead to stronger and stronger communities on the web.
People always like to belong, they like to be in the golf club, the rotary, an American, a frenchman, a Linux devotee, Xbox360 or PS3, and so on.
On the web, I have trouble believing that there will be a meaningful community called Scottish, for example. It is too broad and although I might be a member of that group, I am unlikely to consider it my 'home' ('home, home on the range/net' ).
What does this say about countries, and communities in general? Communities of large numbers of people have power, they can affect things in the real world.
If there was a community of people for, say, Manchester United, how many people would that be? What level of loyalty would they have to the 'brand'? What influence would they have on issues like travel (to Manchester). What if they elected representatives and collected large quantities of money as 'tax'/subscription?
As it says on despair.com, "never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups". Food for thought.....?