Leftist communitarians are naive, utopian, or sheltered in their assumptions of what is required for "community." They think that it is easy to create community; one only needs a common end or purpose, something other than friendship itself (and what that necessities). This common end or purpose is sufficient to create and sustain a community, even though obtaining the goal may require some work (as in the case of scaling down or simplifying the economy). Their conception of community is more akin to a team (such as what one finds in a workplace, rather than a sports team). Even if MacIntyre is more realistic in his assumptions, recognizing the contribution of language, culture, and tradition to the formation of culture, and he recognizes that these are bound with historical ethnic groups, leftist communitarians (of whom MacIntyre may be said to be one in other respects) do not acknowledge or seem to be ignorant of the historical origins of identity.

MacIntyre himself does not think there are genuine differences between the sexes and any differences between ethnic/culture groups do not seem to factor into his considerations of multiculturalism and pluralism. Even if he thinks that pluralism is possible because there is not one "community" but many, how would he respond to those who object that the long-term consequences of pluralism are not sustainable if the state or megacity at large hits a crisis point that can only get worse?