I don't know, I see people talking about random stuff, sometimes even roleplaying and such almost anywhere I go. Ironically its the cities that feel the quietest to me, even though you'd expect that's where the most chatting and community interaction.

As for why don't you just play a single player game- community is one part of it and an important one i agree, but the way things can unfold when you don't have control over everything and other people or monsters react in unusual ways is what gives an online game that spice that a single player game sometimes doesn't- unpredictability.