What's the Purpose of the Collective ?

 I often wonder what is the purpose of the photography collective? Besides showcasing the work of selected photographers what is their goal? Do they try to host physical exhibitions? Do they market the photos as a form of stock images? Do they hold meetings ? Are they even relevant in the age of Facebook and Instagram? I've inquired several times but the answers only left me with more questions than when I started. The most prevalent answer was " the best of" followed by "similar photos". If they're all claiming to be the best doesn't that make "the best" lose all meaning? A few photographers think it will help with exposure but is anyone really paying attention outside of social media? As I've stated before I prefer websites and blogs to social media where you're at the mercy of algorithms, ads, and influencers but I'm not understanding these collectives. If anyone has any idea please let me know.