Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: using email and forums for discussion between meetings

[Rob Sandelin (floriferous]

Flying in the face of the conventional wisdom, Sharingwood uses our internal
email forum for some pretty emotive messaging. Turns out that some folks
will say things on email that they can't seem to do in person. Its the
endless editing time feature, where you can stew over what you want to say,
re-work it till its just what you want, then send... Some folks find this
really helps them since they can't do this in person and fear saying the
wrong thing. Some interesting and rather exposed emotional issues have come
up over our  email system.

Also in a big group like ours (now over 40 adults), if you are a time
consumed person, it may be weeks and weeks before you happen to see the
neighbor that you meant to have that chat with about the weeds two weeks
ago, and when you finally see them you forget that you were going to have
that chat until you get home. Oh darn.....

Or something happens and you want to illuminate it for the whole group so
out it goes to the email net.

Email of course should not replace personal  connection time, but, unlike
those who shun it for any thing but agenda announcements, we find it useful
for all kinds of communication. It can really empower  the shy folks to
speak up about something since they can send it whenever they are ready and
they don't have to be screw up their courage, or be just the right
combination of witty and honest on the spot at the group meeting.

Rob Sandelin
Sharingwood Community, Snohomish, WA since 1990