RE: COHOUSING & TVy
From: Tom Nelson Scott (vedacsd.uwm.edu)
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 1997 16:53:14 -0500
I was going to suggest that we execute anyone who watched, or
suggested watching, TV in a commonhouse, or maybe that they just be
given a frontal lobotomy to put them out of their misery. But since
Rob and Stuart -- two coho veterans whose experiences I respect ---
have weighed in on the side of the TV community, I'll withdraw my
suggestion. For the moment.

However, I wonder why it takes a TV to bring cohousers together. I
don't live in a cohousing project so I may be missing something about
group dynamics. But it seems most odd to me that people can't find
something else to act as the social glue.

What do some of you lurkers say? Have any of you experienced a better
or worse community condition because of TV in the commonhouse? If you
don't want to reply to the list, I'd be glad to hear from you in a
private message. 

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Tom Nelson Scott                  Phone/Fax: 1-414-966-2902
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                     "Do less, accomplish more."                       
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On Mon, 14 Apr 1997, Cohousing-L listmgr wrote:

> Rob Sandelin  Sharingwood   floriferous [at] msn.com:
> 
> OK, I just have to jump into this thread again. (Boy, this reminds me of the 
> Christmas tree thread we had a couple years ago...Whew! Lots of buttons 
> getting pushed here)
> 
> I agree with Stuart, if I were god of my community the ONLY TV I would allow 
> would be IN the commonhouse.  I agree totally that TV is an isolating 
> activity, and like drinking, should never be done alone. TV is FUN! in 
> community. A bunch of us all watched the basketball playoffs together (not in 
> the commonhouse) and I think there was more commentary about the ads than the 
> game. This made a big impression on the 13 year old who was also watching, 
> and 
> I have heard feedback since that he now mocks TV ads for subliminal 
> hucksterism that they are. This is from one exposure to a bunch of critical 
> thinking adults commenting about TV ads. Imagine the fun you could  have if 
> you did it regularly?
> 
> Yeah, most TV is junk, but its fun in community, with a bunch of others to 
> share it with.  I don't watch it, and I don't let my kids watch it, but I am 
> always glad to hear about TV parties happening in the neighborhood. 
> 
> Rob Sandelin
> Sharingwood
> Where 10 of us watched the movie, James and Giant Peach last night till late 
> in the commonhouse (7 of us were under 10).
> 

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