Cohousing-L Mailing List: ROMANTICIZING COHOUSING

[allenbutcher (allenbutcher]

I've been thinking more about the comment that Rob posted a while back
about possible futures of cohousing.  It is certainly possible that some
communities may lose their cohesiveness, yet it is also possible that
some may develop even closer relationships among residents.  I suspect
that living in close proximity can help to nurture a variety of different
types of relationships.  There are probably cases in cohousing where
marriages or other significant relationships have broken up and
individuals have reformed into new partnerships or marriages, perhaps
with other residents of the community.  All of the adults may remain in
the community, just changing residences, and the children involved then
have a richer range of parenting adults.  This is, of course, called
serial monogamy, while the difference is that in cohousing separated
partners can be supported in maintaining at least friendly relations.  


Another form of relationship pattern or lifestyle choice that might
evolve in some cohousing communities is where some adults may have more
than one intimate relationship within the community, with all those
involved being fully aware of the relationships and mutually supporting. 
This relationship pattern is called polyamory.  There are probably all
kinds of stories out there, but I really don't expect anyone to talk
about them on this list as it would be difficult to respect anonymity in
this network.  The cohousing movement is big, but with the traveling
people do among communities, many people must be quite familiar with many
different communities.  Actually, that would be a way to maintain
anonymity, as one could always just state that the story was from another
community, but then, that would sound much like a rumor, and who then
would believe the story?


There is potential here for someone to write a fantastic cohousing
romance novel, maybe even a screen play that could be made into a movie
.. hmmmmmmm, what to call it?  If done well, it could be the best
marketing for cohousing!  Cohousing is all about relationships among
people after all ....   As a matter of fact, such a book could be written
online, with different people contributing different chapters.  Another
list I am on has done this, putting together an online book about
education in community.  Any romance writers in cohousing?               
Allen