Re: Anecdotes for Diana Christians new book | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Craig Ragland (craigraglandgmail.com) | |
Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2006 14:24:37 -0700 (PDT) |
Lets remain clear that there is considerable diversity within what is called "cohousing" - there are also groups (like Songaia Cohousing) that are very intentional about developing a culture of sustainability, that share their spirit lives, that honor individuals, family, and community, that commit to lifelong learning, that share responsibility for our community's welfare, and that reach out to others. Unfortunately, these are not mainstream values and some expressions of these values may well be seen by others as being incompatible with their vision of cohousing, which must be inoffensively inclusive of all "mainstream" people. Songaia Values Statement http://www.songaia.com/why/default.htm Although some of us at Songaia are rather conventional in many respects, e.g. mostly middle-class careers, "normal" religions, typical family dynamics, we have sometimes been labeled as being awfully "intentional" for cohousing.... <http://www.songaia.com/why/default.htm> Since I joined the Coho/US board, I've been traveling about visiting cohousing communities and getting to know some really fine folk in the Cohousing "leadership" world - mostly names you recognize from this ListServ, from the Coho/US Board (past and present), book authors, developers, architects, etc. I've now heard MANY titillating, provocative stories which feature decidedly non-mainstream lifestyles and topics - some can be found (or hinted at around the edges) in Dave Wann's book: Reinventing Community: Stories from the Walkways of Cohousing* *http://www.cohousing.org/cohousing-books.aspx Interestingly, some of these stories come from communities where some community members are very uptight and vocal about their community's identity or the identity of cohousing as a movement or industry. I'm tempted to say "Get real... why pretend that you and your community are so mainstream when your community is filled with non-traditional folks who live a variety of creative lifestyles - including you" --- then I remind myself to chill out and relax. For we're all just trying to do the best we can given the baggage we all carry. In my vision, cohousing is a movement which embraces a diversity of lifestyles, which has at least the possibility of including, my oh my, public nudity if the community agrees to that (and some have around hot tubs). Is it that important to so carefully avoid scaring away ANY potential BUYER that this should not be discussed on this ListServ? Of course people who are trying to sell a cohousing unit will be very cautious about communicating anything that might hurt a sale. Some people, who badly want the INDUSTRY to grow are very concerned about anything that might get in the way. Relax... Breath There are those of us in the movement that are continuing to create local cultures and are not trying to SELL units - we may have finished with that work or may have come to realize that we are looking for new members that believe that our values are consistent with theirs. There is no doubt that any non-conventional thing your community might choose to embrace can potentially limit your market - but my community, Songaia, is not about markets, it is about values and people who embrace our values. It is about people who aspire to lifestyles which are substantive, which matter, which are good. It is about creating a real place that grows in value - not its economic value (although that's happening too), but rather a place where the Songaia people, our land with its buildings, plants, and animals all grow a rich, interdependent web of relationship. We continue to actively deepen our sense of place and community. "Cohousing" is just a label and its reality is inclusive of people of varying degrees of "mainstream" and "non-mainstream" values and lifestyles. Attempts to define it or the conversation about it as being totally mainstream will fail - or at least a bunch of us out here will continue to use the label and grow our local cultures which include lots of non-mainstream values, ideas, and behaviors. {shaking my head in sadness about the idea of communities must be fearful about hugs} Craig Ragland P.S. Please come to the National Cohousing Conference in July ( http://www.cohousing.org/conference.aspx) where this conversation will continue in heart-felt ways. On 6/1/06, Dave and Diane < daveanddee [at] verizon.net> wrote:
Yes, I have to agree with Joani's post. We had one person who dropped out after we did a group hug at the end of a meeting.
- Re: Anecdotes for Diana Christians new book, (continued)
- Re: Anecdotes for Diana Christians new book Richard and Emily, May 31 2006
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Re: Anecdotes for Diana Christians new book Eris Weaver, May 31 2006
- The Race Card in Cohousing [was: Anecdotes for Diana Christians new book} Sharon Villines, June 5 2006
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Re: Anecdotes for Diana Christians new book Dave and Diane, June 1 2006
- Re: Anecdotes for Diana Christians new book Craig Ragland, June 1 2006
- Re: Anecdotes for Diana Christians new book David Heimann, June 1 2006
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