Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Cohousing & traditional neighborhood movements.

[Rob Sandelin (robsan]

Ryan O'Dowd

> But we know all this, the
>question in my mind is how to rid ourselves and our communities of the
>operesive hands of capitalism?  More over, can a healthy community exists
>within the constraints of a system that produces for profit, instead of
>need?

My answer to question is that we don't have to rid ourselves of 
capitalism in order to create communities.  Actually we have to deal 
with capitalism, via banks, developers, etc.  All these people in the 
loop can make profits off Cohousing without a whole lot of problems to 
the community.  Completely self sufficient, self funding communities do 
not exist that I am aware of, so some relationship to the economic 
reality of America is required.

In a system that produces for profit instead of need, lots of useless 
junk is produced and bought.  Living cooperatively can reduce greatly 
amount of consumption by sharing and  buying things in bulk without 
packaging. Cohousers start off pretty conservatively with the sorts of 
things they share, and then over time increase sharing and 
co-ownership.  Maybe someday for example Sharingwood  will get to the 
point where we have no personally owned automobiles, only community 
vehicles.  (Owning a car is the second largest expensive in my 
household and I have yet to get anyone in my community to consider 
co-ownership of a second car....)

 I would also point out, that one of the main  promotional devices of 
the capitalist reality, namely TV, seems to be greatly reduced within 
community.  When you have interesting conversations after dinner, 
neighbors over to help with chores, fun parties and of course the ever 
present meetings, TV is largely relegated to the dusty corners, dusted 
off at election times and to catch weather news from impending storms.  
My children have not watched TV for some time and have little interest 
in it, they simply have too much other stuff they would rather do.

BTW, if this sort of topic interests you, I just finished reading "what 
are people for" by Wendall Berry.  Several excellent essays about our 
consumer culture and the role of community.

Rob Sandelin
Sharingwood