Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: RE: Diversity and values

[Mmariner (Mmariner]

Rob S. said:

"I would recommend as a group forms, to create a vision statement which lays
out your goals and any important values and make everyone who joins read and
accept those, or get the whole group to modify it together."

and

"Typical  value conflicts are : environmental, low income, sexual issues,
personal  independence vs. group authority, Pets, Children and kid raising,
affordable housing, religious expression, equality of power, racial issues,
money issues, food issues, personal lifestyle issues."

First, could some of you coho list server subscribers who have mission
statements post some of them? I'll ask a couple people here in Boulder if
they mind their's being posted


My sense is in the late 20th century, most of us have so little experience in
living cooperatively, that our impassioned opinions and proclivities seem
irreconcileable with others' views.  We could make it easier by being more
compassionate and tolerant.  

I agree people in coho groups should share *some* values -- but only the
basics, those values that are essential to achieving enough cohesiveness to
launch the community.  I heartily support Rob's recommendation to have a
vision statement (mission, purpose, goals, whatever.  Essential things to
agree upon:

-  how to resolve conflicts
-  guidelines for interpersonal interaction
-  a screening process for newcomers to ensure they will agree to the
processes and basic values.

But I differ with Rob on the second quote above.  Rob, seems to me if people
had to agree at length and in detail about all the subjects you listed, it
would either be a very small, non-diverse group or it would take forever to
come to anything like consensus.  

Geneva Community (here in Boulder) had a list of agreements for newcomers to
assent to that included (among others)

- To communicate with integrity,
-  To honor our differences
-  To resolve problems constructively
-  To commit to the mission statement

At one point, (it may have changed) Geneva's mission was:

"To assist each other to fulfill our life's purposes and contribute to the
sustainability and evolution of humanity and our Earth."

Geneva's stated goal  (supporting the mission) was
"To create communities where we care for one another and our Earth, and from
which we are supported to fully express our potential; and to serve as models
for others who wish to do the same."

I haven't been to a Geneva meeting in awhile, so these might have changed. I
like Geneva's mission and goals and believe they help prevent getting into
differences about things such as Rob mentioned in his "typical values
conflicts" list.

=MikeM=