Cohousing-L Mailing List: Consensus

[Philip Proefrock (PSPROEFR]

  Concerning Stuart's post on community consensus (the cat issue):

  I think that as a part of the consensus process it is important to
realize that the group dynamic changes, that individual attitudes change,
and that the makeup of the whole group changes over time.  In light of
this, it would make sense to me to have a time limit on the duration
of any consensus issue, after which it is reviewed, or is open to review
at that or any later point.  Many items will not need to be discussed,
but it would be good to enable things that need to be flexible to be so.
  It seems to me that the point of consensus is to allow a group to make
a decision for themselves, and leaving a decision "set in stone" once it
has been made priveleges decisions made in the past over the needs and
attitudes of the present members of the community.