Cohousing-L Mailing List: re: Diversity

[Buzz Burrell (72253.2101]

I think our "diversity" discussion has been excellent (and brought the List
volume out of the summer doldrums).  Compared with other Lists, the quality of
interchange has been very civil, informed, and it seems people have listened to
others.

My own final thoughts on the subject:

* Most people value diversity.  

* Most people (often the same) don't actually like diversity in action.

* Most cohousing groups want more diversity in their communities.

* Most groups (often the same) do nothing to encourage diversity, except putting
some sentances in the marketing materials.

* A wide range of people theoretically makes any community stronger.

* A wide range of people may find it very difficult to form a community.

* A person of a completely different race, gender, religion and nationality may
be exactly the same as you, and therefore provide no diversity whatsoever.

* A person in your very own family may provide so much diversity you couldn't
possibly stand to live with them.

* The United States became a great country largly because of it's rich
diversity.

* It is perfectly normal and natural for people of a similar ilk to band
together.


My community is not dis-similar from others I've seen.  We are stunningly
non-diverse (compared with what I'm used to).  We would be very happy to have a
a much wider range of people involved, but to be realistic and honest, are not
willing to change anything to get that diversity, because we have a plan which
we are quite happy about.  This plan embodies certain values, which is going to
leave out anybody who wants something else.  For example, this project is going
to cost a ridiculous amount of money, we are living in a certain part of town
(rural) which will pre-determine many other choices, there will be common
ammenities which clearly are geared for our own lifestyle, the houses are going
to have a particular architectural style, etc, etc, etc.  The very process of
cohousing eliminates 95% of the possible diversity.

So we all think there *should* be diversity, and would like to have as much as
possible but we aren't kidding ourselves.  I know what diversity is, and this
isn't it.  And I must add, I've really appreciated all the voices on this List
that have been strong and supportive of openess and reaching out over cultural
barriers.

For me, it sort of goes like this:  My wife and I share very similar values and
lifestyle;  except for gender, not much diversity.  Then it gradually expands
outward:  my cohousers are similar enough to enable us to live together, my
neighborhood is of a similar income bracket but with very different people, my
town hopefully has a wide variety of people, my state even more, and so on ...
I'm a citizen of the world, love all kinds of diversity, it is imperitive to my
existence ... and I feel diversity is best supported, encouraged, and
experienced in this "concentric circles" model.  Everybody naturally does this
to some extent, but how closely spaced those "circles" are is different for
everybody.

Respect, equality, learning, and enlightenment for all races, nationalities,
ages, lifestyles, etc, is one of my prime values, and I certainly recommend this
value for all of us to practice.  I for one, achive that best when my home is
solid and supportive of my own peculiar little flavor of the diversity stew.
The more I fully manifest who I am, the more I appreciate and learn from others.
My separatness is the door to my communion;  my community is that door between
my uniqueness and my sameness with all.

Buzz Burrell
Geneva Community
Boulder, CO

Three days ago I put the finishing touches on an experimental solar adobe house
(and sold it), and have just moved back down to Boulder to work on our
community.  Out of the frying pan and into the fire!