Cohousing-L Mailing List: equity caps

[Philip W. Bush (Philip.W.Bush]

Thanks to everyone for your thoughtful responses to my inquiry about equity 
caps.  They have added important perspectives to our group's mulling of this 
topic.  Donella Meadows, one of our members, sent our mailing list the 
following.  I forward it with permission.  We'd be interested in further 
reactions.
Phil Bush
Cobb Hill
Hartland, VT

--- Forwarded Message from Donella.H.Meadows [at] Dartmouth.EDU (Donella H. 
Meadows) ---

I thank Phil for starting that good discussion on equity caps on the cohousing
list, and for forwarding the responses to us all.  I hope that  [Cobb Hill 
members] will take the time to read those responses -- they begin to fill out 
[our] questions ... about how the various scenarios would work out over time. 
...

I found the responses EXTREMELY painful to read.  They all said, in one way or
another, we think the current system is unjust and wrong, but we had to bend to
it.  I can see the reasons why they did, and they are enormously understandable
reasons.  But I can also read their regret.  It's an awful regret (which we all
have to live with all the time) -- to know you've been forced by a superior
power to do something that violates some deep value. 

I suppose it's the inherent reformer in me, but when a superior and amoral
power tries to force me to do something that violates a deep value, I go into
an incredibly stubborn and sneaky resistance mode.  I am NOT going to bend to
THAT! I say.  I will find SOME way around it!  Or I will oppose it with every
fiber of my being.  (I would have survived about 5 minutes in Nazi Germany.)

Just want to warn you all, I'm on my high horse, just from reading those sad
tales from the other cohousing groups, made up of people far more patient and
rational and wise than I am.  I think the whole system of entangling money with
housing (and other necessities, such as health care), and of distributing money
so unjustly, is SO WRONG.  We have GOT to find a way, if not to oppose it
outright, at least to set up some sort of subterranean alternative!

Up in arms,
Thankful that I have a community of cooler heads to work with,
Dana