Cohousing-L Mailing List: Drop the rhetoric

[Jose Marquez (marchpower]

Scott:

> Well, my remarks seem to have generated passionate tracts defending...
> - the need for a Division of Labor System.
> - "fascinating" womanhood/motherhood.
> - that peevish "civility thing".
> - "Diversity of financial status".

March:
I'm curious....what do you feel about the roles that women as mothers
perform?  Are you sarcastically using the word "fascinating" in a derogatory
way?  I can't tell....must be missing your point entirely

Scott:
>  I do hope I am doing you some good by getting you to think about the fact
that we
> have classes in this society, as everywhere else, which are, in fact,
reflected in the
> conditioning we have each brought into our cohousing communities.

March:
Is it your goal to enlighten us?  Let us talk...does every society have
groupism?  If we consider that groupism may be a natural part of our social
species....I'm wondering...do you feel that people can be different yet
equal?  Is is possible for everyone to even be "equal"...if one person
achieves her goals and another person feels like a failure...do they see
themselves as equal?  Is equality put on us or taken away by "others" or by
ourselves?

Scott:
>  What I have always found amazing about the cohousing-l list is that there
are so
> many who so instinctively and passionately jump to the defense of the
rights of the
> wealthy and privileged.  Those include...
> - the division of labor system
> - "fascinating" womanhood/motherhood
> - that peevish "civility thing"
> - "diversity of financial status"

March:
You know, I actually model my mothering choices after the most successful
parenting models I can find...most of which exist is pre-industrial,
pre-agriculture, tribal cultures....NOT what most materialists would call
the wealthy or privileged.  Yet they also find a division of labor useful,
they value the unique role of mothers, they are often much more civil than
"us" because they can't afford to fight, and to an extent material rewards
are diversely disbursed based upon each members level of responsibility to
the group (although all receive their basic needs first).

If you really want to "help" you might consider deepening your discussions
and avoid coming across as arrogant...no one likes to be lectured
to...wouldn't you agree?

~March