Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: tv....

[Lee Irwin (leeirwin]

I find the block interesting because the blocker can easily avoid using
the TV in the common house.  It seems that the blocker is setting a value
for the entire community, not only for xyrself.  And in this case, I don't
understand why a total block is necessary.  I'm curious if this person has
a TV at home ...  

        Lee (Chesapeake Cohousing, Maryland)

===================================
On Thu, 20 Jan 2000, Jose Marquez wrote:

> Hello Fellow Cohousers!
> 
> Well, I'm wondering what you all have done about TV issues.  Yes, I know
> it's a big one.  Sigh.  Anyway, in our community I believe there is a wide
> range of feelings, and one person who blocks consensus to have a TV.  This
> individual has blocked having a TV in a locked room of the Common House to
> only be used on pre-scheduled times.
> 
> So...our core values included "Honoring/Seeking Diversity" and as each
> member joined the community they were asked what their "Bottom Lines" were.
> This way, I think, we could determine if a diverse believe or desire was
> unworkable in our community by not accepting a member based upon a bottom
> line.  The individual against the TV (blocking consensus alone) DID NOT list
> this as a bottom line.  To me, this means that some compromise should be
> acceptable since our diverse group includes folks who like TV.  Also, our
> homes are all a bit smaller than we are paying for because we're also paying
> for a big Common House....so to have a Superbowl Party (for example) in
> one's home is difficult.  So there is the perception that refusing an
> activity in the Common House that people CANNOT do in their actual units
> (since the Common House is all of our's) is also inappropriate when everyone
> else wants to allow it.
> 
> So, in a consensus process....supposedly it is not proper procedure to block
> when you're the only one blocking.....and all that.  But, what do you do
> when it does happen that way?
> 
> ~March
> 
> 

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