Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Drawing on stereotypes & fears to elicit understanding

[Hans Tilstra (tilstra]

Here's an idea. Next time a cohousing meeting starts to get boring break it
up with a short exercise.

Here's the premise:

Types help people make choices. One important discussion to be had is what
individual members want. So, if communes are on one end of that polarity,
then just having your own house in an ordinary arrangement would be on the
other end of the scale.  In other words, how much "co" and how much
"housing" do people want.

Here in Melbourne, I found another differentiating dimension: how green
should the development be? Hence the cohousing initiatives can be compared
(and choices made) on a conceptual map.

You can assign one corner of a meeting space as CO!cohousing, the right side
as coHOUSING.

CO!housing emphasises the cooperative elements, as expressed in the amount
of land allocated to common facilities, as well as the emphasis in
discussions on the social & potentially therapeutic aspects cohousing.
coHOUSING de-emphasises the amount of common facilities, focusing on the
need for a house.

Then, another corner (we're going multidimensional now) can represent an
ecological emphasis, which is arguably contrasted with an economical
emphasis. Put the map on the floor, let people express their leanings. Find
out where the majority are, find out what the minority can put in.  Most
meetings I've witnessed & participated in, seemed to benefit from a
participatory break....

Hans

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