Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Newbies-was "boderline off topic"

[Robin Covington (robcov]

I am not (yet) actively building cohousing....I am seeking input from people 
who have lived in cohousing and can share their experiences and knowledge of 
this lifestyle. Then I will decide if I want to spend my time and energy 
on/in community living, i.e. take physical action. Perhaps I should have 
lurked - then decided whether or not I wanted to a)walk into the kitchen 
b)receive the spoon I was handed and c)work with dreamers. I'm just not a 
lurker.
I am, however, a researcher - is this not the site to ask heartfelt and 
candid questions? Archives will hold lots of information, but in a different 
way beneficial as what I am learning from this immediate discussion!  
Elizabeth, the sense that I get from your input is that the cohousing 
situation/ are just so far above it all and beyond all these questions that 
are based on no prior knowledge.
I am simply astounded that you judge me disingenuous!  I am nothing if not 
straightforward!  Hence, my questions, and perhaps, naive, reactions.


> From: Elizabeth Stevenson <tamgoddess [at] attbi.com>
> Reply-To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
> To: <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
> Subject: [C-L]_Newbies-was "boderline off topic"
> Date: Sun, 24 Mar 2002 14:00:22 -0800
>
> This is primarily a working list for people who are actively building
> cohousing. The people on this list are hard-working, intelligent people who
> care about others. I find it a little disingenuous for someone to start
> posting criticism of those who have given a lot of their time to help 
> others
> achieve their dream of living in cohousing.
>
> Your point is taken that perhaps we expect people to be ready to rock and
> roll as soon as they post to the list. I have found that the newcomer who
> lurks for awhile and searches the archives to answer some questions, 
> usually
> comes to the list ready for dialogue on their questions. Sometimes it can 
> be
> difficult to have someone challenge you right away, when you're feeling a
> little timid already. But it is almost always constructive.
>
> Perhaps you could think of us as a kind of soup kitchen for community
> builders. You walk in the door, you're handed a spoon, and told to get to
> work. Maybe it's a little off-putting, but we mean well and get important
> things done.
>
>
> --
> Liz Stevenson
> Southside Park Cohousing
> Sacramento California
> tamgoddess [at] attbi.com
>
> >>> In my experience, this mailing list is relatively polite.
> >
> > I can see how you'd say that this list is relatively polite.
> >
> > Relative to most online chat rooms and bulletin boards it is certainly
> > polite.  Relative to many TV shows, it is very polite.  Relative to 
> driving
> > in traffic, this list is most polite.
> >
> > Relative to my actual face to face experience of living in community, it 
> is
> > not nearly as welcoming and affirming.
> >
> > If this list is to be someone's introduction to cohousing, I would like 
> the
> > newcomer to be welcomed and given as much kind consideration as 
> possible.
> > Unfortuanately, this does not always happen, possibly in part because 
> others
> > on this list may assume too much prior knowledge.
>
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