Affluenza,Timeday and cohousing.
From: Fred H Olson (fholsoncohousing.org)
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2003 16:15:09 -0600 (MDT)
Graham Meltzer <graham [at] grahammeltzer.com>
is the author of the message below. 
It was posted by Fred the Cohousing-L list manager <fholson [at] cohousing.org> 
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Fred wrote:

> Dave Wann of Harmony Village cohousing, is editing the book _Stories
> from Cohousing_ (Fulcrum, 2004).  He also edited the book on affluenza.
>
> I think there are connections between timeday, affluenza issues and
> cohousing.  Could someone explain those connections better? 

This sounds like a prompt.  As many of you know, I too have been working
on a book about cohousing ... for some years, in fact.  It's specifically
about issues of affluence, consumerism, environmentalism etc as they
pertain to cohousing.  I'm getting close to finishing a draft and am
looking for a publisher.  With luck it will be out before the end of 2004. 
I think the two books will be very complimentary.  Mine is more
theoretical and analytical, Dave's will have more exemplars and human
interest.  Between them, they'll fill a big gap in the cohousing
literature. 

The book's working title is 'Cohousing: Linking Social and Environmental
Sustainability'.  Using cohousing as a case study, it argues for more
participatory and sociable lifestyles as a means of addressing affluenza
and consumerism.  It talks about empowerment and social change and what a
future sustainable society look like. 

It's hard to answer Fred's question in a nutshell.  Suffice to say, that
yes, cohousing enables people to lead simpler, less consumerist
lifestyles.  We know that well enough.  In the book I describe a process
whereby over time, cohousing residents subst itute material gratification
with social satisfaction.  Through interaction, social relationships and
membership of a community, they realign their values and aspirations away
from a consumerist orientation toward a social / environmental one. 

A problem for cohousing as a model, and for many members on a day-to-day
practical level, is that members generally maintain their mainstream,
often high pressure jobs.  They have mortgages and they still like to take
skiing holidays in Winter or trips to Europe in the summer.  So they're
still in that loop, of having to work to support a lifestyle which
requires that they continue working etc. etc.  This is where cohousing is
way different from most other intentional communities.  In a way,
cohousers wan t their cake and eat it too. 

Still, it seems to me that cohousing is important for that very reason.
It's an attractive option for mainstream folk. ... who over time get to
reassess and realign ... as I said. 

That's enough of a rave for now.  I apologise for my inactivity on this
list over recent years.  I stopped subscribing for a couple of years there
and started again about 6 months ago.  I just haven't had the time to get
involved.  Hopefully that will cha nge when I get this damned book
finished. 

Best wishes

Graham


graham meltzer
contemporary photography
15/27 ballow st, fortitude valley, qld 4006
ph: 07 3257 4852      web: www.grahammeltzer.com




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