Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Alternatives for creating inexpensive homes...

[Matt Lawrence (matt]

On Sun, 28 Dec 2003, Elizabeth  Cobb wrote:

> I don't like the idea of cohousing being just another way of privileged
> Americans making sure to get "their" piece of the pie -- but in a way that
> enables them to feel good about themselves (hence the ideal of community) --
> while the vast majority in America (let alone the world) continue living
> under-housed or unhoused, and unseen (so that the rest of us don't see the
> fallacy in the "american dream,"  and don't need to feel guilty...  This
> seeming to be the case, I don't want to become a part of a movement that de
> facto puts me into the camp of the "haves," and separates me from the have
> nots...

I see no reason to be miserable just because someone else far away is 
miserable.  One of the most important lessons that I've ever learned, and 
need to be reminded of too often, is that before I can truly be of help to 
other people, I have to take care of myself.
 
> That said, I want to believe that alternatives exist...  What if a
> likeminded (but financially diverse) group of people decided to learn how to
> build, by working to build houses for Habitats for Humanity, and then
> managed to build their own houses?  What if mortgages didn't have to be a
> necessity, and a screener?  What if the houses didn't have to be like the
> oversized, conspicuously-consuming mansion-wannabes that are going up all
> over Northern Virginia on postage-stamp-sized plots of land, with three-car
> garages, and whirlpool baths, and everything that today's overachievers
> can't seem to live without?  What if we built them ourselves, using the
> latest green technology, side by side, building community even as we built
> our community?

I'm all in favor of putting in lots of sweat equity.  However, the 
majority of cohousers I've met seem to be apartment dwellers and white 
collar workers who have no interest in putting in that much physical 
labor.  I think the barn-raisings and house-raisings that now only seem to 
happen in groups such as the Quaker community are an excellent idea.

So, yeah, I'm interested.

Oh, "3 car garage"?  You mean my 25'x30' woodworking shop?  :-)

-- Matt

_______________________________________________
Cohousing-L mailing list
Cohousing-L [at] cohousing.org  Unsubscribe  and other info:
http://www.cohousing.org/cohousing-L