Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Anecdotes for Diana Christians new book

[Eris Weaver (erisw]

Ann Zabaldo wrote:
> Hi all -- I have to admit...I'm not sure why this is funny...  
> Is it funny because a person w/ an RV doesn't fit the 
> cohousing "type?"  

Let me clarify - I did not say that this person's question was FUNNY.

I was surprised and taken aback - as I had just spent a fair amount of
time talking about our community desire to DECREASE the number of motor
vehicles we own as well as the amount of SPACE devoted to parking them.
So for someone's main concern to be space for parking a very large
vehicle...seemed like perhaps they did not share that value of ours.

> So much for diversity, I guess.

Personally I think "diversity" is over-rated. (Oh no, here come the
flame-throwers!) What do I mean by that? Many, if not most of us, want
to live with people who have shared values. Obviously we can't ALL share
EVERY value EXACTLY the same way, but if things get TOO divergent the
community doesn't work. In my experience and observation, when someone
in our community says they "want more diversity" in the group it doesn't
mean they want Republicans, white supremecists, homophobes (none of
these groups are represented in our community)...it usually seems to
mean they feel guilty that we are mostly white.


Eris
FrogSong
Cotati, CA