Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: [C-L] Consensus

[Saoirse (saoirse03]

A quick comment ... consensus is a method for decision-making, as is  
majority voting. No moral attachment to either. They each have  
different goals. Majority voting is simpler, quicker but always  
leaves a minority of "losers" in its wake. Consensus is less  
familiar, requires more engagement, and is more complex to implement.  
Done well, everyone walks away from the decision having agreed to  
move forward. It may not be what you would do on your own, but you  
understand why it is in the best interest of the group to do what has  
been agreed upon. With time and practice, you get better at "being" a  
community in this way. Thus, consensus becomes a vehicle for teaching  
us how to be together, in addition to being a method for decision- 
making. If one were to adopt majority voting as a method, you may  
accomplish something quickly and occasionally that may be  
appropriate. In the long haul, it would not serve well for cohousing  
communities, with our aim of learning to be in community differently.

Saoirse

Harmony Village Cohousing
http://www.harmonyvillage.org