What's preventing us Furs from having something akin to a nudist
colony? What's preventing us from gathering together in a single
community, not just to meet and to talk, but to actually live?
A place where we would all be accepted as Furs, rather than being
shunned and ridiculed?
Where we can be open about our furryness, instead of hiding it behind
a mask of shame and humanity?
Let's face it folks, Furs have different thoughts on how life works...
about the connection we all have with nature... Do we strive to be
accepted in common society? Do we keep our true selves hidden from
the world?
I don't think either of those options are healthy, really.
There are those that believe that clothing is not necessary... that
feel free when going around in the nude (My brother is one
actually)...
Why not start our own "Fur Colony"? If not as a permanent place for
Furs to live, then as a retreat for Furs that want to get away from
human society and be free to express themselves as they feel is
natural?
Does any place like this exist?
Bahumat
*sigh* It would be fun to do however.
--
Smrgol
--
|
/\ | /\ Life is too important to be taken seriously
{o\/o}
\ / Remove xyzzy in E-Mail
oo (You're at the end of the road again)
V
Fur Code:
FDD[Kirin]hmu3as A- C- D H+ M- P R T+ W-- Z- Sm- RLCI/CT/AT a++ cmnu++ d+
e++ f-- h* i+ j p- sm-
>One small wrench in the works would be employment, my job as an
>architectural draftsman, for example, kinda relies on me being around a city
>where there's lots of building going on.
That's why I'm thinking something like this would be more of a Fur
Retreat... (Furrytreat?) Kinda like a permanent Con or something.
>*sigh* It would be fun to do however.
Wouldn't it though? :)
No, but I would love a place like that to actually go to..... Though I
think I may have problems actually moving there permanmently since it be
where most of the furs live, the US.... But for something as in taking a
week or something. That sounds like a good idea.....
Or.... hmmm. Having one based in Europe as well.... But I bet it flop
just like Euro Disney.... My ideal location though would be Wales. Nice
scenery, mountains, forests, hills etc.... Nice country... But i am going
on my experiences...
--
Skipai Da Otter/ AKA: Blueberry - FZp4m A+ C- D++++ H+++ M++ P+ R+ T++++ W-
Z Sp+ RLU a24 cadlnw++++ d+ e+++ f++++ h- iwf++ j p sm#
www.farthingwood.mcmail.com, www.furry.cwc.net, www.rw-wd.com
ICQ #25078250
>Does any place like this exist?
There are two projects I know of to create a lifestyler planned community.
The HeartsDream project, that I don't know much about, and the more recent
Avellana project, which I am a member of myself and can remember the addy
for the page. http://www.polenth.demon.co.uk/avellana/avellana.html
Best wishes,
Sci
--
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mailto: scifox @ asylum30.freeserve.co.uk
Mate to Polenth:
http://www.polenth.demon.co.uk
The Where's Were GPS
http://www.were.net/~scifox/gps/intro.htm
Home At Last the comic!
http://www.were.net/~scifox/comic/hal.htm
Holder of that fuzzy, sticky thing from under the sofa...
...the red one!
--
Maximillian Ursovich-
The Tangent-Minded Polar bear whose
mental remote is stuck on channel surf.
Stop the thoughts, I want to go sane...
ICQ# 40951228
kill...@ix.netcom.com
"Jared Mark" <NOjma...@tconl.com> wrote in message
news:38c574a...@news.fur.com...
> I was just wondering about something.
>
> What's preventing us Furs from having something akin to a nudist
> colony? What's preventing us from gathering together in a single
> community, not just to meet and to talk, but to actually live?
>
> A place where we would all be accepted as Furs, rather than being
> shunned and ridiculed?
>
> Where we can be open about our furryness, instead of hiding it behind
> a mask of shame and humanity?
>
> Let's face it folks, Furs have different thoughts on how life works...
> about the connection we all have with nature... Do we strive to be
> accepted in common society? Do we keep our true selves hidden from
> the world?
>
> I don't think either of those options are healthy, really.
>
> There are those that believe that clothing is not necessary... that
> feel free when going around in the nude (My brother is one
> actually)...
>
> Why not start our own "Fur Colony"? If not as a permanent place for
> Furs to live, then as a retreat for Furs that want to get away from
> human society and be free to express themselves as they feel is
> natural?
>
I have daydreams about that from time to time. Main problem is $.
If I'm 'already a winner', maybe things'll change.
:)
BillCat
Some time ago, an artist had made renderings of what the channel #furry
(on Yiffnet) looked like. It had an open main floor with a pool and a
bar, and the second floor overlooking was rooms. I think this would be a
great idea! Take an old "Holidome" hotel, and convert it to a living
breathing furry IRC channel. How nice! Any hotel would be cool to do
that to. Provided, you come up to code on size of living space and all
that, it would be so nice to have a private "furry" community.
Ahhh, but who would be "pope of the dump?"
Even if you screen very carefully which furries would get to come and
live in that place, even if they were all well employed when it started,
even if everyone was "legal age" and "secure", it is a furry community,
and that's where some things may speed downhill.
I could see an "Apartment" arrangement where all the furs were renters,
which eliminates some responsibility issues, but you still have to be
the heavy and collect rent and evict and other nasty tasks.
> Where we can be open about our furryness, instead of hiding it behind
> a mask of shame and humanity?
Now, if there was a way to do something self-sustaining, where you could
wear the tail all day, and home would be work, that would be very nice.
I longed for the day I get a chunk of change, and I can spend days being
a big sheepdog, well, getting on the net every now and then too. :)
ARF! -Ricochet
<<snip>>
> Why not start our own "Fur Colony"? If not as a permanent place for
> Furs to live, then as a retreat for Furs that want to get away from
> human society and be free to express themselves as they feel is
> natural?
>
> Does any place like this exist?
I have no idea if one exists, but a furry retreat sounds like fun. Not
like I'd get time away from the radio station, but I would try.
Taiho
----------------------------------------------------
E-mail: ta...@ipa.net ICQ: 17580416
Yahoo Pager: taiho.rm AIM: radiowulf
----------------------------------------------------
My Furry Code:
http://www.vulpine.pp.se/cgi-bin/fc?TAIHO000
----------------------------------------------------
"...Bleeding soul becomes a bitter mind.
He said it happens every time."
-'Clean My Wounds'
-by Corrosion of Conformity
"...No more meaning to my life.
No more reason to stay."
-'Voodoo'
-by Godsmack
Could, if someone could pull funding. For someone to pull funding you'd need
someone to pull people in. To pull people in you'd have to get a large
potential market. I don't think we have that capacity.
Now that furry resort idea is worth a good look at. Wonder how many furries
there are? Might work, might not. I'll run it by some marketing people....
David Fox
--------------------------
I've got myself a website. A little graphics poor, but it'll do for now.
I now have ICQ as well! am #62603307
Y'know, it seems to me that there's a furry summer camp in North
Ontario, by name of Feral. I don't know that much about it, but anyone
who's interested in a retreat may want to look into it. Last I saw
anything about it was at Furnation.
*rustle rustle rustle*
Unfortunately, it seems to have disappeared.
*rustle rustle*
Aha! But it appears to have its own seperate web page, all up to date
and everything.
So there ya go.
-Rust
--
We are the instruments of creation - what we dream, is.
Remove ".netspam" from my address to reply
Sounds neat, but I'm not sure a permanent living place would be pracitical. It
still could be done. A resort however might be more realistically done.
Maintaining year round may be a little hard, but renting a place or places for
a season is most likely possible. I think the location might be argued between
West coast and East coast furs, and that would leave Eurofurs out. It sounds
fun though.
~Cy~ ^..^
(oo )/
"It is enough to make a cat laugh!"
Unless a Euro place could be made by us Eurofurs.... So some US can have a
change and come over this side of the globe and vice versa.... Just a
idea....
--
Skipai Da Otter/ AKA: Blueberry - FZp4m A+ C- D++++ H+++ M++ P+ R+ T++++ W-
Z Sp+ RLU a24 cadlnw++++ d+ e+++ f++++ h- iwf++ j p sm#
www.farthingwood.mcmail.com, www.furry.cwc.net
ICQ #25078250
> Aha! But it appears to have its own seperate web page, all up to date
> and everything.
>
> http://www.campferal.org/
>
> So there ya go.
Woo, y'know, this looks like scads of fun. If I can pull the funds
together, count on seeing me there. Maybe, if I can get authorization,
I'll run a seperate workshop of my own, on making metal masks.
I think there is a furry community starting here in Southeastern
Wisconsin/Northeastern Illinois! The Lake Area Furry Friends have over 100
"members", and more and more furries seem to be moving into area. It's
great! With that many members, newbies always find someone they can relate
to and become friends with. So, if you lack furry contact, and would like
to see what LAFF, and the area is like, come to the Midwest Fur Fest,
November 17th thru the 19th. Go here for more info:
http://www.furfest.org/ (Sorry about the advertisement, but I am so
excited about this con!!!)
Dali da Llama
T.F. Baxxter - Far North Fox
------
'It's not your fault that you're always wrong. The weak ones are there to
justify the strong.'
- Marilyn Manson, "The Beautiful People"
'What good's a god who gives you everything you want?'
- Said by pixie Albert, from Terry Pratchett's "Hogfather"
'This is wrong. I mean... it's right to be happy with what you've got. But
you've got to have something to be happy about having. There's no point in
being happy about nothing.'
- Said by Death, from Terry Pratchett's "Hogfather"
Sounds like my original Skytech. He wins a big lottery and settled in a
remote plot of land. Later, he invites other discovered vulpans to live and
it developes into a fairly self-sustaining community to enable them to
develope a culture.
--
Skytech
^^
<@@>
./
David Lazerous
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
- BillCat
-BillCat
Chuckles. Hmm.... Probably flop like EuroDisney which hasn't got off to a
start they wanted....
Hmm, now that's an wild idea..... *This otter gets 'em at 7am in the
morning.* Something I have to put to a UK fur list and here.... One year
completely take over some caravan holiday park for a week or two with a huge
group. Hmm, what do you think Swampy? Could be fun if that could be
arranged?
--
Skipai Da Otter/ AKA: Blueberry - FZp4m A+ C- D++++ H+++ M++ P+ R+ T++++ W-
Z Sp+ RLU a24 cadlnw++++ d+ e+++ f++++ h- iwf++ j p sm#
www.farthingwood.mcmail.com, www.furry.cwc.net, www.rw-wd.com
ICQ #25078250
> -BillCat
>
>
On a small scale, such ideas are not only doable, but practical. Find
like-minded friends to live with, work together, stick together; attract
more friends, centralize and network, and grow. With time, a small
gathering will develop into a larger offline community. The "dragon
community" exists offline as well as on - I'm a living example of that,
and there are many others who met through the 'net, and live together by
choice, supporting each other's draconity in meatspace.
As time goes on, I fully expect such communities to become larger, more
well-known, and popular - not just in the furry world, or the dragon
community, but in sci-fi fandom, New Agey philosophies, etc. The Internet
lets us find each other; once found, it's our job to learn to live
together. ;)
--
DC2.Dc Gf Skh/s Fr+++ Nu A | Jia Maebashi, the Procrastinating Draconid
Cre,bwh,fbk Mr+++!2 Fo U+ | Guerrilla Ontologist & Mate of Baxil
R++ Ac+ S+ I+(opinionated) | "Be impulsive! Spontaneously combust!"
B"aubergine" V++(dreaming) | elynne @ wolfenet . com <- new addy yay!
* * * * * http://velar.ctrl-c.liu.se/vcl/Artists/Erin-Lynn/ * * * * *
Elynne wrote:
>
> Whrrr... how quickly memories fade. IIRC, Azurith, a crystal dragon who
> left the Homestead some time ago, was actively working on such a project,
> and had several people interested in helping.
I remember him. I've been wondering if he (and you, btw) were doing
all right. Glad to hear you are doing well and that your community is
coming along. Wish I could visit sometime and see it operate.
Dreams are destinations.
Allen Kitchen (SHockwave)
Why am I hearing the word 'commune' in my head?
--
Skytech, obviously stuck in the sixties.
^^
<@@>
.]
Exactly what I was thinking; especially after reading the proposal for
Avellana (http://www.polenth.demon.co.uk/avellana/avellana.html).
I find the idea of a furry community interesting. I think it would be nice
to be able to live one's furry lifestyle outwardly, without embarassment,
criticism, fear, or restrictions, instead of having to keep it bottled up
inside oneself or in cyberspace.
Although for myself, being of ursine phenotype, I prefer a very independent
lifestyle. I doubt that a communal system would work for me. Much better
for me would be a large chunk of mountainous wilderness, established as a
refuge for those of a very wild and furry nature.
Nevis
--
nevis at
squeep dott comm
[...]
>On a small scale, such ideas are not only doable, but practical. Find
>like-minded friends to live with, work together, stick together; attract
>more friends, centralize and network, and grow.
Esp in the case where there are a number of furs going to uni or work
in the same area shared accomodation is a way to save money.
[...]
>As time goes on, I fully expect such communities to become larger, more
>well-known, and popular - not just in the furry world, or the dragon
>community, but in sci-fi fandom, New Agey philosophies, etc. The Internet
>lets us find each other; once found, it's our job to learn to live
>together. ;)
I think that it may be a new shift in our history. As people become
more mobile where you live, your social indenity will become more a
factor of your interestes then your geographic location.
--
Please excuse my spelling as I suffer from agraphia. See
http://www.zeta.org.au/~dformosa/Spelling.html to find out more.
Not that I know of, but I always thought a furry hotel or apt.
building/complex would be a neat idea... A town near me has some old
abandoned, large hotels, perhaps take over one of those? Its right on
the beach in NJ, easy commute to NYC or Philly.
Red Jack Wild Cabbit
Red_...@operamail.com iamre...@earthlink.net
home.earthlink.net/~iamredjack ICQ #59679265
Member or Supporter of:
Fur Peace The Hudson Furs The CBLDF The ADSA
"Remembered not as a messenger, remembered not as a reformer, not as a
prophet, not as a hero... Remembered only... as Jack." -Sebastian
Comes the Inquisitor, Babylon 5
My Furry Code: FLR[cabbit]3a A-- C- D H++ M+ P R++ T+++ W Z Sm+++ RLAT
a cm d# e f h- iwf+ j p+ sm+
Yes, this is already happening: i read a rather good paper
on the subject a few months back; basically the premise was
that we are moving to what the author called "communities
of association", where you decide who you consider members
of your community (irrespective of actual location) rather
than the traditional "geographical community" approach.
Personally, i see this as an excellent thing.
--
!Raised Tails! -:MegaDog:-
http://www.canismajor.demon.co.uk/index.html
"...Rottweilers are people too!..."
>In article <slrn8cjcf2....@dformosa.zeta.org.au>, David Formosa
>(aka ? the Platypus) yiffled:
>>I think that it may be a new shift in our history. As people become
>>more mobile where you live, your social indenity will become more a
>>factor of your interestes then your geographic location.
>
>Yes, this is already happening: i read a rather good paper
>on the subject a few months back; basically the premise was
>that we are moving to what the author called "communities
>of association", where you decide who you consider members
>of your community (irrespective of actual location) rather
>than the traditional "geographical community" approach.
>
>Personally, i see this as an excellent thing.
I second that! One of the things that causes so much friction in our society is
forced association -- I have to live in the same building with my obnoxious
downstairs neighbors because we've both got to be *somewhere*.
Picture this: as these communities of association develop, there will be a
natural inclination for "fur colony" type of setups to come into being in RL,
for all sorts of different groups. Everybody wants to be able to hang out with
like-minded folks (except for the members of alt.lifestyle.loners, I suppose).
This will bring it around full circle, to where geographic communities will
often be more a reflection of associative communities. (Look at Silicon
Valley!)
As members are born into these new communities, if they find themselves
unsuited for where they've been born (say, a nonfurry kid born into a furry
community), they will naturally migrate to a community where they feel more at
home ... which is a good thing for genetic and social diversity.
I dunno if it's what will actually happen or not, but it's nice to think about.
:3
--RumblePurr, a Fedora-Wearing Vanilla-Scented Lion
--
Any resemblance between myself and Leonard Lion is hardly surprising.
I'm not in on Azurith's project - I've got one of my own brewing. ;) It
looks more like a bunch of roommates living together than anything else,
really - not that exciting in operation, I'm afraid! Especially when it
comes to cleaning the house or doing dishes. ;p But the interpersonal
relationships side is chugging along smoothly. :) Thank you!
I try to avoid the word, because of the... well, y'know, the "usual"
connotations - living "organically," trying to be self-sufficient by
growing and selling marijuana, etc. :P Definitely not my scene; if I can't
order out for pizza and Chinese food, life just isn't worth living. ;)
On the other hand, you might be surprised at the number of "intentional
communities" that are being created. I guess that's the new term for
"communes," and these days a lot more thought, preparation, and money is
being put into them. Some of the results are verrry interesting. :)
Actually - y'know, I have links! :D Well... I *had* links; I'll have to
dig around here for a minute. *dig* *scratch* Whoa... I tried a search on
Yahoo, and came up with 22 category matches - not matches for individual
sites, but matches for entire *categories* of site listings, in Santa
Rosa, Cambridge, Albuquerque (I *think* that's how it's pronounced), New
York, Chicago, Saint Louis... take your pick!
Let's see what the local listing is like for Seattle:
http://www.infoteam.com/nonprofit/nica/Bhh1.htm
http://www.infoteam.com/nonprofit/nica/bms.htm (same domain...)
http://boutell.com/~ciel/
Mind you, none of these are furry-specific - but this is a *very* doable
idea. :) If you (generic "you-all") are really interested in setting up a
furry community in meatspace, check these links for ideas. You don't have
to live on fourteen acres and build twenty log cabins - put six furs in
the same four-bedroom house, and you've got a living furry community! :)
Sorry, I got kinda overenthusiastic there. ;)
*nod* Exactly. Don't think of it as having roommates - think of it as an
opportunity to build a Fur Colony! :D
> >As time goes on, I fully expect such communities to become larger, more
> >well-known, and popular - not just in the furry world, or the dragon
> >community, but in sci-fi fandom, New Agey philosophies, etc. The Internet
> >lets us find each other; once found, it's our job to learn to live
> >together. ;)
> I think that it may be a new shift in our history. As people become
> more mobile where you live, your social indenity will become more a
> factor of your interestes then your geographic location.
*morenodding* I've *seen* multi-generational households built on
ideological foundations - like Greyhaven in the SF Bay Area. Marion
Zimmer Bradly was one of the founders of the house; the SCA started in its
back yard. It's still going strong, too - last I heard, Ian and Elizabeth
were working on adding to the third generation for the household! :) For a
while, I lived in a "colony" offshoot, the Wyrdwoods. The foundation of
that house was paganism and magic, with a strong streak of fantasy - heh,
look at the history. ;)
I've also seen several groups of roommates solidify into
household-families - rather like my own. :) You *can* choose your
family...
> like-minded folks (except for the members of alt.lifestyle.loners, I suppose).
That must be a low post newsgroup
> --RumblePurr, a Fedora-Wearing Vanilla-Scented Lion
>
> Jared Mark <NOjma...@tconl.com> wrote:
> >
> > Does any place like this exist?
>
> Not that I know of, but I always thought a furry hotel or apt.
> building/complex would be a neat idea... A town near me has some old
> abandoned, large hotels, perhaps take over one of those? Its right on
> the beach in NJ, easy commute to NYC or Philly.
>
> Red Jack Wild Cabbit
My home is often referred to as the "Furry Bed and Breakfast" because out
of town furs are always welcome to stay at my home over night if they are
visiting Milwaukee. I would like to open a Furry Bed and Breakfast that
also has a petting zoo on the property, and a camping area. I think that
would be a lot of fun!
Dali (who is always dreaming...)
>> like-minded folks (except for the members of alt.lifestyle.loners, I
>suppose).
>
>That must be a low post newsgroup
There's lots of really long rants along the lines of "Won't you all go away?"
and "I don't need you -- I DON'T NEED ANYBODY!!!" And all you need is one
little (*hug*) to start a major flamewar.
--RumblePurr, a Fedora-Wearing Vanilla-Scented Lion
--
[...]
>> Why am I hearing the word 'commune' in my head?
>> Skytech, obviously stuck in the sixties.
[...]
>On the other hand, you might be surprised at the number of "intentional
>communities" that are being created. I guess that's the new term for
>"communes," and these days a lot more thought, preparation, and money is
>being put into them. Some of the results are verrry interesting. :)
There have always been a number of "artist colonies" which have over
the time popped up.
It's already happening they way I see it. Next weekend will be an example
even though it will be only for two days. Our local fur group (local
spreading out over three states) will be gathering and spending the entire
weekend. Granted the 'fur colony' will be in a hotel but for those days the
'community of association' exists in the real world. Longer term (week
encampment in Canada) grouping also exist as well. The obstacle will be not
desire nor mobility but ability to exist in such a community and earn a
living.
>
>I dunno if it's what will actually happen or not, but it's nice to think
about.
>:3
Yup, real neat to think about and roll around in your mind.
--
Kamau
FFL6ac A- C+ Dm++ H+ M P++ R+ T+++ W Z Sm# RLCT/GP a++ cn++ d e+++ f++h-i+j-
p* sm#
Being part of a community doesn't mean you have to make constant contact
with your neighbors. You share when you wish, as you wish.
In article <9ef2b2ccad4d3d0c...@lykos.ccac.de>,
ow...@poboxes.com (Oecherwolf) wrote:
>> What's preventing us from gathering together in a single
>> community, not just to meet and to talk, but to actually live?
>
>We're scattered all over the world, many of us do have a life we
>cannot (or do not want to) leave - and for me it is important to
>have contact with non-furs as well. It keeps me "on the ground"
>and it helps me to define my own position in society.
Being part of a furry commune needn't mean isolating oneself from non-furs.
Besides, furries are human and (IME) most furries act normal a lot of the
time so submersing oneself in a 100% furry community wouldn't be _that_
different from a 99% non-furry community.
Locandez
--
Email address: lyndale (at) argonet (dot) co (dot) uk
Furry info: www.argonet.co.uk/users/lyndale/lotcaf/
Links: www.argonet.co.uk/users/lyndale/lotcaf/yiffle/
A polar bear is just a rectangular bear after a coordinate transformation.
The avine community has been invaded by a group of inferior,
non-geese species. Read about our struggles against their
misinformation and lies at: www.proper-gander.com
> Jared Mark <NOjma...@tconl.com> wrote:
> >
> > Does any place like this exist?
>
> Not that I know of, but I always thought a furry hotel or apt.
> building/complex would be a neat idea... A town near me has some old
> abandoned, large hotels, perhaps take over one of those? Its right on
> the beach in NJ, easy commute to NYC or Philly.
A little update, I saw a fixer upper(OK, needs serious work), that would
be perfect, a huge old hotel building, and I mean really huge. Perfect
for creating a community.
You want abandoned hotels? Come to Hastings, UK. There are tonnes!
Most are also condemmed and directly on the sea-front.
Best wishes,
Sci
--
Sci Fox's Den: www.were.net/~scifox
mailto: scifox @ asylum30.freeserve.co.uk
Mate to Polenth:
http://www.polenth.demon.co.uk
The Where's Were GPS
http://www.were.net/~scifox/gps/intro.htm
Home At Last the comic!
http://www.were.net/~scifox/comic/hal.htm
The Avellana project:
http://www.polenth.demon.co.uk/avellana/avellana.html
Holder of that fuzzy, sticky thing from under the sofa...
...the red one!
Red Jack wrote in message
<1e7endj.1hq5u37192ms3kN%iamre...@earthlink.net>...
>Red Jack <iamre...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>> Jared Mark <NOjma...@tconl.com> wrote:
>> >
>> > Does any place like this exist?
>>
>> Not that I know of, but I always thought a furry hotel or apt.
>> building/complex would be a neat idea... A town near me has some old
>> abandoned, large hotels, perhaps take over one of those? Its right on
>> the beach in NJ, easy commute to NYC or Philly.
>
>A little update, I saw a fixer upper(OK, needs serious work), that would
>be perfect, a huge old hotel building, and I mean really huge. Perfect
>for creating a community.
>>
> Hmmm... speaking of Abandoned Hotels... I saw something rather.. a HUGE
> property. It used to be a college out here where I live in Illinois. It's
> abandoned. =) Apparently it used to be a Catholic college or something
> cauz there is a spire with a cross on top of one of the buildings.. but all
> else considering.. its HUGE. =) and has a nice guarded entrance.
>
>
Now that's a tempting site, wonder why it was abondened.
> Why not start our own "Fur Colony"? If not as a permanent place for
> Furs to live, then as a retreat for Furs that want to get away from
> human society and be free to express themselves as they feel is
> natural?
>
> Does any place like this exist?
As one of the three originators of the Heart's Dream idea (It started at
about 3am on irc when several people came out with a very similar dream of
wanting to live out in the forest, away from the city) I can point out a
few of the biggest stumbing blocks for the idea of forming a moderate size
and ideally partially/fully self sufficient community.
1. Money: Everyone needs a fair amount in roughly equal proportions to
start with ($10,000 a head was a good wild guess). Everyone needs some
way to generate some type of income after the community has come together
(operating and personal expenses)
2. Governing systems: How do you settle arguements? How do you decide
who's turn it is to scrub the toilet, and what do you do if they have put
it off for two weeks? How do you make group decisions that both reflect
the input of everyone and try not to trample on any one person's feelings,
while at the same time acting in a timely and rational manner? How do
you decide who joins? How does the community get rid of someone who is
causing disruption and discord?
3. Location: How do you make a compromise between multiple and sometimes
opposing sets of environmental preferences?
4. Interpersonal: Just how well does a number of very "different" people
get along together? How do you deal with others actions that annoy you
and your actions that are annoying others? How private is each person
about their belongings/personal space? What items belong to each person
and what items belong to the community as a whole?
I am not trying to shoot the idea down, I am just pointing out some of the
things that must have real and good solutions before the community will
really work. One of the ways to solve these problems is to start out
small and grow. When you start with 4 or 5 people, most problems are very
minor and can be pretty readily solved. Later as you add more people,
each problem can be solved as long as there is a good decision making
process in place already.
Watch out for charismatic individuals. While having one person be "boss"
streamlines a lot of things, it also invites abuse, causes some people to
be forced away, and tends to make a community that dissolves or
drastically changes the moment the strong leader goes away.
. . Rors (Rorschach)
| \ / |
|/ """ \? A simple pattern of Black and White?
//,\ /,\! Within you can find images, reflections, maybe balance.
\ |_| / We walk a risky path: alone, yet not: whole, yet fractured.
`=' "Sometimes the wolves are silent and the moon is howling"
I just wanted to natter about a couple of things. :) I'm a nattering kind
of person, neh? ;)
> 2. Governing systems: How do you settle arguements? How do you decide
> who's turn it is to scrub the toilet, and what do you do if they have put
> it off for two weeks? How do you make group decisions that both reflect
> the input of everyone and try not to trample on any one person's feelings,
> while at the same time acting in a timely and rational manner? How do
> you decide who joins? How does the community get rid of someone who is
> causing disruption and discord?
You can get practice at all of these things by having roommates. I've
lived with anywhere between two and nine other people at various times in
my life; I have never lived alone, or with one pair-bonded mate, in my
adult life. In fact, come to think of it, when I was at home I was living
first with my mother and father, then with my mother, her sister, my
cousin, and my grandmother. So communal living is literally the most
natural way of life for me. :)
> 4. Interpersonal: Just how well does a number of very "different" people
> get along together? How do you deal with others actions that annoy you
> and your actions that are annoying others? How private is each person
> about their belongings/personal space? What items belong to each person
> and what items belong to the community as a whole?
These are topics dealt with when roommating, as well.
> I am not trying to shoot the idea down, I am just pointing out some of the
> things that must have real and good solutions before the community will
> really work. One of the ways to solve these problems is to start out
> small and grow. When you start with 4 or 5 people, most problems are very
> minor and can be pretty readily solved. Later as you add more people,
> each problem can be solved as long as there is a good decision making
> process in place already.
*vigorous nodding* This can be done, in part, by creating seperate
dwellings for people, rather than one big dwelling for everybody. That
way, those who want to live close, but not nesseccarily sharing the same
bathroom and kitchen can have privacy while being part of the community.
It also allows the founders to get some good experience living and dealing
with each other under their belts.
> Watch out for charismatic individuals. While having one person be "boss"
> streamlines a lot of things, it also invites abuse, causes some people to
> be forced away, and tends to make a community that dissolves or
> drastically changes the moment the strong leader goes away.
> . . Rors (Rorschach)
*peers at Rors* Have you been in such a situation? I have - I dated a man
who I now fondly refer to as "the psycho hose beast," and who I honestly
expected to pull a Jim Jones act for a couple of years after I stopped
living with him. He still may. I think he's alive, since I strongly
suspect that if he decides to go out, he's going to go out with a lot of
other people, one way or another - he has a definite penchant for drama.
:/ The situation was exactly as you described it; he was the "leader," he
made all the decisions, including some really bad ones that everybody went
along with. People deferred to him automatically - there was something
about his personality; I honestly can't explain it, except to echo that he
is very "charismatic." He's also a genius, and certifiably insane. Bad
combination. I'm *very* happy to be away from him.
>On Wed, 15 Mar 2000, Rorschach wrote:
>
>I just wanted to natter about a couple of things. :) I'm a nattering kind
>of person, neh? ;)
>
Certainly more so than I.
>> 2. Governing systems: How do you settle arguements? How do you decide
>> who's turn it is to scrub the toilet, and what do you do if they have put
>> it off for two weeks? How do you make group decisions that both reflect
>> the input of everyone and try not to trample on any one person's feelings,
>> while at the same time acting in a timely and rational manner? How do
>> you decide who joins? How does the community get rid of someone who is
>> causing disruption and discord?
>
>You can get practice at all of these things by having roommates. I've
>lived with anywhere between two and nine other people at various times in
>my life; I have never lived alone, or with one pair-bonded mate, in my
>adult life. In fact, come to think of it, when I was at home I was living
>first with my mother and father, then with my mother, her sister, my
>cousin, and my grandmother. So communal living is literally the most
>natural way of life for me. :)
>
<Shinji> Being alone... is fine with me... </Shinji>
>> 4. Interpersonal: Just how well does a number of very "different" people
>> get along together? How do you deal with others actions that annoy you
>> and your actions that are annoying others? How private is each person
>> about their belongings/personal space? What items belong to each person
>> and what items belong to the community as a whole?
>
>These are topics dealt with when roommating, as well.
>
Hrm...
>> I am not trying to shoot the idea down, I am just pointing out some of the
>> things that must have real and good solutions before the community will
>> really work. One of the ways to solve these problems is to start out
>> small and grow. When you start with 4 or 5 people, most problems are very
>> minor and can be pretty readily solved. Later as you add more people,
>> each problem can be solved as long as there is a good decision making
>> process in place already.
>
>*vigorous nodding* This can be done, in part, by creating seperate
>dwellings for people, rather than one big dwelling for everybody. That
>way, those who want to live close, but not nesseccarily sharing the same
>bathroom and kitchen can have privacy while being part of the community.
>It also allows the founders to get some good experience living and dealing
>with each other under their belts.
>
Sounds good. I'd forward this to the Avanella list, but they prolly
already know.
>> Watch out for charismatic individuals. While having one person be "boss"
>> streamlines a lot of things, it also invites abuse, causes some people to
>> be forced away, and tends to make a community that dissolves or
>> drastically changes the moment the stron