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  • From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost@gilanet.com>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] A reply about intentional communities
  • Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2003 06:18:09 -0600


This is all very odd. Words like "upswing in intentional communities"
and "we may be on the verge of losing the ability for rural intentional
community formation to continue" puzzle me. Except for that "rural community
based on paganism" (intriguing in itself) mentioned in a post, I've seen
nothing about ANY intentional communities forming and holding together in the
last several decades. What communities? Where? Of course I exclude religious
orders such as convents organized or funded by established churches. That
writer suspects something is missing, but what is missing is intentional
communities. A total of two survived the 60's, The Farm in Tennessee and a
rural communitity in North Carolina. Even those took on the character of a
selective, low-brow rural development as opposed to some commune form. (Which
ought to convince some diehards that communes don't work, but they'll never
get it). A talk with Gaskin would be very enlightening about how The Farm
really works. Too many others only attracted city kids with no skills and no
work habits who wanted to hang around somebody's cool dome house and smoke
dope.

The problem of rural gentrification and rising land prices is real.
Part of it is the real estate industry that ties rural county tax valuations
to neighboring property values. And yes, young, poor, chronically
under-employed folks may simply find it impossible to "go back to the land"
very soon. That is, without thinking outside the box. Actually the poor (for
whatever reason) moving to rural areas do not contribute to gentrification.
They can't afford McMansions and equestrian estates. But they don't have to
buy into gentrified areas. This country is a very big place with huge areas
sparsely populated. My own county, a very large county, still has less than
3,000 people, and it's not uninhabitable or desert.

Focus on the irony of small town America stagnating and agricultural
communities around the country losing population to the cities, while
millions struggle just to survive in the cities. The kids can't find jobs, so
they go off to college or flip burgers in the city. They think they have to
have "jobs". Some claim they have to bring in companies to "provide jobs" to
keep small towns alive. Which naturally jacks up the cost of living and
forces more out. Moving the city to the country just moves the problems
around.

There are alternatives along the line of more loose-knit communities
to meet real needs of the poor, chronically under-employed, young or not so
young, laid off older workers - blue and white collar alike, two and three
income families who can't make ends meet in the city, seniors on fixed
incomes, the disabled or chronically ill, marginalized ethnics, and others
who just can't cope with the concrete jungle. The answer to maxed out
consumer credit is not more credit.

We don't see real intentional communities forming, but what we DO see
today is an explosion of the local food movement, home schooling, alternative
medicine, community supported agriculture, self-sufficiency circles, self
employment, and even pagan groups with earth-based lifestyles. All this
together makes a sea change coming, and none too soon. My website focuses on
and supports these trends.

What I'm suggesting is, any intentional community movement must meet
the critical needs of millions or be relegated to the fringes like a novelty
item. An elitist or comfortable middle class approach won't begin to deal
with the crisis facing millions right now. Taking the city to the country is
no solution. Solar panels are not cost effective. People spend twice as much
for commercially produced "sustainable" or "green" housing. Really. Hobby
farmers just jack up the value of neighboring real estate.

paul tradingpost@gilanet.com
http://globalcircle.net

Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes.
--Henry David Thoreau

That is well said, replied Candide, but we must cultivate our garden.
--Voltaire [Francois-Marie Arouet] Candide






  • [Livingontheland] A reply about intentional communities, Tradingpost, 08/29/2003

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