Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>]

Again, the exception proves the rule. One or a handful of exceptions out of
300 million people in this country hardly counts as "many examples".  I
don't count religious orders existing here or abroad living communally as
they receive financial backing and direction from their religious
hierarchies, and are not true self-organizing communes. And the kibbutz
movement pretty much withered away, being "commune-ist" (from Russia) and
unworkable in the long term. This is what eventually happens to grandiose
schemes and ideologies for remaking human nature according to someone's
ideals. I accept human nature as it is and advocate small, cooperating
communities and villages close to the land, as they have worked more or
less sustainably for most of human history.

paul tradingpost@lobo.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 5/11/2007 at 3:39 PM mtncats wrote:

>Actually Paul, there are many examples of "unrelated people working
>together to provide for their needs on common property and sharing in the
>proceeds".  One down the road here is Twin Oaks, founded in 1967:
>http://www.twinoaks.org/  
>
>It's patterned after Israeli kibbutzim
>http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2002/11/Focus%20on%20Israel-
%20Kibbutz , although Twin Oakers prefer "intentional community".  
>
>The kibbutz we lived on for a time in the 70's was founded by Russian Jews
>in 1921.  Still going strong, as are most of the other 267.  When we were
>there the major argument was over how to spend the profits, private TVs or
>improved clubhouse.  Since then, the children no longer are raised in
>children's houses as they were for the first 60 years, spending extended
>time with their parents only on Saturdays.  
>
>Organizations like these attract a small minority, but function well.  We
>experienced serious arm-twisting to join a new kibbutz organizing on the
>Golan Heights, overlooking the Sea of Galilee.  Beautiful spot, but we
>concluded we weren't joiners, ultimately finding our very private place in
>the woods here.
>
>Seems to me that your observations apply to most, but clearly not all.  I
>haven't visited, but know of a number of communal organizations scattered
>across Europe.
>
>Tom (not particularly hip in central Va) 
>