[pf] security was consumption / brainwashing

by Vicki Madden

22 December 2000 14:25 UTC

There are always intentional communities, an idea I have always found
intellectually appealing but the older I get the more cranky and hermitlike
I get. I love humanity in general but find so many individuals annoying ;).
So it is a challenge.... But we met people at the luddite conference who
live in an intentional community near Athens GA. It is small and Christian,
but more like Catholic Worker than typical Christian (though their theology
is anabaptist). They have an organic farm to support themselves. We liked
the people a lot, and I began to imagine that I could do something like
that. They are very involved in activism, opposing local Walmarts,
nonviolence training for Seattle, etc.

Meanwhile, when we expressed interest in someday coming there, he said Why
Not Now? Well, our objections involved job, impending birth, etc. But I
think it is possible to find a place where we can join our strengths with
those of others.

Vicki







>
>One obvious answer for the care of elderly (and disabled) is stronger
>communities with inter-generational ties. Of course, these are all but
>non-existent. I don't believe anyone can "go it alone"--I am
>psychologically illiterate (being a left-brained economist and math
>minor) but I think it's probably psychologically impossible, and
>anyway it's impossible for other reasons. One will be denied the
>ability to participate in society if one does not have a certain
>minimum of "qualifications" -- you must have a mailing address, phone,
>(email is almost essential anymore), transportation, wardrobe,
>hairstyle--to get a job. It might be possible to put a self-sufficient
>community together somehow, but I think there are few individuals who
>can be self-sufficient. And there are many obstacles to community.
>Some of these (IMO) are now built-in features of society, power
>structure if you will.
>
>Well, I've said enough for now.
>
>Kelley
>OKC
>