Hello friends.
I'm still very unfortunately here in Michigan, where I have had plenty of time for contemplation.
Much of my contemplation has been centered upon trying to figure out how I fit into the world. The more I've thought about it, the more trouble I'm finding picturing fitting in with the normal, expected life that modern society expects.
What ever happened to the"Former T6 family and friends experiemental living commune" [FTFFELC] idea? Weren't we going to go in on a large property somewhere and start an intellectual co-op where we all live off the land and each contribute our unique abilities, all the while contributing professionally to our fields, but on our own terms?
Tha sort of thing is very appealing to me: intentionally living below the poverty line, having a close community, and having plenty of time for artistic pursuits because income wouldn't be as important.
I wish I had a lot of like minded friends willing to give this a try, because I'm at the end of my rope. I just don't think I can lead a "normal" life.
TTFN
Aeijtzschey
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13 comments:
I am not, and never will be, opposed to thinking seriously about such a move; but when it comes to actually negotiating the details of the venture with the others involved (not to mention the family members involved), or even with myself, I find it hard to get the thing on the ground from the air of ideas.
However, there are hundreds of people who are actually practicing what you describe. I know a few people who are variously involved, and I know more people who know people who are in the thick of it. Also, I've done a bit of research on the subject of alternative living. If you want to jump off the "normal" boat, but are tired of waiting for us flip-floppers, I know a bunch of places you could start investigating, people you could start talking to, living patterns you could start trying... let me know.
Well, to be honest, I'm a bit of a flip-flopper too. I definitely want to jump off the "normal boat", if I haven't done that already, but it's a hard thing to go against the grain as vigorously as I'd like to.
And of course, one has to beware of the hippies, the cults, the militias, and the anarchists when one looks into "living off the grid".
I must admit the idea of simpler communal living is appealing to me, but making it a reality would be a trick. I bet some ideas could also come from Aaron Chaney's family. They have a ton of space in Pittsburg and always have a bunch of young people living with them.
From DeGroot, he's having trouble signing on these days.
I'm not opposed either, but I like my job with AF and at the moment it keeps me tied up in VA. You guys should move to NOVA and we could play rugby and stuff. Also, we would be intentionally Christian... I was going to ask our pastor about how he feels about families living in community a la the early church, but I didn't because I was tired and I didn't want to be that guy who is annoying asking questions...
But now that I'm married, I know that it can be done... Josh, it sounds like you are just hurting for some good friends and community... I hear you... Last night at church I was like, these kids are cool and stuff (the ones at church) but I don't feel plugged in and I miss my community. So I called Strauss and cried and stuff (kidding about the crying part), and then I resolved to join a Rez group by next semester and maybe attend a couple Inter-varsity small group sessions even this semester... I need the small group community so much, I think.
I do like NoVa much more than Chicago. If I ever move back, I would be willing to consider some sort of co-housing experiment. I think we've had this discussion before, but what would co-housing look like besides Christian community?
The Graham House was great, as was T6, but we're no longer all single guys who would be wanting to stay single for as long as we lived together. We would no longer be paying our living expenses via parents/loans. We would hopefully no longer be content with the Graham House cleaning system. Food sharing and car sharing become more significant issues when you don't live almost your whole day-to-day life on a college campus with a dining hall. How do you resolve conflicts where compromise is hard to reach? Democratic vote at scheduled meeting, benevolent dictatorship by a leader/leaders we appoint after prayer, a local pastor serving as an arbitrator? Do you limit the number and/or location of televisions to foster interaction and/or useful productivity? How committed are you to green living and/or low living expenses? (I remember a few thermostat battles at the Graham House. I would be disgruntled if I woke up again in the winter sweat-puddling in my sheets, because some Southern housemate jacked the thermostat to 90 before he went to bed.)
I think living together again is fun to think about even if we never execute the dream. I realize more than ever how special it was to have Luke, Dave, and Brett nearby now that I am gone, but I also knew while I was there that living with them again after 4 years of living separately from them would be a significant adjustment.
Anybody want to share ideas on what they'd want to see?
I'll start with an answer to my own question.
Voluntary financial pooling of resources. Housing expenses would be shared equally as much as possible. The financially well off would not be forced to subsidize the less financially well off. Instead, people could voluntarily pay more than their fair share to various funds. Two people rather than one would be selected by the co-housing group to manage the finances to create accountability. These people would be expected to not disclose who gave extra to the community. One of the voluntary funds would be for reaching out to the neighborhood rather than our own needs.
Transportation. Live near a significant mass transit station so that most people's daily commuting needs could be taken care of that way. Possess a small fleet of automobiles that people can reserve in advance as needed.
I assume "NoVa" means Northern Virginia?
I like your ideas, Andy.
By the way, I do regret missing two more years I could have spent with you guys by leaving Wheaton early. I have yet to have that kind of unique circle of friends elsewhere.
Some of the ideas I've had floating around in my head are pretty radical.
For instance, in terms of housing, I've thought about finding some blank land somewhere and either building my own structure or just living in a nice tent, to avoid mortgages and such. I mean, I'm pretty close to being kind of unabomber, other than that whole bombing people thing. Crazy hobo in Montana, you know. Except I don't want to live in Montana.
I actually like cities too much for that. I agree that living near a public transportation hub is a great way to save money by not needing a car as much.
I also think that if we're talking about some kind of co-habitation, it's important that each family/person have a relative degree of privacy. In other words, everybody gets their own thermostat. If that means getting a large house and re-jiggering it to suit each individual, I think that's important, because even among friends, the little things can sometimes become big issues and the first thing that tends to blow up are issues of personal comfort and privacy. Personally speaking, I need my space at times, and as a bit of a weirdo people would definitely want an occasional break from me.
What would be the coolest is to have a big parcel of land where each family/person could have their own bungalow, and then there would be a central kitchen/activity area.
There could be rotating cooking duty or one or two could be "employed" full time as responsible for that...
I would like to experience life near DC. Maybe I could finally get that FBI job that I have no qualifications for...
But yeah, this idea is exciting to me. For now, I think I'm going to live in a tent in my parent's backyard.
I will be able to think and write on this topic more in December, when I finally escape the present madness.
Why can't Dave log in? Shall I send him another invite? Is he web-programming these days? We should talk.
I miss Steve talking on here.
Strauss, Aeijtzsche, it's wonderful to read you two again.
Thanks, Dave. It's good to hear from you, too.
I'm setting simpler goals, just trying to find a sugar momma who will fund my intellectual pursuits. Know any beautiful heiresses looking for lanky academics to fund?
I think you've already worked out a sort of deal with one Sally Mae.
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