Does communally living really work? I have explored and studied communally living for a few years and I’m not quite sure what to think of it at this point. I think the term commune is used loosely to label a lot of different types of places. A lot of communes are owned by one person, which makes it basically a Kingdom where one person or a group of people always has the final say. But at it truest form I think it would be where all members own an equal part of the community land and political. It just seems like most communes fail in the first few years and most of the ones that don’t seem most of times dysfunctional. It just seems the communally structure gets corrupted easily and certain people get more power and certain people do more of the share of work ect which leads to discontentment. Then it seems like the bylaw or laws that get formed just accumulate into useless nonsense that makes it impossible to do anything. Which I think turns into a huge loss of freedom if it is impossible to do anything. There are a couple of good sized communes that have been around for a couple of decades but from what I have seen and heard about them they just seem dysfunctional and most people are not happy there. It seems in all communes that have been around more then a couple of generations The next generation of kids mostly seem to leave, they don’t want to grow turnips or raise goats, marry their childhood playmate. Even in the well established communes like the kibbutz, Amish and the heredities,the youth seem to mostly all leave then the commune down sizes and starts to fades away. Even when the lucky few can stick it out make a successful commune it will probably fade away in the next generation. If they can get new young people why would the youth want to live in a half dysfunctional structure created by the old people before them. We see places like Cuba and Russia where communism was started with the grandest noblest intentions and has turned into a corrupt dictatorship. Does communism really offer more freedom? Individuality? Happiness? Or is it a failed idea that falls back to a basic dictatorship to function. I hate to see huge homes wasteful rich people I think it sucks to live in a society that “needs” so much consumer crap I would love a communal society. But is it a workable reality? Or just a failed system that seems to function for a while if you are lucky. It seems like there is a couple of people on here that have some experience living in a communal structure and I thought it would be informative and educational to hear there feeling and thoughts on it as a workable structure and system. .
Very good question Sidd ! I've been travelling all over the world to visit communities and see what goes on and what works or not. It's interesting to notice that wherever on the planet, all communities that have existed for many years follow the same way : members share the same land but live by their own in their house or caban or whatever it is. And they meet hardly ! It seems that schizophrenia is everywhere and relationship is less joyful. You're right when you say that most of the communities are deserted. Some communities worked in the 70's because people shared common ideas or values. When the main idea is "me, myself and I", it's impossible to connect with other people. Furthermore, in many communities or ecovillages, there is a lot of work to do. And of course, it has some consequences. According to me, the fact that living in communities works or not depends on the people. The more the members are autonomous, the more it works. Autonomy is the key. That's my idea. And it doesn't only mean financial autonomy, but also affective and mental. When people who live together don't NEED the others to compensate their lack of something, or feel better or be helped all the time (borrowing money or things because they cannot afford for example), then they can share the best of the life for the best of themselves. But it looks like an utopia... With Love, Rainbowgirl (from France)
Communal living can work at a very local level.....each commune shouldn't exceed more than 100 people. This is how humans lived for most of history believe it or not.........for the 150,000 years homo sapiens have been on Earth we have lived nearly 145,000 of those years in a communal way. Then as communities started to get bigger authoritarian structures emerged, because it is extremly hard to manage resources and organize work in a community that is too large. And as Rainbowgirl said, individual autonomy is extremly important. Each individual or family in a commune should have their own place within the communal land........and individuals cannot be owned by the community. Other than that each member of the community can be assigned a task or people can alternate.......it depends. Or each member in the community can provide mostly for themselves so that there isn't too much pressure put on one person for one task.
That is what I am kind of starting to think, maybe some of these commune structures are just so much human interaction and it is unhealthy. Maybe it is healthy for a community to gather once or twice a week and not twice everyday. And maybe sharing everything just causes too much conflict. I think the structure a lot of the people of the old days had was more of a tribal structure. I think it had a lot of communal values but was basically different in terms of property owner ship and political power. I really like a tribal structure in small groups living on un owned land. The rainbow family has devolved a very nice system for lose nomadic gathering and living but it is not really a sustainable living structure but a very great one for gathering. To bring 20,000 together with such little violence and conflict is very amazing and it happens year after year.
much rather let others ramble on here but ..... We live in a codependent, victim oriented society....life happens to us, we do not become proactive and become our own creators unless we hit a major shift point and make it happen everyday in our lives. But that does not mean it happens in this society or those disenchanted with it. Everyone wants a free ride. they want it to happen ....they are not willing to empower their own Being and Be that which they wish to be ...they yearn after it complain about it ,,,, but do not Change. Without that change, failure is a given. after all we're only victims and we cannot control what happens to us. Those few that succeed, stay on only as long as those they Work with (note the capital....as in Growing) those of like mind.....but we must also allow those who wish to Change, to try as well.....does not mean we have to stay and listen to the bitching... So yeah it can succeed and does as long as those involved keep empowering their Selfs....individual by individual. And I know of none that keep going without those Changes and every day commitment to Growing....Be coming More And so my rant goes on....and even iffn you all do not tire of it....I do. And so I tend to try to keep my peace. ---- And here I must edit to be more understandable.... you see i live on the land doing it...often by myself and so do much of my talking to one who understands and makes the jumps needed to understand (and even then, sometimes I do not understand myself) I am "doing it", but find that most others willing to do with no expectations of success...only of Doing, are usually involves in their own doing...it is very hard to find those of like mind who have not their own individual priorities that preclude involving themSelfs directly at this particular time wholeheartedly; fully, day inn, and day out: everyday, everyway... There are 2 others involved, but because of their present circumstances, I find myself most often alone in the doing ...but with wonderful support. Most will find that in order to Do...you must "Do it" alone.....hence the reason so many homestead...plus on a homestead the communication challenge is not so difficult and the dividing of the assetts easier should and when we go our own ways...as all should eventually. hopefully clearer....yah ...muddy waters (and you know.....I take as mine to help others to become more aware ...but after that, I must get out of the Way and stay unattached to the results...for those are theirs....not mine) (edit ends) ---- Have a good one Blessings along the Way.....the Lessons Learned Namaste (my spirit bows to your spirit)
What a nice discussion about the life in communauty. Thanks to give us the opportunity to share our experience! I lived in a little commune, and also I travelled a lot and went also and met commune in a lot of countries. My experience is that the only real problem is the relations between people. People are not able to BE themselves (because they are not autonomous, of course) and to be authentics. So, of course, the conflicts appear, and trying to make compromise, they make things worse and worse: nobody stay natural and simple, nobody needs something else...! If people were able to keep in mind the words of Abélard: "Live with your brothers as if you were alone", may be something might change?!
yup yup yup! and for smaller and less sustainable communities i think 20 would be a good number because in the very early times of our human nature we used to live around that number. In this situation you can get to know the people very well, so you know what each others abillities and disabbilities are. Motivation in this part is important, because if you are with a smaller group you really depend on what you and the others do. like in primitive tribes that are living now, only you have to look in wich environment you are and what you can do there.
