Your perfect world?, page 1

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Don't know if others have read Jenny Cockell's books. They're simple recountings of the author's claims to have lived at least one past life and to have seen at least one future life. Re: the latter, the author descibes a future global scenario, which does appeal to me, despite its ramifications. The future life is one in which the world's population is vastly reduced, due to numerous man-made environmental and other disasters. In the future world, repair of the planet is the priority. There is a gentleness and humility in those who remain. The emphasis is on co-operation. Vast tracts of land, worldwide, remain unoccupied. For once, resources far exceed demand and the demands are exceedingly gentle. Ego has been quenched; people conduct research in how best to restore. Enormous domes harbour plant life destined for the restoration of forests, etc. Pacific islands are deserted and once again exist as they were before human despoiled them. Jungles begin to flourish again. Beaches are white and cleansed of debris. Plains and tundras stretch from horizon to horizon without a human footprint. Governments confer with each other in how best to balance human needs and the environment; they co-operate in the management of toxins that remain from before the cataclysm. And through this barely breathing, tentative hold on life on the globe, intelligent humans go quietly about, restoring, respecting; all ego gone. It's a nice image.

On a much smaller scale, I once envisaged a tiny version of a perfect world, consisting, basically, of a village for damaged humans. I devoted quite a bit of thought to it and can still see it in my mind, as if it actually existed. Nothing elaborate. My village would be purpose built and largely self-sustaining. It would consist of simple, comfortable dwellings comprising two and three storey town-houses, dormitories, one-level villas. These would be interlinked in a roughly circular or squarish pattern, enclosing a large park/recreation area. In another section would be a kindergarten and school, catering for children up to ages eleven or twelve, perhaps. After that they could go high-schools etc. outside the village.

The village would have gardens for growing produce to be consumed by the villagers; the excess to be sold and the profits to be spent on upkeep of the village. The primary value of course would be in teaching children and adults the joys of self-sufficiency, harmony with nature, etc. There would be a bakery and a few shops catering to the basic needs of the inhabitants. There would be a clothing-exchange -- based really on the 'hand me downs' principle of large and extended families.

Those who would live in the village would be single mothers and fathers and their children, and elderly people. Each parent and his/her children would be provided a town-house or villa, etc. depending on their needs. As children grew older, sought independence and left the home, the family would be relocated into a suitable smaller dwelling and their larger one would be provided another family for as long as required.

Thus, the village would provide mother, father and grandparent figures for ALL the children. This would provide a sense of security and companionship for single parents of both sexes, and a sense of worthwhileness for the elderly.

As much as possible, the adults in the village would be employed within the village itself: in schools, shops, bakery, gardening and maintenance duties. This would provide them training for future careers and a sense of pride and self-respect overall. Regular teachers would come in daily, also.

There would be a community centre where parents and other adults could meet to make joint decisions concerning every aspect of the village and its inhabitants. The community centre would also be used for night-classes and crafts and as a recreation centre for adults and children.

Some of the single parents may choose employment outside the village, in which case other parents, on roster basis would take care of the younger children, whilst others again would teach in the kindergarten and school, etc. The emphasis would be on shared responsibilities and upon co-operation. The village, i feel, would be largely self-policing.

My village would be government subsidised, of necessity. But it would hope to provide a very real family environment for men, women and children who otherwise would be marginalised, isolated, lonely, desperate and impoverished after divorce. Purpose built accomodation would exist for single, elderly people with no extended family of their own. Thus, the children would gain from being surrounded by mothers, fathers and those of the older generations. Families would be able to have pets as would the elderly residents.

The village would be visited regularly by standard and alternative healers and by environmentalists, craft-workers, and small groups of educators, alternative lifestylers, career advisors, etc., so that the children and adults would have exposure to the wider world into which all, eventually, must return.

It would be hoped that living in a closely-knit community would act as a healing period for the inhabitants selected to live there. There would probably need to be a time limit regarding the time any family could reside in the village, because the need for a place like that would be severe with many needy families on waiting lists. I feel it would be far better for individuals and society generally to create such villages, in preference to simply handing out welfare payments.

There would be social problems of course, but I believe that life in such a village would do much to alleviate many of the problems that currently arise when families are fractured by divorce. In my village, divorced men and women would feel encourged to work for the future, rather than dwell bitterly or guiltily on the past. Children lacking a parent of either sex would gain mother and father figures within the village community, plus grandparents. The men and women of the village would share duties, leaving each with time to formulate a future career, perhaps. Parents would, on roster basis, undertake child-minding duties, allowing other parents some 'time out' and/or to attend night classes and work in nearby towns.

I think it could work and in the long run, would save tax-payers' money and resources.