Communes. Ever lived in one? Would you join one?

i train race horses...been a family business for the last 40 years...not a business you can just jump into ive seen a lot of people try to just jump in and most go broke

I would never join a commune. What a scary thought. * shivers *

Why not start a small village instead? You know, reward folks for there hard work, skill sets and such? Independence. Create your own destiny.




- NSBiz

Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth

No,I am very much on base when I talk about how difficult it is to find a job that pays enough for someone to be financially independent. Hell, there are forty year olds still living with their parents or relatives because they can't find a job to make ends meet.



[edit on 26-3-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

I hear you on that.In the town I live in if you can find a job paying more than 7 bucks an hour buddy you hang on to it..I've seen people fist fight because someone else got a job they were trying to get..

I drive 90 miles everyday for work...45 there 45 home....If gas prices go up I'll be workin just for gas to go to work.


On the commune thing..I don't know if I have the personality for it..I don't like large groups..someone always pisses me off LOL.

But if it would be easier and cheaper on me I would make a major effort to play nice.


Simon

Originally posted by Simon_Boudreaux
.I don't know if I have the personality for it..I don't like large groups..someone always pisses me off LOL.

But if it would be easier and cheaper on me I would make a major effort to play nice.

Simon

See, that would be my problem. I am quite the loner and I really don't like being around a bunch of loud, obnoxious people. I am pretty low-key. A voice that goes over 40 or 50 decibels gets on my nerves pretty quickly. However, if I knew that it was a necessity for my survival to put up with it, then I guess I would have to.

Yep, I was born into a commune and was there for 19 years, until I went to Uni...

Can recommend the experience

Originally posted by BlueSkyes
speakerofturth i think you are way off base...i didnt go to college and i cleared 75K last year and my income level doesnt have a ceiling...if anything now a days to make a decent buck you have to create your own niche and make your own way getting a degree only guarentees you make others money while you are in school and will most likely fall into a job making someone else rich...

Damn straight BlueSkys 70% of entrepreneurs do not have formal College these days.

I wish to join a commune, famitly has let me down, any hope?

Originally posted by jsobecky
One thing I am absolutely sure of - you'd have to leave religion out of any commune that I would consider joining or creating. I mean, you could hold your own beliefs, but keep them to yourself.

It would also be good if political discussions were only allowed after 8PM, around the campfire.

The commune of today would be much different than those of the 60's, I think. Much more modern, a mixture of technology and natural living. Self-sufficient energy. Organic foods and a cell-phone to order a pizza. Chemical toilets instead of peeing in a ditch.

You wouldn't have to forgo any of the modern luxuries that you've been accustomed to, unless you chose to. But for it to work, you'd definitely need a mixture of skills, from carpentry and plumbing to nursing and nutrition/cooking.

I have never lived in a commune. But it is something I would consider if it was done correctly and fairly. Similar to the suggestions above.

I have always admired the Amish way of living. I wouldnt mind a similar style if I could leave out the religion, no technology, old style clothes and the buggies bits.

A sort of self-sufficiency/eco & enviro friendly/back to the land/organic style of living. A huge plot of land sub-divided up into smaller plots for individual families of about 0.5 acre for their homes, but having the main bulk of the land as the 'communities' whereby all pitch in to reap the harvest or care for the animals or cut trees for firewood sort of style. Any skills that each member has is shared/used for the communities good. The harvest as well is then divided up equally to each member.

If only I had a few million ££££'s to set one up

[edit on 9/7/08 by Wotan]

Anyone on the site that could recommend a commune with good value systems and a place without all the issues that generally give the majoritly bad reps?

I have always been geared toward community and we don't find much of that in our neighborhoods anymore.

I would like one where all work for the common good, yet there aren't leaders who manage the money and you don't have to put all your assests into the central kitty!

Does anyone know of a commune in England??
I've already checked the Findhorn commune but they want about £3000 upfront with further payments to be made after

If i had an option i would take it, as long as i don't have to abide by some religion, i don't mind getting up at 5.30 in the morning and working hard allday in the fields ect, i don't mind swapping my PC for a plough and living without electricity even!

There must be some options in the UK...surely?

reply to post by Ah_Pook


Google Intentional Communities and you will find many worldwide.

I know several people who live in communes in the Addison County, VT, area. I considered it myself, but each community is unique and none felt "perfect" for me.

You can find a lot of such communities on this site:

www.ic.org...

And someone is working on a new networking site here:

www.eaglerising.org

Commune?

Is that short for communist?

Jsobecky, i would live in a commune with you and i'd be like a monkey on your back. Always WITH YOU!!!!

Sounds good to me!!

Lets go!

Oh i forgot, you dumped me

I've thought about aquiring land and starting one myself.
If you could find a decent bunch of people to start off it sounds cool.

What kind of permission do you need to buy a forest/island in Canada?

reply to post by AGENT_T

I'm in- i think the alternative would be one of those camps

No, haven't ever lived in a commune...... there was one in the San Bernardino Mountains I used to visit from time to time in the late 70's. It seemed a successful life for the folks, in that they were mostly self-reliant. It was my perception with this particular group that about 1/3 or more of the members had been afflicted with a touch of the lazies, in that most of the workload seem to be done by a few.

Where we live now, there's a lot of bartering and trading that goes on, and I like that. It was much like that where I grew up too, and there's something real basic about say, trading six breadfruit for a couple of fish.

I couldn't judge from just that one commune, but I didn't ever get the idea that it would work out for me. Perhaps I was just too much of a nomad at that point. ummmmmmm, and I've always had a mind tilted somewhat towards security, protection, weaponry. When a person delves into such areas, the more people, the more diverse the ideas, and if everyone isn't of the same mindset, then some loner ends up sitting on a promontory all night, watching the pack.

OMG, that was SO fraught with Freudian overtones. I must go have a pomegranate popsicle and cleans my Id.

reply to post by dgtempe


Agent and DG, ..... agree, especially if the folks are a mutual support group of sorts prior to the land acquistion and open-minded enough to adjust to each other. It might become a necessity in time that people do this very thing.

Long as Agent agrees to wear sufficient lower body covering, I think one could overlook the batman hood.

Interesting that a few of us have toyed with the idea, yet have trouble finding the ideal situation.

If anyone is seriously interested, this autumn my living arrangement is changing toward something that may evolve into a commune, located in northern Vermont. I would prefer to take more detailed discussion to U2U and then email, but suffice to say I've found enough (make that three so far, plus myself) like-minded people to begin taking and old farm and making it into a community. I don't want to go into much detail, but suffice to say if you are reading ATS, and especially the survival forum, you will not be disappointed, you would be surrounded by people who share many things in common with you. Only communal space would be a porch on the main house, and the outdoors (gardener's heaven-- acres to plant, plus barns, trails, a wood-fired kiln, etc.). Two of the people are career agri/horticulturalists, the other two of us have lots of military and hunting experience, and one person owns a construction company.

I know that's a bit off-topic, but "you never know" as they say...

[edit on 13-7-2008 by therainmaker]

I've never lived in a commune but I've visited one in the '80's and know several older and wiser friends who have lived in IC's here in Texas. Without fail, they've said that within a IC, cliques start to form and usually end up squabbling over the division of labor or control over the commune usual over something extremely non-essential to the long term health of the community.

Most folks(myself included) have been conditioned since birth to expect hierarchy to set norms or standards for the community but hierarchy today is usually selected by a political process rather than by merit. Politicians by nature are usually lazy thieving bastards who want to take your labor, wealth or property to enrich themselves at your expense. Communism will never last long in the real world because someone always wants to be in charge and oligarchy quickly follows. It's happened to every communist regime/movement since 1917. Very limited gov't with as little power as possible usually works best for the largest portion of any community you care to name.

I was concieved in a commune. Lived there whilst I was a toddler apparently. I don't remember but I love looking at the pictures of my mum looking all etheral, holding a guitar - She looks happy!

I ask her what it was like and she just smiles. It was a very simple and happy time in her life she reports, alas she wont go into details.

I'd be interested but I'm afraid I might be one of those people that everyone ends up hating to live with!