Originally posted by mopusvindictus
reply to post by VitriolAndAngst
Interesting that you would say that.
I actually have the basics of a plan in my head at this time for the purchase of some acreage and something that not far removed, including not just
health aspects but working digital while not living in the city and natural power etc, etc
I am fortunate to be moving shortly to a place that is quite close to a small town where there is a University and a very upwards thinking culture,
but my place itself is alongside a few million acres of woods give or take a few million
creation of a community around me would be a nice thing as my resources allow
>> I was thinking about this a bit. It's kind of in line with a lot of different "business" ideas I've had, some about patents, going green, and
marketing.
First, let's give what we are talking about a name; Smart Community. It's putting extended family in the home or close so we don't need strangers,
day care, and alienation at high fees. It's sharing resources, not only so that we save money, don't ruin the environment with too much STUFF, and
save time acquiring these things -- it's also because community really doesn't start until we need each other. A Smart Community is saving
resources. It's establishing healthy patterns.
And I would add that for me, it would be more spiritual while TRYING to ignore religion. A lot of church goers might see that as anti-religious.
But I respect a lot of good Christians; they just don't wear it on their sleeve, they set examples and apply their ides to themselves MORE THAN
others. I think we know the type who have high standards for others and complain all day about Brittany Spears. I don't think she'd make nearly the
same money if all the kids of parents who decry Brittany were ignoring her.
>> OK. I recognize I have to put my pet peeves aside. When you have a tighter community that might be bicycling together -- that means you lose some
privacy and you have to put up with differences.
A Smart Community, would also be using its buying power, and would be organized around completing a check-list of abilities. Smart Communities are
going to share talents of it's members. Part of that buying power is identifying common needs like food. Maybe it's only 50% of what everyone needs
-- but that means someone shopped well and got healthy food. One person is going to be better at understanding health -- maybe another is at
shopping.
A Smart Community is going to trade ideas with other communities to figure out better ways to solve problems.
What STOPS people from building a "smart community?"
>> WE can't all pick up and move. Some of us have jobs. We don't want to be intrusive. We all have dreams but commitment -- well, that's a dirty
word. Time. Money. Social Inertia. All the things that lead us to bad habits in the first place.
I'd love it if my own community could become "Smart" -- but how do we do this?
The best way I've found to influence people is with getting them to "buy into" a concept. Religions, network marketing, the military -- they all
have some really powerful and useful techniques that move people. They just don't always move them in the right direction -- but why can't we use
these techniques for the right reasons, eh?
1) Call to a higher purpose. Who want's to go out of their way for something that isn't visionary? Living healthier, having people look out for you,
saving money and the earth, raising your kids better and then empowering people to make other people's lives better.
2) Don't proselytize but witness. The single most powerful thing that churches do isn't the sermon. It's the bible study meetings. Having an
audience for you to share your experience, or to hear someone else tell theirs makes people feel involved. What are we doing right now?
3) Repetition. Schedule meetings and get-to-gethers and ask people when they can attend the next one -- followup.
4) Promotion. Recognize people who have made some improvements in a community. Revisit other Smart Communities and do this again and again. Kids need
local heroes and who better than mom or dad who just found a way for everyone to make a cistern for their water runoff?
5) Commitment and Reward. Some template has to be created for a Smart Community and known tasks and resources need to be discovered. Future needs and
how to value efforts/resources given. People who receive benefits need to give back. We don't want charity but "can you help" is powerful.
Everybody needs to help more than be helped. So when people are helped -- it should feel earned. It is destructive to just receive as well as just
give.
6) Branding and Standards. The Smart Community would need a brand, certification, and even people certified as "trainers." A community can raise
the value of their homes by putting out our Seal of Approval -- and can lose it for not meeting standards. Not making sure that communities meet the
standards would mean that the label didn't mean anything overtime.
I would think that this would be a "buy in" and incremental.
You and I might have the "Smart Community" sticker on the post of the mail box (for instance). And people would ask us; "What's that?' It can't
seem like a cult, but if you said in one sentence; "It's a way of getting everyone to share resources and help make everyone healthier and save
money at the same time."
>> I've been thinking about the various aspects of this as I raise my kids and wonder if I'm ever going to do something they will feel proud of. As
I get fatter, more tired, and older, it feels like the answer is; "You can't change anything."
The truth for me might be recognizing I can't do it alone. I'm a great thinker, but not a great implementer. I lose track of time.
We can all go on diets, shave a few pounds and get buff on our own. Brag about our discipline. But what about the people who didn't know what we
know? Isn't it better to say; "I made a difference?"
