Anyone living in or previously lived in an intentional community ?

[RosemaryandThyme]

Hello, I live in an intentinal community and am wondering if anyone else does or did ?
Ours is a community for the education and welfare of it's members, of which there are about 9 families (plus a few floating extras) living in an collection of houses and a main maor house in a rural hamlet - anyone else in a similar position ?

I don't think it is a healthy environment for children. Knew of one such 'community' where it all ended in great tragedy. Whole thing makes me feel really uncomfortable and sad.

And of the fully functioning labs ... ?

interesting - was just talking about this today to a friend who is looking at communities for the over 60s - lots of them around!

I lived in 3 intentional communities pre-marriage (in the 70's). None of them were like the OPs which sounds odd. One of them, a co-op, is still going (36 yrs!) and I'm off to a birthday party there in a couple of weeks. There are some bonkers communities around and some great ones . Any community where women's and men's roles are as polarised as the OPs is in the bonkers camp for me.

In my experience the main points of conflict are not idealogical but are over important things like what brand of coffee to buy... :)

Atomant, it does sound like Lost - if Sawyer is there, I'm in!

Or it's M Night Shyamalan's The Village.

Which was crap.

I quite like the idea of living in a little community - not sure how they fund themselves though.

This one sounds a bit like the Amish programme on television last week. The men go out to work and the women take care of the homes / children.

Some people regard the Scouts as a sort of paramilitary organisation, which may be why the communal discussions were considered necessary

Which is why I don't like it. It is up to me and my DC and what we think-it isn't something that I would put to a committee.
It is like saying that I can't trust my own feelings and have to put it to a higher authority. (since I am very cynical about the 'higher authority' and their hidden agenda I wouldn't do it).
I think that getting out and joining the scouts is far healthier for the DC than being cooped up in the community.
DCs need to meet all sorts and they particularly need to meet those who have different ideas to their parents-so that they can make up their own minds.

Blobtobetter "I quite like the idea of living in a little community - not sure how they fund themselves though. "

Where I lived, very boringly by having jobs . . . generally 2 - 2.5 days a week paid work leaving 4.5 - 5 for farm work/community stuff. Rent/living was cheaper because of being shared so it works out ok.

Takver - I guess I thought they would be all farming or wood working or something!

Are these communities joined together to save money or because of shared values? Or both!?

More like the Amish - I would love to join them!!

In the kibbutz, everyone had a vote and everyone worked, from farming, to cooking the communal meals, the laundrette, childcare and they also developed small businesses and people worked outside too. Everyone had accommodation to fit your needs. A single person would have a living/ kitchen area, bedroom, bathroom, families would get another room built on when their family grew, teenagers at 14 got their own little room and bathroom. It was a paradise for kids and they general seemed very independent and mature. It's changed a lot in the recent years and not so communal as it was, more people working outside and getting more materialistic and concentrating more on your family rather than the group.

I have always loved the idea of living in community - but only one where you have your own finance/independence. More of a shared housing with occasional shared meals, friends to natter over tea and share some child care with type thing. My ex and I did half wonder about buying somewhere with uni friends but it was very pie in the sky.

The OPs set up is either incredibly dodgy or made up though...

Goodness- this souunds v like atwood's handmaid's tale to me!

It sounds terribly, terribly sexist, OP. I wouldn't want to live or raise children in that kind of environment.

Do you count the Amish as sexist?

I would.

Just skimmed and read the OPs posts

I was getting quite excited about the idea of all these women doing a bit of housework/childcare and combining it with time spent solving mathematical problems and performing scientific experiments in fully functioning labs

Then I find out that only the men get to do the maths. Well BALLS to that.

I still want to know about the labs.

There's one quite near me, apparently. Very woo, they plant all their crops by moonlight or something.

I have been watching this thread with interest.

I have experience in a kibbutz in Israel. Everyone works (men and women!), meals are eaten communally, childcare is provided. Glorious setting by the sea with white sand and cliffs. There is a real community spirit and everyone knows everyone. Children of the kibbutz grow up together in the kindergarden, and have a summer programme of activities in the school holidays, and when they finish school their university education is paid for should they wish to study.

What's not to love?

Lived in two communities.One good experience,one bad 'cultish' experience (was told I would die when I left).
Warning signs IMO: a gradual withdrawal from outside influences and friendships - the group becomes your all and your everything.Can be very subtle.

From the good experience I would enter into communal living again like a shot,but only as a single person,not as a family.

I'd never judge anyone for their own individual or family decisions as it can be such a fantastic,strengthening,enriching experience given the right community.

Does anyone want to join science/maths virtual commune with me? We can sit in front of our laptops distracting the kids with sweets and fruitshoots wholesome vegetarian nibbles while we engage in partial differential equations and quantum theory :o

Yes please

No really I'm serious

I do that a bit anyway, I utilise cbeebies while I do my OU. And used to be top banana on particle physics

So, Queen of small crunchy fishes, what's your opinion on the speeding neutrinos? :o

Is your OU on physics too? I'm a mathematician.

AHA a test...

Um I haven't really kept up with the speeding neutrinos (HA Geddit!) but on what my dad has told me I have heard I suspect it's a bungle

I got a degree in Physics when I was a whippersnapper, I'm doing some OU modules at the moment for interest and maybe a degree see how I go - I have 2 small children so module by module with a maybe on ending with Engineering. Doing robots at the mo which is just super-duper Makes up for not being able to watch star trek in the daytime...

Avocado do you work in maths? I never used my degree.