Communes, anyone here lived on one? Reccomend them?

[pizzathehut]

Just curious. I've read alot about them on the net and I like hearing personal experiences with them.

[Mari333]

1. I lived in one in Chicago in 1972

we all fought . It was like a dysfunctional family, only you werent related to anyone biologically. The vegetarians fought with the meat eaters, the Marxists fought with Trotskyites, the women fought with the men over the assigned household tasks, the lesbians fought with the straight men, etc etc etc..
It was quite a circus.
I have heard of some communes that worked, but ours sucked.
And I dont miss sleeping on the floor on a mattress either.

[pizzathehut]

2. How long were you there?

And what values or principles made you want to go there in the first place?

[w13rd0]

3. You aren't talking about the one...

...that was round abouts Clark and Wilson are you? I was there thru 1989...

It was an interesting experience. I was asked to leave though because in a small community, someone who "goes through women like a stray cat" isn't appreciated...

[yeti]

4. Worse than dyfunctional families ..

Think "Lord of the Flies," "Animal Farm," and everything else bad about human nature. My experience was with a vegetarian hippie crew in the late 70's. Funny how everyone's "Love and Peace," "Be Here Now" personnae devolve into petty squalor and conflict so quickly.

The reasons why communes don't work are the reasons why socialism won't work: humanity is not ready yet. The communes that *do* work just illustrate how rare it is to get the right mix of personalities together in the right structured environment.

When humanity is ready, socialism will spring up naturally, and will be indistinguishable from anarchy. We're along way from the level of cultural evolution requisite to sutain something like that.

[maxanne]

5. I lived on one

for a brief time in 1972. It was in Vermont - near the Canadian border. It was really cold in February - and there was no indoor plumbing - not even an outhouse. Everyone smelled pretty badly, and I was constipated for the whole time I was there.

A friend had gone to live there, and assured me how much I'd love it, and urged me to come visit. So - I did. He had hooked up with a woman who percieved me as a threat - like I'd come to steal her man - so she hated me. She turned everyone else against me, too. It was uncomfortable, it was boring, and apparently I'm just a little effete. I like indoor plumbing. I enjoy bathing on a regular basis.

[Tyler Durden]

6. Think of DU on a MICRO scale, with no cable TV....

...to distract people from carping at each other, and having to sit across a table from people you have grown to loathe.

People are people, and it's hard enough to live in a family, let alone an artificial one.

[zizzer]

7. I've visisted several

Twin Oaks, Virginia.

Very big. Almost draconian in social structure. Little in the way of personal property and almost no cash to individuals for personal spending. The have a school, a saw mill, several cash industries.

Light Morning, Floyd County, Virginia.

Very small. In operation since the 70's. They are subsistance farmers and use oil for light and wood for heat. They have a few solar cells for what electronics are on the land. They are surrounded by a large community of ex-residents and other small communes.

Short Mountain, Tennessee

A gay and lesbian commune in existance since the 70's. They may no longer exist, I honestly don't know. They used to produce a gay mens mag...something about farming or some such. Very loose social structure, some small scale farming and live stock. They also have some gay and lesbian gatherings on the property.

I had thought for many years that I would love to live on a commune but I have found that I don't have the temperment or the selflessness that is required.

If you choose to join a commune please safeguard your possesion. Twin Oaks for example requires you to sign over to the collective ALL of your personal holdings. If and when you leave you do not get them back. Other communes are not this strict. If you choose to enter one that is, please find a way to guard your savings for the future...maybe this is why I never joined a commune..the idea that my things are mine.

There is a magazine, I believe it's called Communities. There are also many websites about moving to and out of communes. You can usualy find listings of groups looking for members or for groups looking to start a new commune.

Zizzer