Bieber Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 There's always the middle ground... i.e. we make our own ambulance service! Call it City EMS. =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romneyfor2012 Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Dwayne, I never took you for a hippy lol. I agree with a "family commune", even if it is not blood relative. I have often wondered how much better off I would be if my mom and dad, brothers and sisters, did not all have separate house payments, car payment, utility/grocery bills. There is no telling how much cheaper our monthly bills would be if we just shared a big house and the bills. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard B the EMT Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 There used to be a commune in the Bronx, NY, operating a Volunteer Ambulance Service, called "Plenty Volunteer Ambulance". They were an outpost of the "Parent" commune in Tennessee. I haven't heard anything about them in some years, personally, but there were several "Hits" on a Goggle search I just completed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DFIB Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I know 5 ladies that sold their houses an built one big house for them all to live in. it was their own kind of retirement community. It seemed to work well for them, Each had a small apartment and shared cooking and living room. Your OP has got me thinking about ways to test a communal idea among people that would have something to contribute. I have thought of a social experiment that would be interesting. I think that the medium ground and possibly a test group could be to form a group where people live in their own homes but contribute services to the "commune". Services are valued on a point system. For example: 1 hour mowing the yard = 100 pts, a Dr. Consult = 500 pts, 1/2 plumber service= 250pts. Every service has a point value and folks pay into their personal account by providing services to other members. When you provide a service the adequate points are added to your account, when you receive a service the points are subtracted. This gives people a chance to trade services for services without the necessity for cash. Goods could be added as well, a bushel of purple hulls=15 points, 1lb of venison =25 points, 1 rabbit=25 points, etc. If you can put one of these together you would have a good idea of people in your area that would be open to a communal society even if they don't all live together. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
island emt Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Dwayne: do a search on the "CO-Housing " movement. It is a modern day shared society where they take a parcel of land , build smaller energy efficient homes that are grouped together around a central meeting house kitchen/ dining/ community building. there are several of these in my area and the overall thought process is to lessen the demand for energy by sharing some facilities and sharing in the gardens and natural space while still having your own private space. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DwayneEMTP Posted January 13, 2012 Author Share Posted January 13, 2012 Heh R2012....moslty my hippie roots are inside instead of out now, with the exeption of my coninued dislike of shoes... Dfib, that's a great idea! Kind of along the lines of Atlas Shrugged, and even Walden Two. But what a complex frigging thing to work out! It would take a brainiac like you...Though I would love to play with the idea. Also, how to balance the value of the unskilled with that of the skilled or more highly educated? Having lived communally now in the U.S., Afg, and Mongolia, I believe that many of the most valuable skills brought to the table are from the unskilled. Housekeeping, laundry, and food. Though of course the food prepareres certainly have more skills and education than can ever be proved on paper. Housekeeping and laundry are nearly always invisible people where I've been. Though I'm allowed to do nothing but work, which I love, because of the things that they do. I get a place to live, work, sleep all with this clean, cared for, good energy, yet most believe that those services are below noticing. I think that it's vital to try and avoid elitism, though without pretending that 'all people are the same.' That is one of the main things that I struggle with. How to accept that I fly away to work, bringing in more money than the single mom that cleans rooms, without she, or I feeling that I'm superior to her in either function or human value? Though I may pay the bills, she in fact creates the environment that gives a true quality of life to the community....I'm not sure if i'm saying this right... I started down this road looking for a way to try and create a place for Dylan to live, surrounded by those that he knows and loves, and that love him back, when Babs and I are dead. But then started thinking, "What makes him so different than me or Babs? Why does it make sense for him but not us?" And I couldn't come up with any reasons really.... I've found 25 room hotels with kitchens and common areas for less than a half million dollars. I have friends that pay that much for a mortgage, as I'm sure many do. What world could we create if those rooms were filled, or mostly filled with smart, kind, loving people with a common vision? What parties we could have! What business ideas we could invent, and then implement, beginning with a small, motivated army instead of limping along hopeing to be able to hire someone someday. What security....I love every direct that it could go. There will always be heartache and the need for problem resolution, but what a gift to take the steps necessary to resolve issues when all parties have one goal? It seems like fun to me... :-) Richard I have seen The Farm info, but thanks for mentioning it again. They too were regressive, and I've nothing against that, but I want to be surrounded by kids, and smart people, and living off of the land is not going to be their future more than likely. Twin Oaks is the longest surviving commune in the U.S. The founder was ousted when she refused to give up a microwave for the communal kitchen as it was common knowledge that the nuclear waves in the oven polluted the entire environment. When she provided scientific studies to calm their fears it was actually considered a huge black mark, and the final straw, as it proved that she had gone completely over to the dark, evil side of 'the man.' I'm excited to live amongst a community of ideas, not the suppresion of ideas. A family built of the love of progress, without those that feed their spirit on the idea that progress eliminates peace. To share my time with those that believe that peace is the foundation of creativity and richness of life. Hell...I guess some of my hippie spirit is leaking out...but I think mostly the good parts... :-) Thanks all for participating! I'm truly grateful, and really excited for your input as I've come to realize that two years isn't really a very long time to put together such a project. But I do believe that it's possible, with the help, as always, of my friends. Dwayne Thanks Island, I've not see that before... Would you, or any of you, live in such a place? Why? Why not? What are the major negatives that you see...? Dwayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
island emt Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Heh R2012....moslty my hippie roots are inside instead of out now, with the exeption of my coninued dislike of shoes... Dfib, that's a great idea! Kind of along the lines of Atlas Shrugged, and even Walden Two. But what a complex frigging thing to work out! It would take a brainiac like you...Though I would love to play with the idea. Also, how to balance the value of the unskilled with that of the skilled or more highly educated? Having lived communally now in the U.S., Afg, and Mongolia, I believe that many of the most valuable skills brought to the table are from the unskilled. Housekeeping, laundry, and food. Though of course the food prepareres certainly have more skills and education than can ever be proved on paper. Housekeeping and laundry are nearly always invisible people where I've been. Though I'm allowed to do nothing but work, which I love, because of the things that they do. I get a place to live, work, sleep all with this clean, cared for, good energy, yet most believe that those services are below noticing. I think that it's vital to try and avoid elitism, though without pretending that 'all people are the same.' That is one of the main things that I struggle with. How to accept that I fly away to work, bringing in more money than the single mom that cleans rooms, without she, or I feeling that I'm superior to her in either function or human value? Though I may pay the bills, she in fact creates the environment that gives a true quality of life to the community....I'm not sure if i'm saying this right... I started down this road looking for a way to try and create a place for Dylan to live, surrounded by those that he knows and loves, and that love him back, when Babs and I are dead. But then started thinking, "What makes him so different than me or Babs? Why does it make sense for him but not us?" And I couldn't come up with any reasons really.... I've found 25 room hotels with kitchens and common areas for less than a half million dollars. I have friends that pay that much for a mortgage, as I'm sure many do. What world could we create if those rooms were filled, or mostly filled with smart, kind, loving people with a common vision? What parties we could have! What business ideas we could invent, and then implement, beginning with a small, motivated army instead of limping along hopeing to be able to hire someone someday. What security....I love every direct that it could go. There will always be heartache and the need for problem resolution, but what a gift to take the steps necessary to resolve issues when all parties have one goal? It seems like fun to me... :-) Richard I have seen The Farm info, but thanks for mentioning it again. They too were regressive, and I've nothing against that, but I want to be surrounded by kids, and smart people, and living off of the land is not going to be their future more than likely. Twin Oaks is the longest surviving commune in the U.S. The founder was ousted when she refused to give up a microwave for the communal kitchen as it was common knowledge that the nuclear waves in the oven polluted the entire environment. When she provided scientific studies to calm their fears it was actually considered a huge black mark, and the final straw, as it proved that she had gone completely over to the dark, evil side of 'the man.' I'm excited to live amongst a community of ideas, not the suppresion of ideas. A family built of the love of progress, without those that feed their spirit on the idea that progress eliminates peace. To share my time with those that believe that peace is the foundation of creativity and richness of life. Hell...I guess some of my hippie spirit is leaking out...but I think mostly the good parts... :-) Thanks all for participating! I'm truly grateful, and really excited for your input as I've come to realize that two years isn't really a very long time to put together such a project. But I do believe that it's possible, with the help, as always, of my friends. Dwayne Thanks Island, I've not see that before... Would you, or any of you, live in such a place? Why? Why not? What are the major negatives that you see...? Dwayne The big draw here was to the granola crunchy types who wanted to have a sense of belonging to a small group of similar minded folks. many of them are home schoolers and share the teaching and childcare duties and also share in the communal cooking and gardening duties. Others in the group help the unit with home maintenance or grounds keeping. There is a sense of community well being in place and with the price of the "buy in" there are few slackers or welfare types in the group. They are of the well educated professional category,with artists, musicians, college professors and medical professionals included in the group. Some might consider them elitist in the segregation of rich versus poor working class , but this is an added benefit to them as a group. Won't find many drug addicted welfare mom's on their property. I find it an interesting experiment in social mapping by creating an environment of "select neighbors". Not a whole lot different than living in a gated community where you control access to who can enter. Would I choose to live this lifestyle? No I don't think so. We have our own ideas of how we want to live, such as getting away from people when we go to our camp in the northern Maine woods. The nearest neighbors are not visible or heard, unless they're target shooting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard B the EMT Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Some of what is now being described, sounds a bit like an "Assisted Living" facility 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DwayneEMTP Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 How so? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
island emt Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 It's the kind of place where well educated women sit around discussing world events, while knitting hats for the homeless children , as they're breastfeeding in the community rooms. Just a little crunchy for my liking! To each their own.Or live & let live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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