Some of my close friends say I was born too late.
I was born in the 60's but did most of my growing up in the 1970's and a little more maturing into the mid 1980's. I've been called a hippie, liberal, earthy granola, Birkenstock wearing 60's child...and those are the nice names.
My parents were fairly conservative and republican.
So why am I so different? Honestly, I don't know, but I'm definitely the black sheep in my family...or at least my brother and I rotate the black sheep role every couple of years. Can't hog the black sheep role ALL the time. Need rest...it's hard work.
Commune living has appealed to me since I was in my early twenties. Twenty years later it still appeals to me.
Families living together, growing vegetables, helping raise children, sharing the life experience together. Everything about it...makes me smile.
It's possible that I've romanticized it, but nowadays we're all so disconnected from each other, so wrapped up in our own lives...a little group living could change all that.
What do you think? Any other black sheep out there?
Update: for those who are worried...there will be no hand holding and singing Kum Ba Yah
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18 comments:
It's a nice idea. I've definately given that type of thing more thought over the past couple of years. I started a garden, and it's so exciting to grow your own food. :D
Luckily for me, my mom and brother think the same way as I. But my dad is definately Republican and we've had some disagreements.
Well this post was definitely motivated by all the arguing I've done over on your blog. :) My Grandpa and I used to argue a lot too. I guess it's in my blood.
haha Well, you are definately good at it. It's starting to wear me out though.
Well there be "free love" in this commune of yours? Sorry that is the thing that pops into my head when I hear the word commune, well that and drugs.
If your really interested here is a list of communes in the country,
http://directory.ic.org/records/communes.php
Anonymous,
I've already investigated out the communes in the US, thank you anyway.
It's too bad that your mind goes straight to drugs and sex. That's hardly the point of living in a commune. I'd like to live on a large plot of land w/multiple houses where everyone helps out, has similar viewpoints, tries to become self-sufficient and tries to give back.
Anonymous,
I've already investigated out the communes in the US, thank you anyway.
It's too bad that your mind goes straight to drugs and sex. That's hardly the point of living in a commune. I'd like to live on a large plot of land w/multiple houses where everyone helps out, has similar viewpoints, tries to become self-sufficient and tries to give back.
Sorry. Seeing as I did not grow up in Israel nor do I think about it often the only reference point I have to a commune is what we heard about in the 60's-70's and those where filled with hippies, drug users and sexual frivolity.
what you are looking for is more in line with what the Jews have in Israel a kibbutz. i guess that would be in line with the teaching of "it takes a village to raise a child" and share, share alike.
"what you are looking for is more in line with what the Jews have in Israel a kibbutz. i guess that would be in line with the teaching of "it takes a village to raise a child" and share, share alike."
That's exactly what I'm looking for, and I agree, I think it does take a village to raise a child. We're all too isolated these days. However, my village has to be filled w/liberal thinkers who don't persecute minorities, are free-thinkers and tolerant of different religions, people, etc...
Are you saying you did grow up in Israel? I'm confused, because I didn't.
OK, so you want a utopia feel to your commune/kibbutz? As far as it taking a village to raise a child, that can be kind of frightening, have you seen some of the "villages" out there?
As far as being isolated in which way? Unless you live in MT or some other large state with few people I am not seeing how you can be isolated in todays day and age.
Oh dear, certainly did not grow up there.
What I was trying to say was that the kibbutz in Israel is the same thing as a commune but it has more of the connotation of what your looking for versus the connotation many people then the word think of when they hear the word commune (brings to mind hippies/drugs/free love for many people.)
Anon,
Yes I have seen some of the villages out there, hence the reason for a commune. Most communes have people of like mindedness. Why would a conservative republican want to live with a bunch of liberals and give up their tv?
Utopia? Maybe.
Here's what I mean by isolation...
You can live in a city and be isolated.
People who don't talk with anybody except people they know.
People who only think of themselves and don't give a shit about their neighborhood, city, state, country. People who live/act as though they are the only people who matter.
People who go to work, come home, watch tv, go to bed and repeat that process over and over.
That, my dear, is isolation.
Here's what I'd like to see...
Have dinner with your neighbor.
Write a letter to a relative.
Be kind to others.
Treat others as you would like to be treated.
I don't think that's a stretch. And if that's my idea of utopia then so be it.
That is funny (your comment regarding the villages)!
I guess you feel the same way I do, certain types of people I really do not want around my kids or myself.
As far as you being conservative, I got the impression that you were more "liberal".
Now unfortunately, I have no idea where "you" live but in my little "village" we do those things that you mentioned (have dinner with neighbors, talk to them, so on and so forth). There is a reason that people isolate themselves though (using isolate as you defined it), and I can totally understand their reasons. I mean if you lived smack dab in the middle of liberals and you were conservative and religious I can see if you wanted to isolate yourself.
Isolated is being an Anonymous commenter on a blog. You don't have a name?
Not isolated at all. With the weird names parents are naming kids now a days just think of Anonymous as another name, just like Monkey Girl.
OMG.. Anon.. I didn't think you could stoop much lower, but alas I'm disappointed. Let's call a spade a spade. Come clean with who you are b/c we all know who you are.
Please tell me what is wrong with a non-mainstream name? I suppose that means something horrible too.
I don't get you conservatives... Why do you always lash out at people? Why do you care what someone names their child or what religion or non religion they are taught? You don't have to subscribe to it... but the beauty of living in the good ole USA works both ways. We have the freedom to not be conservative.
I'm not sure if I can change the subject or not...
I'm definitly on Monkey Girl's side here...
I was raised by a total granola crunching hippie. She grew all our familie's food in her garden. She made a lot of mine and my brother's clothes. She had a network of friends who sort of all pitched in as mock-parents when she couldn't be around (single moms don't usually have a lot of free time to spend with their kids). So, although we didn't live on a plot of land somewhere as a group, we kind of had our own little version of what you're thinking about.
And, it was a great way to grow up.
And now, I want to finish school so I can get my hands in the dirt and help with environmental preservation and sustainable landscapes and whatnot.
So, if I do say so myself, I think with the right group of people, you might be onto something. I know some of your commenters would disagree, but hey, I'd be interested in the commune!
Jen said...
OMG.. Anon.. I didn't think you could stoop much lower, but alas I'm disappointed. Let's call a spade a spade. Come clean with who you are b/c we all know who you are.
Please tell me what is wrong with a non-mainstream name? I suppose that means something horrible too.
I don't get you conservatives... Why do you always lash out at people? Why do you care what someone names their child or what religion or non religion they are taught? You don't have to subscribe to it... but the beauty of living in the good ole USA works both ways. We have the freedom to not be conservative.
Jen my comment was a direct reply to Monkey Girl when she asked don't you have a name.
What is the big deal?? Did I insult her blogging name? Of Course not.
I simply pointed out that Anonymous is a name and gave my view point on why it is a name, just like Jen, Monkey Girl, Dweezle, Moonbeam, Sunday, Levi are names.
Please tell me what is wrong with a non-mainstream name? I suppose that means something horrible too.
Nothing wrong with a non-mainstream name Jen. Did I say there was? I mean as long as you don't name your kid something derogatory I am sure that the world could care less. My kids have non-traditional names, and I am a conservative non-liberal.
What is wrong with you liberals, just because someone does not agree with you, why do you lash out? That is the nice thing about living in the US of A we have the option of not being laissez-faire.
Anonymous seems to have a pretty fatalistic view of the world. I actually happened to grow up in a commune (or Ashram) as we called it.
As if a group of people who want to build a new kind of society are somehow inherently deviants...or children of the corn...Anon, that isn't anything like what my experience was.
What I have to say on the subject of communes is that they are pretty much the same as everywhere else. There are still power struggles and problems, and so groups like that have a tendency to drift apart after a time.
However, some of the wonderful things are that the community is more close knit, and the same values are pretty much shared by all. Every now and then I really miss the commune lifestyle. It's like having a huge extended family that helps you keep up, reach your goals, and stay on target.
I have a strange name and have lived on communes. None of the communes that I lived on tolerated drug or alcohol use, or any sex outside of marriage. They were all vegetarian. They were communities centered on extending a yogic lifestyle to raising families.
Raising kids in an environment where alcohol is regarded as a drug, and being vegetarian is mainstream is very helpful. The children that we raised in these communes have validated sobriety and being vegetarian for themselves.
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