Enough Talk ... Let's Get On With It!
Posted on Mar 3rd, 2008
by 
asecondlifediary
asecondlifediary
IN THE PAST WEEK I've been thinking, "Enough of all this TALK about establishing an intentional community - let's just get on with it!
Those of you who read Dave Pollard's blog, "How To Save The World" will know that he has been talking about Intentional Community vs Accidental Community, and the speculation that it is the accidental communities that have the greater probability of succeeding, based solely on the fact that they HAVE to. People thrown together by circumstances beyond their control, often have a vested interest in making sure their community succeeds because really, when all is said and done, they don't have any other option. Intentional communities on the other hand, usually come about because people have made some sort of decision to come together and form a community. If it doesn't work out, they probably have other options to fall back on.
In the several months that Cal and I have been together, we have both been open to the idea of meeting other like-minded souls and forming our Intentional Community, but as the weeks and months have passed without any potential community mates sticking their heads above the crowd, we were both beginning to feel that perhaps it wasn't going to happen after all.
But, as luck would have it, we have gotten to know our neighbours on the island where we live and just recently, the talk turned to, "Why don't we all get together and buy an island of our own?" "This would reduce our monthly tier payments (a fee paid to the person who had the island 'created').
Several of us got together today to throw a few ideas around and it was fascinating to see the process of us all putting our ideas forward - our preferences, deal breakers, concerns, priorities. The one good thing is that we already know we get along well, and we all know how important it is to get along well with your neighbours. So that is a good start.
I know Cal has concerns about people's need to 'own' land or to have control, so that will be a major challenge - for us all to take responsibility for things without the need to have that sense of ownership most of us seem to need.
Speaking for myself, I have a very strong territorial streak and have already voiced my desire to have some space that I can call my own. One of the other women in the group voiced a similar desire (must be a female thing to want to have their own nest).
I suggested that we use this month (before the tiers are due again at the beginning of April) to 'practise' how our community would work, before we actually commit to buying an island together. We can join all our land up physically (it's possible for us to 'terraform' the land so that waterways etc., can be eliminated and land masses butt up against one another) and see how we all go sharing a common space together.
I'm really excited about this idea of us all buying an island together. The next step will be to see how the practicalities work out. Several of us are interested in terraforming and gardening, so it will be interesting to see whether we can all work together and if we share a common creative vision.
We all get along well together NOW ... but is it likely to remain the case when we don't have our own separate little 'kingdoms' to retreat to (and tell the others to bugger off from?) Do we all need that safeguard of being able to control our immediate environment?
SOOOO..... it looks like we are FINALLY moving forward with this. About time! It's going to be an interesting experiment.
The photo up the top is an aerial view of most of the current island ... the area Cal and I currently own is at the front of the pic.
Access: PublicTagged with: Second Life, Intentional Community, Accidental Community, Island Buying, Territorial, Nesting
accidental community
July 2008
Hi MIa and Cal. Well I have been in Second life a while now and would be looking to upgrade to a monthly account where I can buy a parcel of land. I can think of nothing better than creating an intentional community with you and Cal. It would be an island of experimentation in the social side of living together: non-violent communication, consensus decision making, coming to a common vision, dividing work and responsibilities, above all I would like tthe place to encourage conversation, using SL and other web enabled technology. O f course fun and romance come high on the list!
Welcome aboard Max. We will make contact with you online and send you a landmark so you can come and see the island where we are now and meet some of the other prospective residents.
It's a constant conversation about our ideas and aspirations, so please feel free to come and join us anytime.
Mia
Hello Mia. I've been exploring in Second Life a bit, mostly in response to my husband's deep involvement there, and to give us an opportunity to hang out together when we are geographically apart. We are both part of Elf Circle, which is very much an intentional community. Don't know your avatar's name there, but look me up there: Ayla Nightfire. And good luck with building your own community there!
Well, everyone, It's wonderful to be involved here. I just posted my own first diary entry : http://inventingforthesustainableplanet.gaia.com/blog