You never change things by
fighting the existing reality.
To change something, build
a new model that makes the
existing model obsolete.
~ Buckminster Fuller
Purpose and Definition of Intentional Communities:
Have you ever wanted to live in a society where crime is non-existent, inequality is unheard of, and the pursuit of happiness is guaranteed? Communitarians are social pioneers who seek to create communities where such conditions are fulfilled. Often, members of intentional communities will hold common social, political, economic, and spiritual views, thus sharing in the responsibilities and resources of the community. The Fellowship for Intentional Community (FIC) states the purpose of communal living as “sustainable living, personal and community transformation, and peaceful social evolution” (The Fellowship, 6).
History of Intentional Communities:
Intentional communities had their roots in the founding of North America. During the 1820's and 1830's, “utopian communities” were established in protest of what individuals saw as the rise of moral corruptibility and religious putrefaction (Utopian, 1). The Oneida Community, Brook Farm, and Fruitlands were such communities experimenting with the belief that a total reorganization of society would lead to its perfection, and ultimately, utopia (26b, 1).
Communitarians in Our World Today:
Theoretical utopia first captured the imagination of these communitarians, but it was the growing disenchantment with mainstream society that led this perception to reality. America had become extremely powerful during the latter half of the 20th Century. However, the country's pleasure in global hegemony was not shared by all. Many citizens saw the military-industrial complex as an evil institution which contradicted everything America stood for. They believed that legislation designed to protect citizens actually took away more rights than it did provide security of person. Moreover, the laissez-faire policy towards large businesses created an undeniable disparity in wealth between the very rich and the very poor. The inability even of today's society to provide solutions to these problems, has given birth to reactionary solution – modern-day intentional communities. (Pedersen, 10)
The intentional communities of the present have come a long way since their puritanical founding in 19th Century New England. They have also experienced many changes since their “free-loving” childhood during the counter-culture movement of the 1960's (The 1960's, 3). Yet, the communitarians of today live by values which coalesce the old, and the new. There is no single way to categorize these communities, for they are as diverse as they are numerous. However, they do share in the belief that their way of living presents a viable alternative to mainstream society.
Amish communities in Ohio, for example, adhere to a strict code of religious conduct, which was in response to what they saw as religious indolence during the late 17th Century. For centuries, they have been able to maintain a self-sustaining model of rural simplicity. While they have been mostly successful in preserving their spiritual roots, the current information-technology era presents them with a whole new set of challenges that only adaptation and remodelling would solve. (The Amish, 3)
These challenges are shared by residents of Twin Oaks, arguably the most successful and longest-running intentional community of the modern era. Founded in 1967 on 450 acres of land in Virginia, the Twin Oaks community now boasts a following of 100 people (Twin Oaks Community, 1).
It began as a non-structured social experiment attempting to put into practice the utopian ideals espoused by B. F. Skinner's Walden Two. Although several important theories generated by Skinner were implemented, the community outgrew its behaviourist principles. (Walden Two, 4)
New Social Constructs:
Communitarians of Twin Oaks gather in favour of “cooperation, sharing, nonviolence, equality, and ecology” (Welcome, 1). In the half-century since its inception, the community of Twin Oaks has revolutionized traditional views on conducting government, resource division, and societal advancement. Decentralized government is conducted through a collection of voluntary managers, planners, and committees. Even then, there is no class division or clash between hierarchies of power. The most distinctive component of the Twin Oaks community, however, may be its method of resource distribution. Individual contribution is given in the areas of business and domestic work. Instead of receiving monetary wages for work done, individuals receive credit-hours. Each individual needs only meet the 42 hours per week work requirement. (Twin Oaks Intentional, 2) Moreover, the community provides housing, food, and healthcare, as well as spending money. The cottage-industry products sold and services offered by Twin Oaks include hammocks, tofu, vegetarian sausages, and book indexing. The income earned from these businesses are then distributed equally among its members. What's more, these business are owned by the community. In 2006, the Twin Oaks Community earned a total of $600,000. (Twin Oaks Community: History, 4)
Although that amount of money may not seem like a lot to members of contemporary society, it is more than enough to sustain an altered perspective of societal progress. A clear distinction is made between personal needs and personal wants. Personal needs are taken care of through subsidiary farming in garden plots, natural water sources, and self-producing clothing and housing. Individuals are then free to pursue their individual wants with their spending money, and in many cases, to pool their income to better the community. Twin Oaks communitarians, for example, have added solar-heated water systems, music equipment, and volleyball courts which they all share. (Twin Oaks Intentional, 2)
Practical Implications:
In fact, intentional communities such as the community at Twin Oaks have aroused a new social perception among the inhabitants of planet Earth. Gradually, more and more people have come to realize the possibilities of living in harmony with nature (Foundation, 3). They have realized that nature and individual pursuits for happiness are not mutually exclusive. They have also realized the need to reach to others when they are in need. The intentional community of The Farm, in Tennessee, established a branch of its organization as one that focuses on reaching out to others. Called “Plenty,” it focuses on the ability of Earth to support all its people in harmony. Stephen Gaskin, founder of the Farm, said “there is plenty, to feed everyone in the world, if it were fairly, and accurately distributed.” (The Farm, 5). This author is hopeful that countless other movements will be inspired by the successful introduction of intentional communities.
There is no better example, of the possibility of total, equitable, resource distribution than that of the Twin Oaks Community. There is no better proof, that individuals of different creeds, races, and religions, can co-exist harmoniously while holding a common purpose. The communitarians of Twin Oaks may not be the strongest economically, or the most powerful militarily, but they seem to be genuinely happy with their lives. If happiness is what we strive for, then why can the social constructs explored by the community of Twin Oaks not be applied universally? Who can deny happiness? Is it not only a matter of spreading the social constructs we have learned to a more global scale?
Written for English 12
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