View Full Version : Who wants to get a commune going?
Boobycino
26-11-2009, 12:56
Oh no... my brain has snapped from the heat!
Okay, here we go. This is how i want to live.
"from each according to his ability
to each according to his needs"
Or something to that effect, its been a long time since I was in year 12, but I'm pretty sure thats the basis of communism.
Not quite sure how such a beautiful concept went so horribly wrong!!!
So! lets get it going again! I'm borderline serious. Right now I live in an apartment, in the city, I dont know my neighbours but they live close enough that I can hear them talking at night, I contribute nothing to this world, I baby sit peoples children so they can work out with a personal trainer - not all that satisfying, though I do love holding all the new babies - my partner sells mobile phones to people who already have mobile phones and then also sells with internet data for their phones knowing full well they'll never use it... hmmm... not all that meaningful to society as a whole.
I can raise chickens. I have. I loved it. I grew up with chickens. I can get a dozen chickens, someone else can have a vegie patch, we'll all get solar energy installed, and rain water tanks, I'll trade you eggs and chicken poo for vegies and waste vegitation... someone who ISNT me can be in charge of meat.... because.... I cant do it.... I couldn't eat something I've met.
And also I can take care of other peoples children on my mini chicken farm, so those who want to go into larger towns/cities to work so as a community we can still afford to buy things like clothes and technology, because hey, I dont want to totally revert to the agricultural age!
Anyhoo... who's with me on this wonderful fantasy that probably will never happen because hell will freeze over before DP leaves sydney.
What would you like to contribute to our community?
CheekyChicken
26-11-2009, 13:03
I'd love self sufficiency and bartering and all of that but for me communism is out! So long as there is an element of greed or entitlement it would never work... people need to learn to pay it forward!
I can cook and would cook (so long as someone else cleans up!). :D
TripleTime
26-11-2009, 13:07
Thanks but no thanks.
I like to put my name on things, not others & me use them at a price.
Deserama
26-11-2009, 13:11
Well my dh used to be a funeral director so he can deal with the dead. He's now a watchouse officer so he can take care of the prisoners.
I want to be a widwife so I'll help with the pregnant ladies etc
Sounds like you want to live on a commune, rather than be a communist (in the North Korean sense). Totally cool, as a kid my best friends lived on a commune, you probably couldn't ask for a better place to raise a kid and yep, it was all chicken raising, manure sharing and solar power!
Me Chel! I'm not sure what I could contribute aside from legal advice which we wouldn't need living in Utopia but I would think of something.
I quit my high paying corporate lawyer gig to do something more rewarding that contributed to my community instead of just making rich people richer.
Boobycino
26-11-2009, 17:44
Horray!
My mum is in also.
She's so excited she wants to actually do it.
I do like the idea that if you starts off with like 8 families, and we lived somewhere where 1 or 2 people from each family could still work off site during the week, so we still had an income, and then maybe 6 of the mums (and dads) stay home with the children and we can tend to the chickens and the goats (mum suggested goats for goat milk and goat cheese) and the vegi patch and fruit trees, we could have a communial commercial sized kitchen and dinning/rec hall, so everyone eats together at the end of the day as a group, as well as having our own kitchens so we can eat breakfast or choose to eat at home as a family, our cost of living would be less, so as a 10 income 'family' with reduce expenses we could save up and put in things like a swimming pool, or buy gym equiptment, maybe a projector room so we have our own cinema... we can have monthly working bees where everyone gets together and fixes anything that needs fixing etc.
Also, we could do things like housework together, if you have 6 people at home during the day we could just go from house to house cleaning and motivate one another.
PLUS think about all the time we wouldn't need to spend on bubhub because we'd have one another :laughing:
CookiesRYum
26-11-2009, 17:52
Oh I will join a commune - not sure about communism however?
Lets see; what can I do; well I am a chef and so is DH; he is a carpenter; we know how to grow vegies, we raise chickens, I can preserve food, I can grow pigs but don't know how to breed or butcher them, I can make all my owns beauty creams, soaps, cleaning products, and some natural rememdies; oh and I can make *basic* cheese and butter from cows milk, just not very good at catching the cow and getting the milk out. I can also sew; and am trying to teach myself how to knit. I would love to be a teacher so hopefully someone who is teacher would be willing to take me under their wing???
oh and I am good at draining the poo juice off the warm farm and watering the lettuce with it - I do it will lots of love!
Boobycino
26-11-2009, 18:08
Great Cara! your in! (you sound very useful haha, you can teach me about draining poo juice!)
I can knit! I can knit babies clothes, so I'm more than happy to show others. i can sew also - though not terribly well, though I made my own cloth nappies and they worked great! so maybe I'm hard on myself.
I also think the communists give communism a bad name :laughing:
maybe I should have been less confusing and invited people to join my commune... because I dont actually intend on starting a revolution, so it would be an independant commune. I apologise for being misleading... I just like the idea of communism... I suppose because for communism to work as an entire country (or planet) it would involve a shift in the whole human mindframe, it would be an evolution rather than a revolution and I have a very romantic idea that I'd like to see that take place in my life time.
But until then I'd like to try to live as close to that ideal as I can. And hopefully our neighbours would be like "hey, they're onto something" and copy us.
CookiesRYum
26-11-2009, 18:13
it would involve a shift in the whole human mindframe, it would be an evolution rather than a revolution and I have a very romantic idea that I'd like to see that take place in my life time.
I share this romantic notion and I think it may just happen in our lifetime.. critical mass consciousness...
We jsut have to do what we can in our own lifes: DH and I left the city and now life on 8acres: one day we will open a self sufficiency school and help this shift along :D HAPPY DAYS :D :D :D
Sounds good, I'm in. I'm not good at much.. but I'm neat :laughing: maybe I can do all the cleaning.
My fave communist (Angela Davis - I was named after her) had this great idea that communities should hire big industrial machinery to clean others houses! No more mundane daily cleaning :yelclap:
I lived in Budapest back in the Soviet days, much better than the world we live in now I can tell you that!!
Boobycino
26-11-2009, 18:17
Hmmm... where abouts would be a good place to have this commune I wonder?
We'd need somewhere obviously where we can grow things, where it rains and the land is usable.
And also somewhere close enough to a major town where people without more practical skills - like my DP who's only good at selling things to people who dont want or need them - can earn money to support the commune?
It'd be nice also to live maybe within 1hrs drive from the beach....
CookiesRYum
26-11-2009, 18:21
Hmmm... where abouts would be a good place to have this commune I wonder?
We'd need somewhere obviously where we can grow things, where it rains and the land is usable.
And also somewhere close enough to a major town where people without more practical skills - like my DP who's only good at selling things to people who dont want or need them - can earn money to support the commune?
It'd be nice also to live maybe within 1hrs drive from the beach....
we in south gippsland , victoria but think tassy is the place to head too...
but you gotta jump in with full vigar; DP would learn skills to sustain himself and reduce his dependency on 'normal unethical consumerism'...
Boobycino
26-11-2009, 18:28
oooh, where abouts in south gippsland?
I'm resistant to moving back to victoria, because I've become used to the weather, but I was thinking as I typed it that gippsland may be the way to go simply because I know the area.
I'm from Paynesville in east gippsland, my dad still lives there, though I do think maybe somewhere closer to traralgon would be a good idea simply because its a bigger town, more jobs for people like my DP who's never spend more than a week outside sydney in his life. I'd need to wean him a little bit more slowly into country living I think. When I took him to see my dad and he was bored out of his mind within 24 hours :rolleyes:
why tassie? actually, no... no no no... too cold. :no:
I am a commy at heart... :D
CookiesRYum
26-11-2009, 18:36
oooh, where abouts in south gippsland?
I'm resistant to moving back to victoria, because I've become used to the weather, but I was thinking as I typed it that gippsland may be the way to go simply because I know the area.
I'm from Paynesville in east gippsland, my dad still lives there, though I do think maybe somewhere closer to traralgon would be a good idea simply because its a bigger town, more jobs for people like my DP who's never spend more than a week outside sydney in his life. I'd need to wean him a little bit more slowly into country living I think. When I took him to see my dad and he was bored out of his mind within 24 hours :rolleyes:
why tassie? actually, no... no no no... too cold. :no:
Im about half hour before Wilsons Prom, near Foster... (prob an hour from Trag south east direction)
Tassie cos it has lots of rain....
Morrigan you are back! Where have you been? I think somwhere in nsw hinterland would be good... Oh hang on, all the hippies took over there and are now enjoying their crazy land prices and have become the oppressors! I think giopsland would work. Chel your dp and I can get whatever cash we need for the things we can't quite sort ourselves. A kibbutz really. But cold.
Cara are you really my cousin's partner?? Are you in meeniyan? Do you have 3 kids?
CookiesRYum
26-11-2009, 18:43
Cara are you really my cousin's partner?? Are you in meeniyan? Do you have 3 kids?
Haha.. nope no kids.. but I live about 5mins out of Meeniyan... Stony Creek:yes: I think there lots of us crazies out here ;)
Boobycino
26-11-2009, 18:53
Ooooh, Wilsons prom is my favourite place. I used to go camping there with my dad.
Though, its not REALLy camping if your friends with the rangers and you hike out and sleep in the rangers huts and bring steak and rissotto because you have access to a gas stove haha!
Hmmm..... I'm going to bring this up with DP and see if this is just a lovely day dream or a possibility.
CookiesRYum
26-11-2009, 18:56
ahh special treatment lucky you! sydney is a whole world away.. but once he adjusted he would love it - I was raised in the inner burbs of melbourne and had never left expect to go to barwon heads... now I couldn't imagine moving back...
I have ammended the thread title for you, hope you don't mind.. just feel this one is a little more indicative of what you are talking about! :D :wizard:
missie_mack
26-11-2009, 19:22
Not a communist supporter here :no: I don't like the lack of ability to own property nor the fact that the access to item depends on the entire community agreeing to it. I recall vaguely about hearing about on the fall of communism women rushing out to buy certain prams because they were never seen as important to a male dominated society. Communism is effectively anti freedom, anti laws and anti democracy
I am a more of a socialist which is a little less strict than communism. I too long to go back to a simpler life. A life where everybody was employed and had a place in life where importance was placed on people.
JLeesmum
26-11-2009, 19:30
:D i have a sheep in my backyard (Shauna), good timing too because were just about to hang her up and eat her :)
neighbours have chooks and eggs, theres some more sheep and rams up the road we could breed, my DP is a shearer, he can shear them. i know how to spin wool, i can make clothes. i can also dry skins out :).. i ALSO have a roo/pig dog that catches wild animals...
Chel- i can spin the wool for your nappies :)
i saw we also have a butcher... i can help with that too..
LittleBug'sMum
26-11-2009, 19:53
Can I join too? I would love to have chooks and other animals and solar power and all that.
I'm not sure what I'd be good at (certainly not housework:o), but I'm good company and I'm not bad at growing veges, and pretty good with animals.... OR maybe I could go out into the workforce and bring back money.
I think you need to re-think the location though. I grew up in country vic and it is COLD! and then HOT! and then COLD again. And you never know if you're going to get enough rain.
I think we should have the commune in the gold coast hinterland. Here is why:
great weather
think of all the great tropical fruit you could grow
plently of sunshine for the solar power
we could make our commune a bit of a tourist attraction, so we would make more money and need to do less work outside the commune
close to beach
close to city for working
What do we think?
missie_mack
26-11-2009, 19:55
I have ammended the thread title for you, hope you don't mind.. just feel this one is a little more indicative of what you are talking about! :D :wizard:
Now you tell me :laughing:
Socialists aren't generally that down with private property either, but maybe you could start a commune run more like an up market retirement village- everyone owns their own little bit but can go to the dining room for dinner and games!
Btw, we are going to the prom fir January, yay!
Cordelia
26-11-2009, 20:53
can i come? i need some back-to-basics living. specially now i'm stony broke!!
I can't offer much - how about bringing our community together with some music> I can even bring my piano. (so long as you dont use it as firewood). Everyone can make music one evening a week and during the day i'll teach the kids reading, writing and 'rithmetic.
ETA: I don't do nudist and i don't do drugs. I hope I can still join you.
JabberJaw
26-11-2009, 21:04
Why don't all of you people just move on out of the big smoke and into a small community? I have moved and my life now is pretty much like you are describing. For example, hubby's boat motor was stuffed so the neighbor fixed it in return for some help moving furniture. The other day i was on the ferry and a Lady's phone battery had gone flat, so i lent her mine to call her hubby to pick her up, she then somehow found me and dropped me off a big box of fruit and veg from her garden in return....
Much like you describe. Like life should be. Move! get out of the city. I hate the city, to many germs and not enough friendliness :D
BUT if i was to join your commune, i could offer to cook the things you grow, and my hubby could help with the building of the homes. I could also clean homes for others, i like cleaning :yes: oh and i could run some craft classes for those crafty members of the commune.
I would love to join! I'm a teacher! I could educate all the children! We could have a seperate school room! And incorperate as much of everyday life into education as possible! In the ideal world I think this would be lovely! I miss genuine kindness and empathy towwards ur fellow human being!
SassyMummy
26-11-2009, 21:15
Oh I would LOVE to live in a communist society!
And by that, I do not mean an authoritarian communist society like North Korea. That is taking communism and turning it into something "wrong."
Communism in its purest form is all about nobody owning anything, nobody being above another, absolute democracy. It's not about the government having complete control - that's just what dictators seem to have done to it.
True communism would not have a government that owned everything and treated its people like garbage.
I hate that evil dictators have ruined the term that is SUPPOSED to be, IMO, a pretty good thing.
Communes can work but you need clearly defined rules and boundaries otherwise there can be problems when people wanna leave, or want to own their 'patch' separately.
Ffrenchknickers
26-11-2009, 21:27
I have always wanted to live in a commune! I love your mission statement in the OP. A couple of years ago I was obsessed with looking on realestate.com for the perfect site :D
I can get everyone fit as I am a PT/fitness trainer and DH can play music and take everyone's photos. I am sure he would be out of work as a domestic violence counselor though.
Where do i sign? Oh, I am not into polygamy, nudism, wife swapping and all that :no::D
Penthesilea
26-11-2009, 21:36
My friends and I have been saying, ever since we had kids, that this nuclear family experiment just isn't working. Too isolating. Not an efficient use of resources. Living communally would be ideal.
I heard of a plan for communal housing recently - I'll see what I can find out for you.
lizzieiscontented
26-11-2009, 23:01
count us in :yes: would be more than happy to tend the land, and enjoy eating homegrown produce hehe
YES GOOD IDEA! I can't do much.......well, I can cook and I can garden and plant the veges and the fruit and the crops!
Do you reckon if people had started to talk like this 50 years ago we'd have bieng locked up in mental institutions:footinmouth:?lol
sweetseven
26-11-2009, 23:09
I would love to join.
SassyMummy
26-11-2009, 23:53
And yes, of course I'd join.
Dunno what skills I can offer. I can write the newspaper? Since, as you can tell by the length of the majority of my posts on BH, I like to write. :p:o
I dunno, I could probably cook... do bits and pieces here and there. I have no outstanding skills.
sunnyflower
27-11-2009, 00:00
I could be the communes nurse:D
kezzaskids
27-11-2009, 00:15
is this a virtual commune?
Im in :D
I can sew all of the clothes and nappies
I can grow veges and flowers and tend the animals
Im a teacher so can homeschool
I dont drink or smoke and love looking after kids in an informal kinda way :)
I will be in :santa: Hunter / gatherer here :p Good with a riffle and fishing rod lol. Plus could get my dad to teach me (or join in as well) in skinning/tanning animals lol.
I also am a great baker/cooker so that can help out.
JLeesmum
27-11-2009, 07:43
jabberjaw- i kinda agree..
i live in a town 150km away from BIG shopping centres, maccas, 200kms from the beach..
the city is gross and it bluddy stinks, i will NEVER move to the city. not bringing my kids up around that crap.
they will grow up like me, riding horses, motorbikes,looking after sick animals, making teepees, spotlighting, canoeing in the dam, catching marron,mustering sheep, climbing trees, collecting wood, feeding animals (pigs,sheep,goats, geese,guineafowl, etc)
i got taught how to shoot and skin animals when i was 12, learnt how to drive a manual when i was 11 (on a farm)...
we have a local market here so im going to teach my kids about collecting eggs, and selling them, or selling firewood...things like that.
i cant wait!!!
Seacretsquirrel
27-11-2009, 08:33
Does this commune need a librarian??? I am sure I could be useful...... DH is a handy sort of fellow (he's in the navy - so do we need security... or he is pretty good with cars too)
hmmm like the sound of this
daemynsmum
27-11-2009, 08:50
yeah im in dh is a plumber, so we would have sanitatary (sp?) living conditions and im trained as both a nurse and a hair dresser. we can also both hunt skin and butcher animals.
so as long as anyone doesnt have a problem with our pretty pythons we are in
:) I am in. I am an Event Manager so can generate an income for my community. I can cook, grow vegies and look after children. I am fantastic at teaching art.
In all seriousness I would love to be in. "commune" and communist was given a bad stigma from the capitalists. just like "hippy".
I would love to start a eco villaage or intentional community.
Here is some info on one of the oldest and most thriving. It is in Scotland. I dream of living this way :)
http://www.findhorn.org/index.php?tz=-660
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