I'm trying to decide if I like this or not. I think the problem, on the surface, is that you must have a certain social-economic status in order to live radically in this setting. You must be secure in your property, in a home and have the ability to carve out a domestic space. The basic needs must be met before you can live simply. I love the idea but it does not address a basic problem in our society. Not everyone has a place of security from which to operate and attach to this kind of simplicity. The one thing holding back our group from founding our intentional community is the money to purchase the property and build our yurts. Once the land and improvements are made we can live on virtually no money... until then? Well there is a reason our commune will have so many semi-retired MA, MS, JD and PhDs on it.
The Oregonian’s Leslie Cole recently interviewed Shannon Hayes, who has a book out titled Radical Homemakers: Reclaiming Domesticity from a Consumer Culture. The idea behind the book? That being domestic can be radical, not merely traditional. As Cole writes:
The women and men Hayes profiles in her new book strive to eat locally, live on less, and untether themselves from a consumption-driven culture. They cook more, shop little, and make do with what they have. They strive to view decisions through the lens of family, community, planet, and social justice.
Cole goes on to profile a few Portlanders who exemplify the radical-homemaking ideal, including Sarah Gilbert, Chris Musser, and Gretchan Jackson. No radical-homemaking guys, though — for that, you’ll have to read Hayes’ book.
from Sift
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