I spring 2013

Intentional Communities

Your final project for the semester is to research an intentional community, followed by a discussion comparing it with other texts we have read.  First, identify an intentional community, either historical or contemporary (for the latter, you may wish to employ the online directory of the Fellowship oflntentional Communities).  Notice that there are many different kinds of intentional communities–ecovillages, women’s communities, spiritual communities, egalitarian ones, “free love”, etc.  For this project you may choose any kind of live-in community, past or present.

Find out as much as you can about your community. If you choose a historical community, you will need to rely on published sources.  Printed statements by members of the community would constitute a primary source.                                                                     Scholarly descriptions of the community would be a secondary ones.  If you choose a contemporary community, you will probably have to rely upon online, tertiary sources, i.e. sites that collect/compile information about the community. If the group has a website that includes statements of its history and purpose, etc, then that becomes a primary source.  Most existing communities advertise ways to contact them:  I strongly recommend that you establish direct contact with a community via email or telephone in order to use the interview as a primary source.

The research portion of your paper-about 3-4 pages–will describe the nature and history of the commtmity, referencing the secondary or tertiary sources you have used in learning about

it (25 points).  You will then evaluate/analyze the community based on statements by its

members (either published, online, or interviews), citing where appropriate these primary sources

(25 points).

The comparison section of your paper-about 3-4 pages-will connect your community

to two other works we have read in this unit.  First, it will compare life in Thomas More’s Utopia with life in your community.  What are the “utopian” principles upon which More’s imaginary society is based?  How-if at all–do these values relate to the community you have studied? Be sure to draw upon and cite More’s text (25 points).  Second, what are the main principles underlying Joseph Stiglitz’s critique of contemporary U.S. economy and politics?  Citing Stiglitz’s text, what should we be doing differently or better?  How-if at all-do his criticisms connect to the goals or motivations of your intentional community? (25 points)

Your goal throughout is to explore people’s experiments-whether in fact or fiction-in maldng a community that is different or better than what we’ve got.

Intentional Community Research, Alpha Farm

The intentional  community that I have chosen to research is the extended-family style community in Oregon called Alpha Farm. Alpha Farm is located west of Eugene, Oregon, and takes up a 280- acre piece of land.1 Established in 1972 with the purchase of a 300-acre piece of land, Alpha Farm has been running on the tenets of consensus

and keeping a healthy relationship with otherfleople as well as with L_::. nlanet.2

Founded by Philadelphia anBay area activists.,J:his rural community remains true to

their ideas of communal living and environmental stewardship.  As hunting is outlawed

1 “Alpha Farm.” Fellowship For Intentional Communities. N.p., 25 May 2010. Web. 27 Apr. 2013.

<http://directory.ic.org/34/ Alpha_Farm>.

2 “Life at Alpha.” Alpha Farm. Alpha Farm, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2013.

<http://members.pioneer.net/'”aI pha/index.htm>.

served occasionally.”3

Most of life at Alpha Farm revolves around a feeling of communitas ana-··· belonging. including income-sharing, communally owned enterprises, and the living style of “families” who are not all necessarily related.  The family unit of Alpha Farm is also very different from that of the standard American nuclear family. The average household in this community is composed of children, teenagers, adults, middle-aged people, and elders.  Along with the people that are in the house, families in Alpha Farm have many animals with several households having 5 dogs. 20+ cats, a multitude of chickens, and several bee boxes.4   As well as the cultivation of land in Alpha, inhabitants also take free-lance jobs and outsir:IP. pmnlmmwnt to supplement their standard of living within the community.  The operators of Alpha Farm even claim that “We deliver mail under contract with the U.S. Postal Service.”5 The value of work within the community

is apparent especially when visitors come to Alpha. The inhabitm1ts of Alpha Farm

3  Ibid.

4 “Alpha Farm, Deadwood.” Ollie. N.p.,12 June 2011. Web. 27 Apr. 2013.

<http:/Iautonomecollective.org/ollie/community/aIpha-farm-deadwood/>.

5  “Life at Alpha.” Alpha Farm. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013. <http://members.pioneer.net/ alpha/>.

work in the two-acre plot set aside for communal food.

With theva:lues of Alpha Farm being placed on pacifism and working for subsistence, Alpha has been compared to a Quaker community.   Although they do seem Quaker-esque, Alpha embraces spiritualism of all kinds, holding “Quaker meetings, yoga, drum circles, Sufi dancing, shared readings and discussion from different traditiorts, and celebration of Earth-centered, Jewish and Christian holidays.”6

Spiritualism is actually not as explicitly spoken of as when Alpha Farm was first

established, but most inhabitants still undertake religious ritual before meals and during worship meetings.

As a whole, Alpha Farm presents itself, along with the positive presentation of certain critical reviews, as a peaceful and very Quaker ecovillage. As Alpha stands at the moment, their inhabitants are generally people of the generation  present at it. founding in 1972  and are just recently starling to have expansive families. With

6  “Life at Alpha.” Alpha Farm. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013. <http://members.pioneer.net/ alpha/>.

inevitable.

In Sir Thomas More’s work. Utopia, the illustration of the benefits of income- sharing  and the shared knowledge of agriculture are evident.  In the land of Utopia, the members of society have a communal market as well as the requirement to be knowledgeable of agricultural technology and methods.7 More’s Utopians begin their working career by mandatory schooling in agriculture and then they may choose up to two other occupations.  The income generated from these other occupations is shared communally  as well as the food generated from the fields through agriculture8 In this way, there are little to no problems with food shortages as well as everyone having the knowledge to solve shortage problems, should they arrive. These benefits are also present in the societal workings of Alpha Farm. In Alpha Farm, all members pool all their income and take part in the communal agricultural fields in a very Utopian sense.

Income-sharing may not be a feasible notion for most people of the world, but in the cases of Utopia and Alpha Farm, it seems to result in the mutual happiness and

7  More, Thomas. Utopia. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2012. Print.

‘Ibid.

Utopia is the description of a mythical island generated by More’s mind and will function  perfectly due to its imaginary quality, one must use real world examples instead of total reliance on More’s writing.

The effectiveness of the income-sharing and agricultural training in Alpha Farm is described in a review by Ollie, a sitP. rJ,rJ;::ated  to the review of intentional communities.  A review on Ollie states that Alpha Farm is one of the “oldest, most continuous,  and smoothest-operating intentional communities.”9 This account from a

neutral party doing a critical review on Alpha is a further justification of the real

effectiveness of the force behind the administration and operation of this community.

Joseph Stiglitz’s work. The Price of Inequality depicts the main problem of American society outside of Alpha Farm; that of the involvement of politics in the shaping of market forces.10 Within Alpha Farm, the politics and class stratification that shape market forces in the outside world are simply not present within this intentional community.  As Alpha does not have any real market economy to be snapea, due to their

9 “Alpha Farm, Deadwood.” Ollie. N.p.,12 June 2011. Web. 27 Apr. 2013.

<http://autonomecollective.org/oilie/communityIalpha-farm-deadwood/>.

10 Stiglitz,Joseph E. The Price of Inequality. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. Print.

social classes within Alpha contributes to diminishing the inequality that comes from a free market.  With all inhabitants of Alpha Farm having the same income and the same access to financial resources, the people of Alpha live a much more communal existence than those of outside communities.  Partially, this communal existence comes from the basis of Alpha Farm itself in being intentional and on a smaller scale than other American towns and communities, but on a case-to-case basis, this communal way of administration  can have a positive effect on the inequality seen in certain larger urban centers.

Another focus of Stiglitz’s argument is the manipulation of market forces by individuals.11 This problem of larger, free-market financial systems is also completely nonexistent within the boundaries of Alpha Farm. Again, the communal market ensures that all inclividuals have equal access to market resources and do not have financial advantages over each other.  Alpha Farm, in this way, creates an optimal

11 Stiglitz, Joseph E. The Price of Inequality. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. Print.

I spring 2013

Intentional Communities

Your final project for the semester is to research an intentional community, followed by a discussion comparing it with other texts we have read.  First, identify an intentional community, either historical or contemporary (for the latter, you may wish to employ the online directory of the Fellowship oflntentional Communities).  Notice that there are many different kinds of intentional communities–ecovillages, women’s communities, spiritual communities, egalitarian ones, “free love”, etc.  For this project you may choose any kind of live-in community, past or present.

Find out as much as you can about your community. If you choose a historical community, you will need to rely on published sources.  Printed statements by members of the community would constitute a primary source.                                                                     Scholarly descriptions of the community would be a secondary ones.  If you choose a contemporary community, you will probably have to rely upon online, tertiary sources, i.e. sites that collect/compile information about the community. If the group has a website that includes statements of its history and purpose, etc, then that becomes a primary source.  Most existing communities advertise ways to contact them:  I strongly recommend that you establish direct contact with a community via email or telephone in order to use the interview as a primary source.

The research portion of your paper-about 3-4 pages–will describe the nature and history of the commtmity, referencing the secondary or tertiary sources you have used in learning about

it (25 points).  You will then evaluate/analyze the community based on statements by its

members (either published, online, or interviews), citing where appropriate these primary sources

(25 points).

The comparison section of your paper-about 3-4 pages-will connect your community

to two other works we have read in this unit.  First, it will compare life in Thomas More’s Utopia with life in your community.  What are the “utopian” principles upon which More’s imaginary society is based?  How-if at all–do these values relate to the community you have studied? Be sure to draw upon and cite More’s text (25 points).  Second, what are the main principles underlying Joseph Stiglitz’s critique of contemporary U.S. economy and politics?  Citing Stiglitz’s text, what should we be doing differently or better?  How-if at all-do his criticisms connect to the goals or motivations of your intentional community? (25 points)

Your goal throughout is to explore people’s experiments-whether in fact or fiction-in maldng a community that is different or better than what we’ve got.

Intentional Community Research, Alpha Farm

The intentional  community that I have chosen to research is the extended-family style community in Oregon called Alpha Farm. Alpha Farm is located west of Eugene, Oregon, and takes up a 280- acre piece of land.1 Established in 1972 with the purchase of a 300-acre piece of land, Alpha Farm has been running on the tenets of consensus

and keeping a healthy relationship with otherfleople as well as with L_::. nlanet.2

Founded by Philadelphia anBay area activists.,J:his rural community remains true to

their ideas of communal living and environmental stewardship.  As hunting is outlawed

1 “Alpha Farm.” Fellowship For Intentional Communities. N.p., 25 May 2010. Web. 27 Apr. 2013.

<http://directory.ic.org/34/ Alpha_Farm>.

2 “Life at Alpha.” Alpha Farm. Alpha Farm, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2013.

<http://members.pioneer.net/'”aI pha/index.htm>.

served occasionally.”3

Most of life at Alpha Farm revolves around a feeling of communitas ana-··· belonging. including income-sharing, communally owned enterprises, and the living style of “families” who are not all necessarily related.  The family unit of Alpha Farm is also very different from that of the standard American nuclear family. The average household in this community is composed of children, teenagers, adults, middle-aged people, and elders.  Along with the people that are in the house, families in Alpha Farm have many animals with several households having 5 dogs. 20+ cats, a multitude of chickens, and several bee boxes.4   As well as the cultivation of land in Alpha, inhabitants also take free-lance jobs and outsir:IP. pmnlmmwnt to supplement their standard of living within the community.  The operators of Alpha Farm even claim that “We deliver mail under contract with the U.S. Postal Service.”5 The value of work within the community

is apparent especially when visitors come to Alpha. The inhabitm1ts of Alpha Farm

3  Ibid.

4 “Alpha Farm, Deadwood.” Ollie. N.p.,12 June 2011. Web. 27 Apr. 2013.

<http:/Iautonomecollective.org/ollie/community/aIpha-farm-deadwood/>.

5  “Life at Alpha.” Alpha Farm. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013. <http://members.pioneer.net/ alpha/>.

work in the two-acre plot set aside for communal food.

With theva:lues of Alpha Farm being placed on pacifism and working for subsistence, Alpha has been compared to a Quaker community.   Although they do seem Quaker-esque, Alpha embraces spiritualism of all kinds, holding “Quaker meetings, yoga, drum circles, Sufi dancing, shared readings and discussion from different traditiorts, and celebration of Earth-centered, Jewish and Christian holidays.”6

Spiritualism is actually not as explicitly spoken of as when Alpha Farm was first

established, but most inhabitants still undertake religious ritual before meals and during worship meetings.

As a whole, Alpha Farm presents itself, along with the positive presentation of certain critical reviews, as a peaceful and very Quaker ecovillage. As Alpha stands at the moment, their inhabitants are generally people of the generation  present at it. founding in 1972  and are just recently starling to have expansive families. With

6  “Life at Alpha.” Alpha Farm. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013. <http://members.pioneer.net/ alpha/>.

inevitable.

In Sir Thomas More’s work. Utopia, the illustration of the benefits of income- sharing  and the shared knowledge of agriculture are evident.  In the land of Utopia, the members of society have a communal market as well as the requirement to be knowledgeable of agricultural technology and methods.7 More’s Utopians begin their working career by mandatory schooling in agriculture and then they may choose up to two other occupations.  The income generated from these other occupations is shared communally  as well as the food generated from the fields through agriculture8 In this way, there are little to no problems with food shortages as well as everyone having the knowledge to solve shortage problems, should they arrive. These benefits are also present in the societal workings of Alpha Farm. In Alpha Farm, all members pool all their income and take part in the communal agricultural fields in a very Utopian sense.

Income-sharing may not be a feasible notion for most people of the world, but in the cases of Utopia and Alpha Farm, it seems to result in the mutual happiness and

7  More, Thomas. Utopia. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2012. Print.

‘Ibid.

Utopia is the description of a mythical island generated by More’s mind and will function  perfectly due to its imaginary quality, one must use real world examples instead of total reliance on More’s writing.

The effectiveness of the income-sharing and agricultural training in Alpha Farm is described in a review by Ollie, a sitP. rJ,rJ;::ated  to the review of intentional communities.  A review on Ollie states that Alpha Farm is one of the “oldest, most continuous,  and smoothest-operating intentional communities.”9 This account from a

neutral party doing a critical review on Alpha is a further justification of the real

effectiveness of the force behind the administration and operation of this community.

Joseph Stiglitz’s work. The Price of Inequality depicts the main problem of American society outside of Alpha Farm; that of the involvement of politics in the shaping of market forces.10 Within Alpha Farm, the politics and class stratification that shape market forces in the outside world are simply not present within this intentional community.  As Alpha does not have any real market economy to be snapea, due to their

9 “Alpha Farm, Deadwood.” Ollie. N.p.,12 June 2011. Web. 27 Apr. 2013.

<http://autonomecollective.org/oilie/communityIalpha-farm-deadwood/>.

10 Stiglitz,Joseph E. The Price of Inequality. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. Print.

social classes within Alpha contributes to diminishing the inequality that comes from a free market.  With all inhabitants of Alpha Farm having the same income and the same access to financial resources, the people of Alpha live a much more communal existence than those of outside communities.  Partially, this communal existence comes from the basis of Alpha Farm itself in being intentional and on a smaller scale than other American towns and communities, but on a case-to-case basis, this communal way of administration  can have a positive effect on the inequality seen in certain larger urban centers.

Another focus of Stiglitz’s argument is the manipulation of market forces by individuals.11 This problem of larger, free-market financial systems is also completely nonexistent within the boundaries of Alpha Farm. Again, the communal market ensures that all inclividuals have equal access to market resources and do not have financial advantages over each other.  Alpha Farm, in this way, creates an optimal

11 Stiglitz, Joseph E. The Price of Inequality. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. Print.