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jaidedctrl wrote

I'd definitely be really interested in living in an urban commune— I've looked into it a bit, actually. I won't be able to join anything like that for about 4 years or so, though.

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lookin4 wrote

I used to live in two different communes and visited a few in the past. AMA (ask me anything).

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PerfectSociety OP wrote

were they both urban communes?

How many people?

How did you guys divide up tasks?

Was there sufficient privacy?

What were the finances like - rent, costs, etc...? Did you save money by doing this?

What kinds of creative group projects did you undertake?

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lookin4 wrote (edited )

were they both urban communes?

Yes. One in a city with inhabitants >50.000 and the other >500.000

How many people?

We we're about 25 people, with a wide range of different ages.

How did you guys divide up tasks?

It depends. Everybody is responsible to keep their own room clean, if they are able to do it physically. The house-kitchen was cleaned by one for all on a date, where they had time to do it voluntarily, usually after the common supper prepared also by one for all that evening. Preparing food before and after that for oneself is done on its own. To get bulk supply of basic food, toilet paper, detergent etc. for all of us was a voluntary task of one, to get basic drinks of another one. All other nutrition stuff (e.g. favorite jam, clothes) was individual.

Was there sufficient privacy?

In my opinion: Definitely. Everybody has it's own room, which could be locked.

What were the finances like - rent, costs, etc...? Did you save money by doing this?

Ground and house were bought a few years before my moving in by the founding communardes with money they saved, they got as wage and funds by friends and supporters who already built similar projects and a credit from a so-called leftist bank.

The communardes and their friends founded a collective in form of a corporation for legal purposes, whose only task is to act as property owner and to ensure that no single person or the board as a whole can abuse their power to sell everything. With statues, social charter it was ensured everyone who lived there is a member of the collective, share their income, that majority vote make way for consensus. It also describes how to act as landlord and tenant at the same time.

What kinds of creative group projects did you undertake?

We had a sharing economy, meet regularly to talk about our individual and common expenses and variation of our income. There were a social assembly to exchange on our joy, curiosity, bliss, worries, anxieties, rage, insecurity, ... In working-groups we discussed about necessary repairs of the house the collectively-owned car, reproduction work, upcoming visits and events, our cooperation with the community-supported agriculture, accommodation, giving workshops, networking...

Two times a year we did trips, and another two times, in spring and autumn, were used to commonly do huge maintenance work around the house.

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ziq wrote (edited )

No, I can't stand cities or a lack of privacy.

A rural commune, on the other hand would rock.

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GaldraChevaliere wrote

My folk are trying to get our own rural commune going somewhere down the next couple years, but are probably gonna be stuck in the city for a while. I'm so tired of cars.

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mofongo wrote

I would, but seriously depends on how it's implemented. There is one in my city but in practice it's roommating, with all the usual issues. No one wanting to do the dishes, people smoking in common areas while everybody is there, not even the small garden was saved. And the issue of finding a place big enough for everybody.

I've heard of places that have implemented it well, but it can be troublesome.

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PerfectSociety OP wrote

From what I've read, it works well if comprised of people who share the same basic principles and goals about how to handle collective work.

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Pop wrote

Would be great - big ones don't exist where I live though

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Just_An_Author wrote

I personally think the idea is rather appealing. I'm also strongly considering trying to start a co-op on my way out of college.

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