If you lived on a commune where work was required, what would you do?

RambleTamble said:
If you lived on a commune (such as a kibbutz), what would you contribute?
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I worked on a kibbutz, Sasa, in the north of Israel near the Lebanese border for several weeks back in 1962. I cleared rocks from its fields so crops could be planted and I also worked in its fish ponds. However, after my curiosity was satisfied, I headed south to Eilat and got a paying job in construction there.
 

MarciKS said:
What if you aren't able to do what they decide?
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Our community is based on the continued well being of each person, so we would discuss the situation and find something else they could do. There was a lot of time spent teaching others how to do things. If they still couldn't do it, they did something else. The persons health was considered first and they were excused if they were ill. :)
 
Trish said:
I wouldn't! I can understand how some people would be happy and benefit from communal living but, personally, I value my privacy and the ability to make my own decisions about my life and what to do with my time.
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Communal living need not undermine your privacy at all.
I'm sure there could be many kinds of commune as Religious, Rehab, Educational, Senior, Singles Only, Adults Only, Safe Place, Health, Fat Camps, Children Oriented, etc.
We'd have to be approved before entering. They'd probably need labor, not attitude. Their priority is the welfare of the commune, not us or our problems.
We could commit to the required number of hours per month in a labor *often* of our choosing with 2nd and 3rd choices, or maybe pay rent instead and work outside the commune.
We'd agree that if we break the rules, we're history.
With today's problems, I think it's a great idea.

Edited for clarity
 
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Paco Dennis said:
Our community is based on the continued well being of each person, so we would discuss the situation and find something else they could do. There was a lot of time spent teaching others how to do things. If they still couldn't do it, they did something else. The persons health was considered first and they were excused if they were ill. :)
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How many people in your community now @Paco Dennis ?
 
gruntlabor said:
Communal living need not undermine your privacy at all.
I'm sure there could be many kinds of commune as Religious, Rehab, Educational, Senior, Singles Only, Adults Only, Safe Place, Health, Fat Camps, Children Oriented, etc.
We'd have to be approved before entering. They'd probably need labor, not attitude. Their priority is the welfare of the commune, not us or our problems.
We could commit to the required number of hours per month in a labor *often* of our choosing with 2nd and 3rd choices, or maybe pay rent instead and work outside the commune.
We'd agree that if we break the rules, we're history.
With today's problems, I think it's a great idea.d

Edited for clarity
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I agree, I can see how it would work for a lot of people. In theory, I like the idea but, in reality, I just don't think it's something that I would want to be part of. I have never been in a situation where, when you have to work or deal with various people to make decisions etc, there isn't a clash.

I even left the walking group because of the bickering - one woman (not me!) started to invent rules, another regularly kept everyone waiting and then wasted more time by trying to dictate the route, yet another wanted to set up a WhatsApp group to discuss any issues! This was a group of about 12 regulars and a couple of occasional walkers! They are all nice people over a cup of coffee but, when you get them in a group, that's where it all goes to pot! As yet, they don't know that there is a secret walking group - just three of us - escapees from the official walkers ;) :)
 
JBR said:
Yes? But you lived communally, so what did you actually do?
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First, you learned to meditate. During the first year we have simple tasks. We cleared about 3 acres of thick Missouri forest near the Missouri River. You ever dig an oak tree trunk up for garden space? Some of them 3ft. round? All you have is a shovel and an ax. It would take me about 4 hours of very hard work, but I got it out. :) We planted big gardens with probably 50 different types of vegetables. We pulled straight rows, tiller width apart, and learned how each vegetable is to be planted and cared for. We weeded the whole thing, and watered when necessary. We live trapped as many rabbits and ground hogs as we could, We gathered the veggies when ripe, cooked meals and had fresh salads. :)

We learned to cook. I learned to cook for 3 people, and I did the shopping for many years. Both of those tasks take some education. :) I loved it. At any time a monk would come up to you and ask "What are you doing?" Careful with your reply...this is a Chan Zen monastery! Ha! :)

We did most all the maintenance on the vehicles, tiller, tractor, and our dwellings. Lots of education involved with those tasks.

Winter: Cutting, (Medium sized chain saws ), trimming trees, splitting rounds for fire wood, loading and unloading the wood cart. For the first 5 winters we didn't have the tractor. We used a wheel barrow. Then the was making and maintaining the fire in the stoves. More learning there.

Like I said...everyday we arranged our work plans in the morning for the whole day for each person. It didn't take long, we all knew what was expected of us by each other, We had to learn to communicate also. It was a great project that I got to be part of. We were one of the first all US born citizens to build a church with eastern philosophy/psychology was learned and practiced. On our board of directors was the head of the colleges Psychology Dept., an money investor, and a popular dentist. I cleaned house for one of the most revered judges/lawyers in these parts for 15 years.

We performed weddings too. :)
 
I lived for a while in a shared-land situation. Quite different from life in a kibbutz I suppose.

I started off doing carpentry, food-gardening, firewood cutting, fence building, and helping others with building or modifying their houses. I also baked bread.

Eventually, I learned plumbing basics, electrical wiring, some woodworking, small-engine mechanics. And I started getting articles published in magazines & newspapers. I liked all those things, though plumbing was my least favorite.

No idea what other people would have wanted me to focus on, in a true commune of any scale.
 
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Paco Dennis said:
First, you learned to meditate. During the first year we have simple tasks. We cleared about 3 acres of thick Missouri forest near the Missouri River. You ever dig an oak tree trunk up for garden space? Some of them 3ft. round? All you have is a shovel and an ax. It would take me about 4 hours of very hard work, but I got it out. :)
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I salute you, PD, that sort of tree cutting in the latter 20th century was an admirable thing. I cut conifer firewood by hand in my first year on the land... then a farm-raised neighbor said "cutting firewood by hand is a drag!" He offered to cut some for me. Self-respect persuaded me to acquire my own first chainsaw. After that, I always dropped trees and cut rounds with the power saw.
 
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