Do I believe in the autonomical* marriage unit? I believe it exists extraordinarily rampantly, unfathomably to my own thought processes. But, no, I do not believe it is the best way to live.
*The word “autonomy” is confusing in the context of marriage, since marriage is “a self governing community” and it’s members do not have “independence or freedom, as of the will or one’s actions: the autonomy of the individual.” I suppose the collective marriage theoretically has an independence or freedom.
Do I plan on creating children? No. (Note the intentional wording of the question.) To be perfectly honest, I think it would be irresponsible for me to introduce new life to this place.
Let me elaborate. If I can not find a peaceful unison between the vast majority of society and the idealist tennants of ecovillage life, while maintaining my own ideals, then I don’t think it’s fair for me to bring another into the messy equation. It’s kind of like saying, “I can’t finish this huge T-bone steak, I’m stuffed, give me a another side of mashed potatoes and green beans… maybe then I’ll be able to finish the T-bone.”
Do I plan on returning to an ecovillage? I fully intend to return to an ecovillage-ish way of life.
Why? I often view this question as filled with an abundance of ignorance. I feel it is like asking, “Will you ever attempt to eat food again?” Seriously. To elaborate, let me break the question down into many lesser questions that the one question encompasses:
“Does the use of solar energy make sense?”
“How about the use of a solar powered golf cart as a main means of transportation?”
“How about the fact that a solar powered golf cart can sufficiently be your main means of transportation?”
“Does community make sense?”
To elaborate further (and apparently change my font)…
My community is currently dealing with the issue of “people not mowing/cutting their lawns in a timely manner.” This utterly baffles me. It presupposes that people A) have grass, B) do not have a use for it and C) continue to grow it – at their own expense. This would NEVER be an issue at an ecovillage. At ecovillages, people do not grow grass because of some vain and silly tradition or mark or class, or whatever idiocy propagated this and many other actions currently present in the vast majority of the American psyche. Grass that is present at ecovillages is eaten by cows, sheep, goats (although they’ll tear out the roots if you’re not careful) and whatever other animals the grass was grown for. It is used. That’s why it is there. Traditionally at an ecovillage (what a mix of words), there is no grass present for aesthetic reasons. Although, ironically, grass has been used for aestheticism to appeal to “visitors.” (Luckily, all grass is used to feed animals.) However, the irony is thick.
Am I ridiculously and constantly baffled by the World? Yes.
