by James | Feb 3, 2012 | Exploration I
The disillusioned worker – Many of us have succeeded in the system we have worked in, whether that be technical, manual, service, educational or any other field or enterprise. Despite the success we find we are not satisfied. Money is good, life is comfortable, we have all we need and yet ultimately we find that there is a distinct personal gap.
The system of work hard and play hard with no tangible effects on our mood, motivation is at a minimal. We find we want to retrain but don’t have the time or money which all seems to disappear by the end of each month. Student debts remain unpaid. In some cases extreme quotas or deadline heavy employment raises stress levels in a constantly upward motion.
The final straw is a more than common lack of meaning in what we do and the meaning our life holds, it seems we are cogs in a complicated and isolated society and we feel that our contributions will not have an effect or be remembered. In short we have everything that society assures us that will make us happy but it doesn’t satiate us, we aren’t satisfied, happy or even sure of what our purpose in all this is.
Thus we belong to the disillusioned with the current system and desperately search for a way out.
Living in the community spreads the chores that drive stress and dissatisfaction. By saving payments into untouchable accounts the members gain real savings to pay of debts or prepare for future endeavours while not worrying about the daily bills, food shopping or the other monetary problems.
In the community there is a constant churn of training, instruction, physical exercise and practical skill use. Giving the worker time to gain new skills, sharpen old ones, build savings and train to bring about a tangible life change.
Also in comparison to a meaningless function a large part of the community work is designed to be helping the present and future generations, thus giving the individual a reason for motivation and trying harder.
The constant striving and pushing of the organisation may ultimately not be for everyone, but importantly upon leaving the community the individual should have a range of benefits including savings, greater skills, probably a better physical condition and real commercial experience.
by James | Feb 2, 2012 | Exploration I
Who wants to be a member? Why would someone willingly join a community where they earn less (although most likely save more), work to others gain, have mandatory exercise, fixed diets and train continuously to improve themselves in a variety of disciplines and have a simple austere life (initially at least). Wouldn’t they desire work in a cutting-edge research lab or start-up company, earning a high salary and all the liberties and freedoms that entails and all the capital to eat, drink and do whatever and whenever they want.
Without doubt most people will fall into the second category, it is indeed hard to conceive for many wanting the alternative. For that reason alone it is likely that the community will probably not attract everyone but there is an argument for around 7 archetypes who may well decide that such a community is appealing, if not for a lifetime at least for a brief period of readjustment.
by James | Feb 1, 2012 | Exploration I
Who trains the members? Members of the community should ultimately train each other as in entry 8. Upper-level students teach lower level students. Experts and research specialists train upper-level students and more infrequently conduct checks on the comprehension of the lower level students.
All members should be involved in a cycle of learning so that ultimately nobody feels inferior or superior to the extent of arrogance. An advanced professor of microbiology could we be taught by their student in physics.
To facilitate this arrangement all members will undergo teacher training, culminating in a PGCE (Post-Graduate Certificate of Education) or equivalent. This will mean each member is capable of teaching A-levels and private courses to create revenue for the community and more importantly know how to teach fellow members in their specialist knowledge.
Transient experts of particular subjects could come and give seminars on technology, science, creativity, psychology and other specific subjects. Members should be chosen to study the material and record the lecture so they can evaluate it and the disseminate it into the community.
by James | Jan 31, 2012 | Exploration I
Who cooks, cleans, administers the the community? In any communal system there are necessary chores and tasks that are less than appealing [to a majority of the members]. Such tasks will be distributed evenly amongst all the community irrelevant of experience; However, it wont be simple to organize or achieve. Certain expertise and skills (Cooking, Electronics, Building, Plumbing etc.) require training and experienced individuals. Key people with unique skills in key research areas may well have limited periods of time to perform critical research or find it impossible to leave their team to tend to the allotment. Administrators positions should also be considered a chore, that takes the member away from their studies and research.
A set number of days per year of chore work will probably be needed, alongside this there may be a need to be a division between specialised and unspecialised labour positions. For example, a chef versus kitchen staff, A cultivation specialist versus a farm hand e.t.c.
A cycle of work on chores, in study, in research should be possible with unspecialised tasks being performed by members; However, hours of work on a specialised field like accounting, contract work, should probably reduce (but not completely remove) the amount of unspecialised labour required in a year.
The best solution then would be to have people voted into positions of control, there members are not paid more, nor are their positions considered more than chores. Administration in such a community is more of a hindrance than blessing. These people using progressively software would be in charge of assigning the hours of work and distributing hours fairly. A web portal showing the distribution of work and funds, members savings and grants should be readily available to all members.
by James | Jan 30, 2012 | Exploration I
Who makes up the community? Primarily, I would imagine the community being made up of students, researchers and scientists, tired of the continual rat race and lack of fulfilment in current society. Those who are searching for something more/different. They would I hope eventually cover all the primary disciplines of scientific endeavour, engineering and software development to help the people of the world progress.
