Swiss Family Robinson Village

[Amaranth]

If you were going to do a positive reality experiment programme with a number of families in a village setting and the goal was for them all to succeed, how would you set it up?

What year would you model their lifestyle after?
What skills would you want the various people to have?
Where would you locate your village?
What experiences would you like for them to have?
What tasks would you like for them to accomplish during their time?

[Annpan]

You don't happen to be researching a book or TV programme do you?

Very taxing questions you are asking... Why don't you pop into the new people bit and introduce yourself

[Amaranth]

I just thought it would be a good way to think about an ideal selfsufficientish community. And I really don't care for the typical TV programme scenario where people are pitted against each other and get kicked off the show one by one. To me it's quite a sufficient challenge to work toward self suffciency and appropriate technology solutions when people are cooperating with each other and trying to help their whole community to succeed.

Whenever I watch one of the programmes, I keep thinking...
*If only they'd get people working together--they could make their situation so much better.
*If they would choose some people who already had several self sufficiency skills (preferably people with different though perhaps some basic overlapping skills), people could accomplish projects more successfully and they would be in a better position to help teach the rest of the community more advanced skills. I have heard indirectly that people with appropriate skills are quickly eliminated from consideration for these projects, so that the starting group has a very low level of the necessary skills.

Over the past couple of years here I have seen that people here are quite postive and like to help each other, so I thought I'd ask what people thought would be a more fun way to do this.

[mrsflibble]

What year would you model their lifestyle after?

2008

What skills would you want the various people to have?

none, but it would help if they can read.

Where would you locate your village?

Fryerns, Lee Chapel North(emphasis on the north), 5 links or certain parts of Pitsea and Vange, Basildon, Essex.

What experiences would you like for them to have?

not getting shot, trying to live in a commuter town with no money, trying to survive.

What tasks would you like for them to accomplish during their time?

learn what it's like to live as a low (i mean LOW) income family in a council house or even better a private rent cos basildon council has very fre council places left...with at least 4 or 5 kids. the smaller and mouldier the flat, the better. not totally on benefits, one parent earning lets say £15-£18kpa, or minimum wage for a 40-50 hour week; and the other having to stay at home 'cos it'd be fruitless trying to work 'cos their wages would be eaten up with childcare costs.

[Annpan]

I just thought it would be a good way to think about an ideal selfsufficientish community. And I really don't care for the typical TV programme scenario where people are pitted against each other and get kicked off the show one by one. To me it's quite a sufficient challenge to work toward self suffciency and appropriate technology solutions when people are cooperating with each other and trying to help their whole community to succeed.

Whenever I watch one of the programmes, I keep thinking...
*If only they'd get people working together--they could make their situation so much better.
*If they would choose some people who already had several self sufficiency skills (preferably people with different though perhaps some basic overlapping skills), people could accomplish projects more successfully and they would be in a better position to help teach the rest of the community more advanced skills. I have heard indirectly that people with appropriate skills are quickly eliminated from consideration for these projects, so that the starting group has a very low level of the necessary skills.

Over the past couple of years here I have seen that people here are quite postive and like to help each other, so I thought I'd ask what people thought would be a more fun way to do this.

Fairly doos

What year would you model their lifestyle after?
current time - I don't see the point of forcing intelligent, educated people to 'pretend' they are living in a different era.

What skills would you want the various people to have?
Animal husbandary,
Knitter, sewer, mender
Building skills - basic carpentry and plumbing
Cook - who knows how to make cheese, yogurt, butter, wine, beer, etc from raw ingredients
Doctor - with holistic experience
A scientist/ mechanic - to make water wheels, solar water, solar fridge, solar still...etc

Where would you locate your village?
Somewhere warm(ish) with some hillside, some woods and a fresh water stream... Doesn't really matter which country to me. Ideally in an existing village, where people could move in and slowly adapt it to being self reliant.

What experiences would you like for them to have?
Live a comfortable self-sufficient life, don't really think there has to be more than that

What tasks would you like for them to accomplish during their time?
Set up a self-sustaining community/ village - inc. social area and education/shared learning facilities

[Amaranth]

Mrs Fribble, it sounds as though your challenge might already be happening. Sounds really rough. If all went well, how would you envision people there working to gether to make things better for everyone?

What year would you model their lifestyle after?
current time - I don't see the point of forcing intelligent, educated people to 'pretend' they are living in a different era.

What skills would you want the various people to have?
Animal husbandary,
Knitter, sewer, mender
Building skills - basic carpentry and plumbing
Cook - who knows how to make cheese, yogurt, butter, wine, beer, etc from raw ingredients
Doctor - with holistic experience
A scientist/ mechanic - to make water wheels, solar water, solar fridge, solar still...etc

Where would you locate your village?
Somewhere warm(ish) with some hillside, some woods and a fresh water stream... Doesn't really matter which country to me. Ideally in an existing village, where people could move in and slowly adapt it to being self reliant.

What experiences would you like for them to have?
Live a comfortable self-sufficient life, don't really think there has to be more than that

What tasks would you like for them to accomplish during their time?
Set up a self-sustaining community/ village - inc. social area and education/shared learning facilities
_________________
Ann Pan

Ann Pan, that sounds as though it would be an interesting place to live. I like the idea of some of the people being able to devise those sustainable building projects. If I lived there I'd like to learn how to process fibre, do herbal medicine, and set up a sustainable food system in addition to a lot of the items you mentioned. I'd like to take lessons from the cheesemaker too. I've done some soft cheeses, but haven't learned how to do the more complicated ones like cheddar or romano.

[snapdragon]

...............If I lived there I'd like to learn how to process fibre, ........

processing wool is pretty straightforward, (if someone's cut it off for you LOL) lots of information online
Linen and other plant fibres I haven't tried yet

[ina]

Over the past couple of years here I have seen that people here are quite postive and like to help each other, so I thought I'd ask what people thought would be a more fun way to do this.

Still - it would be good to know a bit about your background. You say "here" - do you come from somewhere else? So what's your experience when you were "not here"?

[mrsflibble]

Mrs Fribble, it sounds as though your challenge might already be happening. Sounds really rough. If all went well, how would you envision people there working to gether to make things better for everyone?

Yes, it is happenning right now but I don't think i can go into details as it's not my place to do so. it just makes me so angry how someone I know is being treated... but I don't think I can put more detail about their situation without consulting them first.
and no, it's not me lol! I'm lucky, one child, big house we can just about afford and my hubby earns enough to support us.

back to the "swiss family": they could work together to make the council realise their mistakes.
again I can't go into too much detail without giving a lot away or sounding like I'm totally anti-immigrant, which I'm NOT. I believe the new influx of immigrants could and would be a valuable asset to this country's economy if the government would allow the poor buggers to actually work; I have to say all our Polish bus drivers we keep getting round here are really polite, very very good drivers and work seriously hard. I'm just anti-councils who get paid to basically act as a dumping ground for those who can't or wont work; yet then have no money or space to re-house poeple who were already in their own areas because they've spent all their cash re-homing the new arrivals.
This document says it all. it's in pdf format


sorry. this is not the place the vent my frustration.
[/url]

[Annpan]

If you were going to do a positive reality experiment programme with a number of families in a village setting and the goal was for them all to succeed, how would you set it up?

What year would you model their lifestyle after?
What skills would you want the various people to have?
Where would you locate your village?
What experiences would you like for them to have?
What tasks would you like for them to accomplish during their time?

What would YOU do Amaranth?

[snapdragon]

Over the past couple of years here I have seen that people here are quite postive and like to help each other, so I thought I'd ask what people thought would be a more fun way to do this.

Still - it would be good to know a bit about your background. You say "here" - do you come from somewhere else? So what's your experience when you were "not here"?

nod nod Amaranth where're you from?
Mars?
Venus?
Essex?

[Wombat]

[
What year would you model their lifestyle after?
current time - I don't see the point of forcing intelligent, educated people to 'pretend' they are living in a different era.

Killjoy!

Nev

[Annpan]

OK then, they should live in the 'middle ages' - and they ought to be hypnotised so that all the participants 'forget' all the scientific advances we have made since then (specifically medical and engineering/building)

I am toying with the idea of forcing them to live off of rat meat


I don't know if its much worse that recent 'reality' TV

[Wombat]

Hey Annpan,

I was going to ask you if you'd found a new job in the media

Nev

[Super.Niki]

Ooh! What a good idea!! I've been thinking about this for a while, much like Mrs. Fribble's one but use a high up politician... ie... Gordon Brown or maybe his deputy?

What year would you model their lifestyle after?
this year and onwards a real "reality" show
What skills would you want the various people to have?
Well they would be a politician of some description, with any luck a party leader or someone that can make decisions. Have them not use their "political skills" and live a "normal" life.
Where would you locate your village?
My show would just be for the one person, follow him/her around and let him/her tell the audience his/her experiences.
What experiences would you like for them to have?
I would like them to live in basic minimum wage for at least 3 months (preferably 6 months). Give them about £400 in the bank to begin with but that's it. Do a normal 40-50 hour a week job (say... bar work or retail? Even better a night job?). Spend the first month working like that (oh, add in the debt someone would be from having gone to uni too, that'll make it even more amusing). The second month his/her task is to MEET someone (as in in a romantic way... but obviously not... just to see how difficult it is). The third month can add in some children (say 2, the average) and keep it going form there.
This person must life off of basic minimum wage, no perks, paying the full amount of tax, no fancy lawyers to get them this that and the other, renting a house (lets face it on that wage it's night on impossible to buy...), buying all food/luxuries. They must also make an effort to try and meet someone, see how hard it is. Then ofcourse the cost of children/childcare etc.
What tasks would you like for them to accomplish during their time?
I'd like them to accomplish an sense of reality about what normal people in their country go through. Not all bad at all, there are some really good things about living a "normal" life which, due to their high status, they probably aren't getting a lot of. I want them to see that it's difficult and not always dignified (ie having a degree and not being able to use it, stuck in some dead end job...). Maybe then they would have some idea about what "normal" people go through and the high cost of living.