Feedback on George F. Elmendorf's Idea For Mother's Research Center

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[1] We feel that a center of this kind should never try to be a utopia. This is important because dissatisfaction with one's life is not a matter of external surroundings (however bad they are) but rather a matter of ones distance from his/her true self within.

We should go into this endeavor without ego involvement ... because the concept may not work after all (that's what research is all about). Given that frame of mind, we can all work hard and with full commitment to create a viable low-energy lifestyle in this high-energy technological society.

[2] The degree to which this center relates to the "real" world-i.e., American society as it is presently structured-is important to spell out in advance. We feel-and we hope others would agree-that dropping out completely would be a foolish way to go. This is true for a number of reasons.

First, since the site will be somewhere in the U.S., it will also be in some state and some county and completely subject to the laws and regulations of that arm. Although we might hope to bypass absurd local building codes and similar rules that would be counterproductive to research, everyone will still be governed by the normal laws.

A second objection to total separation from society is that we would want to make other people constantly aware of our problems and successes. Thus, communication lines should be open (via MOTHER and other publications).

There are many more factors to discuss: other sources of income, proximity to a city, taxes, mail, telephone, etc. These will have to be dealt with either in advance or as the problem arises.

Please keep in touch. We want to carry as much of the load of organizing as we can. Please count on us for ideas and help.

D. & L.
Wisconsin

Would it be sensible for established carpenters and other craftsmen to trade labor and knowledge for partial payment?

J., L. & J.
Ohio

Interested? You'd better believe I am.

R.D.
Indiana

The whole Research Center community idea sounds great, fantastic. My wife and I and our two teenage sons are all for it and wish we could be a part of it. The cost of $10,000 (plus the expense of the house) is, however, far beyond our financial possibilities. After surviving the most primitive existence as leaders of a commune in the jungles of Central America in 1971, we lost not only our 40 acres of river land but the shirts off our backs as well ... and have never recovered from the $10,000 setback. With inflation as it is, we're barely making it on $400 a month.

The only hope for us would be a time payment (mortgage) of some sort. We could possibly scrape up-say-$50.00 a month plus another bit toward the house and equipment needed to homestead. And if you demanded a down payment exceeding a couple of hundred dollars we couldn't even take advantage of that.

Incidentally, we agree on a parcel size of two to five acres per investment ... but how would you determine the amount of land to be allotted? By family composition, we hope, and not by capital investment.

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