this post was submitted on 17 Oct 2024
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A lot of the things we do on a daily or weekly basis have ways of doing them that can either be private or communal, some of these which we do not think to consider as having that characteristic.

For example, bathing in the Roman Empire used to be communal, but then Rome fell and citizens in the splinter countries began taking baths privately.

Receiving mail is another example. There are countries which don’t have mailboxes and everyone gets their mail at the post office in the PO boxes. It was the United States which pioneered the idea of the modern mail system, which is why we associate it as a private act.

There are activities as well which don’t have any history as jumping between one or the other that might benefit from it, for example I think towns might benefit if internet was free and freely accessible but only at the local library.

What’s a non-communal aspect of life you think should be communal?

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[–] [email protected] 140 points 2 weeks ago (8 children)

Owning tools and equipment. I wish my neighborhood or town had a tool library.

[–] [email protected] 34 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Google your city name and “maker space” to see if there’s any near you. Not only does my local library district have them, there’s another local option with a monthly membership fee. They have large equipment like laser engravers, CNCs, drill presses, etc. They usually also have small stuff like drills that you can check out and bring home. Also a great way to meet other makers in your community

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I tried looking for something like this in the UK and it turns out the nearest one for me got shut down during COVID, the rest are all an hour or two away at least. It's a great idea but I guess it's unsustainable without some sort of external funding cause the local one was already running at a loss before 2020 according to their website.

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[–] [email protected] 32 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I’ve seen those public bike repair racks with attached tools. I feel like that’s the closest thing to that we have

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 weeks ago

I always see those with the tools cut off. Feels bad :\

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 weeks ago

I use a chainsaw maybe two hours a year. Same with my neighbors, yet each of us owns a chainsaw.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago

That's a real thing, there's one near me

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago

The public library has tools and such in a lot of places.

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[–] [email protected] 88 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

Cooking. 5 people working together can cook for 100 people easier, cheaper, and less wastefully than 100 people can cook for themselves/their families.

Unfortunately the current restaurant system in the US is incredibly wasteful, expensive, and pays fuckall.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 2 weeks ago (5 children)

Verified: group cooking is the way.

I have friends and family who live in a cohousing building. About 50 people in 30 units. Each apartment is complete but the kitchens are slightly smaller than typical.

Cohousing is mutual ownership of the building. About 20% of the building is common areas, like widened hallways with couches and bookshelves, or a games nook, music room, workshop, laundry, etc. It's basically a tall village, and they are like roommates with privacy.

The giant kitchen and dining room is used six nights a week. One person is chef with a small crew, and dinner is for around 30 people. It costs $5 CDN per meal, though if you raid the leftovers later it's pay what you want, usually $2. The cooking volunteer roster is optional and organized by a Slack channel. Food is usually awesome and everyone wins.

If you want you hardly ever have to cook dinner for yourself.

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

This makes me think of the Sikh community's charity/giving (can't remember the term) food giving that happens in most towns globally where there a Gurdwara.

There has to be a better way than waves hands everything, really.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 weeks ago

I sometimes think about automats, and what a modernized version, designed to both be healthy enough to eat as one's primary meal source without ill effect and efficient enough to compete in price with home cooking, might be like. I suspect it would probably involve a lot of soup and chili and the like, just because that stuff is relatively simple to produce in large quantities, and uses cheap yet generally healthy ingredients

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[–] [email protected] 49 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

We should be using neighbourhood food co-ops to purchase and distribute food from farmers and wholesalers rather than from retailers.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

A co-op has been in the works in my town for the last few years and it’s finally about to open. I can’t wait

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[–] [email protected] 45 points 2 weeks ago (7 children)

Re: internet only available at the public library.

Hell no. That would really fuck over disabled people.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Plus, nobody needs to see the porn I watch.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 weeks ago

Yes, but some of us do, so give us the goods already

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago

That would mainly be because they can't easily get to the library, probably because your city is too low-density and car-dependant.

Once again, all problems are zoning problems in disguise.

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[–] [email protected] 34 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Management and operations of any apartment buildings.

Make em all co ops.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 2 weeks ago (17 children)

I think towns might benefit if internet was free and freely accessible but only at the local library.

Are you saying that private access to internet should be illegal?

Or that your libraries don't offer internet access to its patrons?

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (5 children)

If it's only available at one place, it's not freely accessible.

Logistically, how would that work? Libraries would have to be everywhere and they'd have to be massive. The IT infrastructure to support that would be immense. How would privacy work? Where could I go to have a private telehealth appointment, for example?

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[–] [email protected] 24 points 2 weeks ago (6 children)

Clothes being optional

Im not saying we should be nude all the time. Clothes have their purpose.I think we should have the option to be nude in public, without making it sexual

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 weeks ago

Nude beaches are nice places for exactly this reason. It's like everyone tacitly agrees not to give a shit.

You can walk past people with your balls waving in the breeze and nobody even blinks - and more importantly, someone can walk past you with their tits akimbo and you don't even blink. It's not sexual, it's not even interesting, it has no significance here. It's like seeing someone breastfeeding: yes, boobs are still great, but we're not doing that right now.

And that's just a really nice headspace to be in. All of the unconscious monkey-politics games just go away, you don't have to think of people in those terms, or concern yourself with where you stand relative to them, because we're just not doing that.

Oh no, you'll see unattractive naked people! Yep, most of them in fact. And honestly that's kind of awesome. 85yo woman pottering around living her best life stark naked and not giving one single shit: you go girl. Fuck yeah. You know how people say they look forward to being old enough to just not give a fuck any more? You can have that yourself right now, right here, for free.

It's funny, walking past clothed beaches afterwards, you realise just how sexualised many swimsuits really are. A bunch of naked people are honestly about as glamorous and exciting as a pile of dead sheep; fashion designers do one hell of a job creating drama and hype around it all.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 weeks ago (5 children)

Most places in the US legally allow nudity, with the main barrier being people calling the police and making a big deal out of doing something legal.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago

In my area, you can be nude on private property as long as a neighbor has to make an effort to see you. My back yard allows it.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 weeks ago

transportation, natch

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 weeks ago (5 children)
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[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 weeks ago

are there actually places where the public library doesn't already offer free internet access?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 weeks ago (5 children)

This is very close to your mail example but can we please move on from delivering items directly to houses? Just give me a destribution center or box at a 10-15 min walking distance and I'll gladly pick up everything from there when it's actually convenient. We can still keep the other model for special cases.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 weeks ago

Grocery stores

They shouldn't be stores at all since that's putting prices on necessary food for living.

I work at one and am constantly appalled at the prices for basic food items like canned tuna or pasta (not even the "good" stuff, just the run of the mill "well, it's ____")

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

... Why should private internet be banned or discouraged? What benefits would that being?

It's a bit of a cop out, but maybe talking about and dealing with feelings. At best people usually only talk privately with a professional for money. Normalise just having regular group therapy for everyone that they can just drop in and out of.

Or if we want to really push boundaries: Orgies and kink parties. Sex is a natural part of life, no need to keep it secret.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 weeks ago

Energy, public transport, postal service We're never going to have progress if they have a stake in not doing that

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago
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