What a bunch of fools. Who are they trying to kid, themselves?
Posted on 06/09/2006 6:24:55 AM PDT by The Lion Roars
Oaks is experiencing a midlife crisis. The Virginia commune supported its throwback hippie lifestyle for more than 38 years by selling hammocks and tofu. But in 2004, Twin Oaks lost one of its biggest hammock customers, Pier 1 Imports (Research).
Last year revenues slipped to $1.1 million from a 2000 peak of more than $2 million. And expenses such as gas and health care for the commune's aging population are climbing fast. "I hoped we would be financially secure by now," says founder Kat Kinkade, 75. "We're not."
Kinkade and seven other dreamers launched Twin Oaks on 69 acres of rolling Virginia farmland that they bought for $26,500 in 1967. (Today the commune owns 450 acres.) Like many other idealistic, left-leaning young Americans in those days, they hoped to escape the political and social tumult of the 1960s by forming a self-sustaining rural community. Since then hundreds of dropouts, drifters, and seekers have passed through Twin Oaks.
"A lot of people come here searching for something," says Kinkade, who worked as a secretary before she left the outside world behind
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
pier 1 stopped buying in 2004. They just now got the word ?
But, but...communism is going to save the world so we can all live in peace and financial security! The TV told me so. How can this be??
The real world cuts through the bong smoke.
Because it's all about them channeling their karma and their chi, dude. And helping the environment, maaaan. And, like, being socialist, dude.
Besides, the oppressed in a sweatshop don't get weed, bra. Puff puff pass.
(/sarcasm)
These guys are about an hour up the road from here. We should get some folks to crash the place with a couple thousand gallons of soapy water and some fire hoses and help preserve the environment by washing off the patchouli oil that covers the funk.
because like it's a lifestyle, man. $2 dollars aday is enough to buy twigs and berries which is what Adam ate, dude.
Plus, we grow our own tofu on the tofu tree man. Oh yeah and we also grow and sell weed over at teh local Community college.
Land owning pigs.
How much money do you think "Apple" would see if they sold say 200 acres for 15 million?
I'd say she would see about $2.
He he, think Steely Dan, "Only a Fool Would Say That"!
A world become one, of salads and sun, only a fool would say that..
What ideology holds this group together? According to one rumor I heard, it was B F Skinner's "Walden Two" behaviorism. Can someone help me out here?
hilarious!!
I've no problem with this commune as its membership is voluntary and they require no money, participation, or acknowledgement from me.
Is it really any different from a tight knit community or enclave following a common set of beliefs?
These yahoos are there voluntarily, and believe that sh**.
The Tragedy of the Commons.
First, eeeewwwwww. Second, join the 21st century, people. Third, to make a profit and actually become self-sustaining, they need to embrace capitalism, not eschew it. But I guess they're learning that the hard way.
By the way, land here in Central Virginia is going through the roof. They could certainly raise a nice bit of capital by selling a few of their 450 acres to a developer, but that would defeat the purpose of their self-imposed isolation/insulation from "the real world." Oh, the decisions we face. For some reason this clan of aging hippies brings to mind T.S. Eliot's Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock:
No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be;
Am an attendant lord, one that will do
To swell a progress, start a scene or two,
Advise the prince; no doubt, an easy tool,
Deferential, glad to be of use,
Politic, cautious, and meticulous;
Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse;
At times, indeed, almost ridiculous—
Almost, at times, the Fool.
I laughed thinking of what would happen if Anne Coulter along with a few dozen protest warriors and freepers moved in. Would it change their society? Their section under "conflict" states all must be treated equally and their views respected...
They aren't bothering me. More power to them. They chose a tough life. Note: "Chose" is the operative word.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.