[elihu]

The Good Life [1] is an interesting account by Scott and Helen Nearing of living in a self-sufficient way (motivated largely by the great depression and a desire to isolate themselves from the ups and downs of the larger economy).

It did sound pretty appealing when I read it to live in a more primitive way and have to deal with less of the stresses of modern life. It would require a very different set of skills than I have now, though.

I could see communes or something like them coming back as a way of sharing the cost of purchasing land. Where I live, houses are pretty expensive and rural land is only available in large (also expensive) lots. A group of people could conceivably pool their resources to buy a large lot in the countryside and then put up an apartment building (assuming the local zoning laws have any exploitable loopholes that allow that sort of thing).

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Good-Life-Nearings-Self-Sufficient-Li...

[rmcpherson]

I haven't read the good life but this immediately reminded me of the song by Pete Seeger "Maple Syrup Time" where he mentions Scott and Helen. Looks like it's referenced in the book as well. https://books.google.ca/books?id=iumQ0TLXESkC&pg=PA66&lpg=PA...

Strangely enough, I grew up singing this song in a commune that did not fail. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruderhof_Communities

[shermozle]

The Nearings were pretty puritanical though... They lived a very stark existence. But the base idea was pretty awesome: devote 50% of your time to "bread work" and do whatever you like the rest of the time.

[secabeen]

>A group of people could conceivably pool their resources to buy a large lot in the countryside and then put up an apartment building (assuming the local zoning laws have any exploitable loopholes that allow that sort of thing).

This is generally executed as Co-Housing, these days.