How can Transition Towns & Common Security Clubs help us navigate a changing economy & environment?

[marmar]

from YES! Magazine:



Support Groups for Hard Times
How can Transition Towns and Common Security Clubs help us navigate a changing economy and environment?

by Chuck Collins
posted Oct 05, 2010


“It is hard to imagine facing the future without my gang of neighbors,” said Laura Dudley, a member of a common security club in the Detroit area. “The whole media culture is telling us to keep borrowing and consuming, that climate change is still under debate, and that the experts are back in control of the economy. They’re tell us: Don’t worry about a thing. Go back to sleep!”

The good news is a lot of people are refusing to go back to sleep. We know that the next 20 years will be very different than the last 20 years. But to sustain our spirits and activism, we need small groups of allies—affinity groups—to support one another and build real security.

An encouraging undercurrent of the current political moment is the hundreds of local groups that have formed to proactively face economic and ecological change. These include community-wide planning efforts like Transition Towns and small group approaches, such as Common Security Clubs—which are sometimes called “resilience groups” or “economic security circles.” In the process of social change, these are necessary and complementary strategies.

Common security clubs are typically founded by people concerned about their economic security. These small groups of 10-25 adults are consciously breaking down the isolation and fear triggered by the 2008 economic meltdown. Clubs have strengthened communities and enabled participants to learn together, engage in mutual aid, and take social action. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.yesmagazine.org/blogs/common-security-clubs/building-resilient-congregations-and-communities

[txlibdem]

1. This idea could save us

A community that is based on each person helping everyone and the group as a whole in turn is focused on helping each person.
http://directory.ic.org/22671/Idyllia_West

[billlll]

2. Mutual aid Socities ...existed in early 1900's

I only know one article called them
Flimsy creations of ins companies.

Hope new idea will be sturdy.

Best wishes...Great idea!

[txlibdem]

3. Not the same thing at all

Mutual Insurance is in no way related to this.

It is nothing more than looking out for your neighbor. Just a group of people who know that hard times are here and they'll come again in the future once we're out of this recession. Why not share some of your extra resources with another like-minded person? With the knowledge and certainty that if hard times hit your family they will also be there for you. A properly setup group will have a separate bank account that will be used for aiding each other in times of need.

Think of it this way. If you had an apple tree and couldn't eat all of the apples, would you give some to your neighbors? Would you can some and share that with your neighbors when the snows of winter take their toll?

I know it's exactly backwards from the basic teachings of the Capitalistas. They want you to only think of yourself. They want you to be isolated from your neighbors. That is the first step in Divide and Conquer!