"Out there"

There is a reference here in community that I have heard frequently to the world 'out there', the reality that is not Twin Oaks. I'm not sure If I agree with this distinction as it immediately sets up a separation which I feel we can't afford to have. It's true that Twin Oaks' lifestyle is far from the reality of mainstream culture with only one television, 18 cars, 2 washing machines and a few residences for 100 people. However, the separation sets up an 'us and them' dynamic, what can be construed as a self-righteous attitude perhaps, an impression that what we are doing is somehow better, more healthy, more sane, etc. Yet this is precisely the attitude I feel we are trying to avoid. In my opinion, there is no 'out there'; we are all on this planet together, all struggling for the same elusive happiness and just going about it in vastly different ways. In this globalized world that has brought us closer together, there is no need and perhaps no justification for isolating ourselves from the rest of society.

"The first act of war is to create separation, to dehumanize the 'enemy'. That separation is what needs to be healed if we are to end war." - David Jacke, co-author of Edible Forest Gardens (a guide to permaculture in your backyard)