Open Bedroom Doors Make For Good Neighbors?

Reihan, guesting at Ross's place, makes the case, makes the case for cohousing, along with other communal-type living arrangements. Matt jumps onboard, saying

As the proud resident of a ramshackle five bedroom house, I must concede that the idea has a certain appeal.

Hell, I did the five-bedroom ramshackle thing for a long time (6ish years) while I was living in Boulder, and it was both fun and economically, socially, and environmentally sensible. Although I derive some great benefits from living in Longmont (I enjoy the cheaper standard of living, the short commute, and the privacy derived from living in a more independent way), I do miss the near-communal feel that the three long-term residents (me, Neil, and Matty) derived from that house.

However, this is, once again, one of those sad times where good intentions are going to run afoul of the vessels in which they are being carried. Human beings aren't the types, on the whole, to make decisions on the basis that they are environmentally sound, if they cost a great deal in terms of economic or social capital. And the fact is, for a married couple, and especially for a couple with kids, there are serious and real benefits to having private space.

Not that I would know anything about this, since I've never been married and would never think to fornicate against the will of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, but it can be very nice to not have to worry about conducting all of your marital affairs behind closed doors (or even to be restricted to the bedroom, for that matter), or retreat to your room every time you want to have a telephone conversation. And I like not having a TV in my room, but it seemed more necessary when I had roommates with taste in TV and movies that I found, shall we say, occasionally questionable.

Look, I am as much of an 'Imagine all the people' guy as anyone around, and I think that we will eventually have to turn around the somewhat deplorable trend of less and less people taking up more and more space, for reasons both environmental and social. But I think one of the examples Reihan quotes, people living in independent spaces, but with communal areas and responsibilities, is a much more promising idea than trying to convince people to actually share living spaces.

As Daniel Quinn would say, we aren't ever going to go back to the system of everyone living under one roof, with all the lacks of privacy that entails. Instead, we need to go forward to something new, something better, which keeps the good aspects of the current system (privacy, independence) while doing something to reduce its negative parts (large economic and environmental costs, and the erection of steep social barriers between families and communities).

If only I knew how to actually do it, I could probably figure out a way to make some real money. Anyone have any good ideas? I think places like this are a promising start...