How cohousing can make us happier (and live longer) | Grace Kim
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- Опубліковано 6 сер 2017
- Loneliness doesn't always stem from being alone. For architect Grace Kim, loneliness is a function of how socially connected we feel to the people around us -- and it's often the result of the homes we live in. She shares an age-old antidote to isolation: cohousing, a way of living where people choose to share space with their neighbors, get to know them, and look after them. Rethink your home and how you live in it with this eye-opening talk.
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As an introvert, I would love this kind of housing. It sounds weird, but even though I'm quite shy around new people, once I get through the awkward phase I enjoy being around someone. I can't vouch for every introverted person, but for me, being around people kind of helps me get over being introverted. Does anyone else have that thing where, even if you're shy and reserved on your own, as soon as you're with friends that are there for you, you come out of your shell and stop caring about what others think? I live in a student tower block, and everyone has an identical room with a small bathroom, but each floor has a shared kitchen. While this can be a nightmare for cooking in groups, it's a brilliant way to interact with people on your floor and organise times to chat over a coffee.
As I always say, and I'm sure others do, the best way to get to know people is over food. Food is an important aspect of many European cultures, and many around the world, so sharing a meal as a group sounds like something we should do more often.
Thumbs up for being willing to face your concerns and realizing that being an introvert doesn't mean being a hermit.
Good points. I lived in residence at University on the 8th floor of a building and it was much like the one you described, same little rooms, but shared bathrooms, common living rooms and kitchen area. Some things were awkward, for sure, like shared bathrooms and sometimes the living room area, but overall, it was a tremendously positive experience for me who grew up in a small family. I got to see and interact with so many different people from different walks of life. Came together and had a group who enjoyed watching The Office on Thursday nights, or a group would enjoy a games night or movie night, or we'd make up some completely different activity to do as a floor. I met people from other countries, I got introduced to playing squash for the first time ever, really got into and had a lot of fun, and just overall felt a lot of community and support during my 2 years in res.
Just extend that to a wider community and I think many people would enjoy that. When housing is made, I think the key thing is that is has the intention, like the presenter said, for people to interact. You need certain spaces, like a common living room/dining area, a outdoor courtyard, maybe a shared rooftop garden or storage shed.
Because I live in a apartment-style condo now. It's 3 floors, about 16 units, two buildings. There is no common space except for the hallways and very hilly grassy areas outside. No intention or incentive to meet neighbours. But neighbours are different ages, different backgrounds and sure, I probably wouldn't get along with all of them all of the time, but I would have more reason to get to know them and may learn a lot and have some great shared experiences. Will never know because that's not how most housing units are built in the West. Even in big apartment buildings it's isolated! Ironic! There are about 30+ other people in the 2 buildings I'm part of yet if I passed 95% on the street, I wouldn't know that they lived in the same buildings as me.
I hope to see a shift in Western planning and design. Even those suburbs could do better with building a sense of community for each street/neighbourhood, encourage the hosting of block parties and street events. Growing up in a small single-family home neighbourhood I knew a great deal of my neighbours. I was a kid and we and the parents would get outside a lot. Go breakout with a game of road hockey, tag, or whatever fun games we could come up with. Knocking on doors, inviting more to come out. If someone in the neighbourhood did have a pool, they would often let any interested neighbourhood kids come use it on those hot summer days. One year they even managed to get swim instructors to come give swimming lessons at the pool. But now, I don't see that in most neighbourhoods.
Youre not introverted more like you have social anxiety
Today is the 6 year anniversary of our move to co-housing, Creekside on Vancouver Island. Best choice I ever made. I don’t really know everyone nor do I like everyone, but I love the social activities and several people who are very dear to me. I also love the brunches, council & sustainability meetings. House concerts and dozens of other privileges and activities that makes living here so awesome. Our common house is our very own community hall, guest rooms, woodshop, art room, labyrinth, orchards and prolific community gardens! I look forward to growing old here... I am truly among the luckiest on this planet!
Janet Sheppard Sounds Awesome!
Its great to see that western countries are appreciating cohousing concepts and are working in this direction, its just like the concept of Indian Joint families.
Vancouver island? How many co-housers do you need to afford that? On my pay, I'd need 20. 😗😁
I really think this is great with the right community. With the wrong could be disastrous.
with community like you, it could be deesusteres
BIGFOOT WHISPERER'S HUB i think the ones wich are open to this tend to be the "right ones" :D :)
Big Foot has a point.
U gotta keep smart phones out
The same could be said about any neighborhood with potential "disaster" neighbors. The difference is these type of communities are under more control with their own set of CC&R's, which gives them more power to deal with problems than a problem neighbor in a non cohousing neighborhood.
As an introvert, this would be my dream, the only social interactions you need to have are with people you already know and trust
This gives you a chance to know and trust more people. What happens when you are 60 and the people you know and trust don't call, moved away, or have died?
Wow that is actually a really interesting point Im an introvert and have thought about community things but they make me kindof scared this is actually a really good point
My friends and I have literally been asking for the last several years "What's wrong with us just living together?" It has seemed like a better idea for a long time than doing a bunch of commuting and trying to remember to keep in contact when distracted by a busy life. Being there to lean on each other and pool resources when necessary or wanted sounds amazing to us. The main problem we get from this though is the commute to our respective jobs. :(
A byproduct of something like this is that you ultimately densify the area you are living in. This can add new jobs in your area, such that you maybe don't have to commute as far.
@@ScooterinAB Or find other like-minded people in your area with this same way of thinking and make it happen.
As a recent student who still has few months to go in his student dormitory, I would definitely enjoy a cohousing apartment. The best thing about the dorm is that you can isolate yourself in your room whenever you want, AND socialize in the shared kitchen whenever you want. I'm positive that I am going to miss this a lot when I get a place of my own.
Having lived in a lot of different situations over the years, I can say that, for me, this was awesome. As a young man with a very low income, I lived in a quadraplex style apartment in San Antonio for about a year. This was a very poor neighborhood. It wasn't intentionally designed as "co-housing", but our four poor families living in this building would pool resources to make meals together at least 2 or 3 times a week. It was a great experience and I cherish it still.
Guys who are freaking out in the comments. You don't have to live in these buildings if you don't want to. It's simply an option for people who want to try it and maybe live in a more communal area.
The problem is that by merely existing, this talk is igniting a societal assumption of cohousing as a necessity, much like the open-plan workplace, which has been lauded the optimal workspace, which has never proven to be true, and a product of viral movements such as this. As such, those content with their private spaces will eventually be assimilated into this ideal they do not consent to.
I don't think she's saying that it's necessary. It's just an idea and would work for some people. We're allowed to have ideas you know.
Sounds like a society of hells minions
The reason many posters are freaking out is because they see it as a reflection of a trend, supported by governmental bodies. You can bet that this idea already has traction with planners due to lower cost. It would certainly not be the first time an idea becomes a mandatory policy.
You may be as smug and dismissive as you like, but people like her are meddling busybodies, and they don't like leaving people free to make their own choices.
In modern society we are creating the opposite of what we really need- urban sprawl's general idea (to give us all a slice of what we want) SOUNDS good but it's not what we need or want as humans. We are moving further and further away from compact, walkable European cities with squares and open spaces, to places that you cannot survive without a car. This needs to change and projects like this are fantastic! It's a step in the right direction but probably not for everyone. Urban intensification with mixed use areas and amenities close by is PERFECT. People work best when they are around other people. We are social creatures who simultaneously need their personal space.
I didn't even know I was missing, or needed a sense of 'community,' until I moved to my present location 12 years ago. We're tiny (400+) people in a small coastal village where there's 1 store, and 1 bar/café. Everybody congregates at the café in the evenings to socialize. We share holiday meals, celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, mourn losses, etc. If I'm feeling anti-social or just need alone time, I stay at home until I'm ready to see people again. Nobody intrudes on my space, but they're always there for me. And we're very diverse---different races, religions, sexual orientations---nobody cares as long as you respect them. Now that I'm in a situation where I have to move away (work related), I have anxiety about returning to the cold, anonymous life most people experience. I'm afraid I will never again find that extended family I found by the sea. I know one thing, I never want to live in the suburbs again.
that sounds awsome. Can I ask where that costal village was? I'm so curious. I would love to move to a place like that
As an introvert, I can already imagine the anxiety that this would cause me. For me, my home is my refuge; my very own private space. It is indeed, an alternate way of living -- interesting concept, but definitely not for everyone.
motoriety we still can have our own room, our own private space
Im an introvert too. I do wanna comeout and see someone once in awhile. I think this cohousing means you do have your private place but the common place are bigger and more involved with others. I think this is healthier for sure even for introverts
motoriety i am not an introvert so i can only assume this but: wouldnt it be way easier to be an introvert in a co-housing area? you can be on your own as long as you want like if you would life alone but when you feel the urge to be with people now and then its way easier to meet them and you even dont have to "go out". they are just there and when its enough socializing you can go back within seconds :D
Same, definitely same as you @motoriety . I would like to be able to live her for long without feeling anxious but I can’t imagine myself there. But it it a lovely idea in general
ann: Pretty much my college life experience. I sort of miss having roommates and dormmates and a shared experience and activities to do together. I was always an introvert, but I wasn't quite such a hermit as I am now.
Loneliness is a really big issue, and it can really negatively impact us as humans. A lot of people dont realize how sad and serious loneliness can become. Maybe this is a good solution for some lonely people
It's not. Citing loneliness is just a ploy for us empathetic people to buy what they're selling, which is just literal apartment complexes. Apartment complexes do not help with loneliness. I would love to help people with loneliness, but a building will never do what a simple hello will, regardless of housing arrangement. I guarantee you people who live in these places will retreat into the confines of their individual space so they can hide from the crushing weight of continuous social responsibility.
Casper Mason Candlewood I love how everyone just ignores you😂😂
Chris De Bruin How do you know everyone is ignoring Casper? The comment has a few thumbs up.
You should check out Simon Sinek, he has an amazing idealist mind which is absolutely worth listening to. I'll agree that isolation is a huge problem. I'm from western culture so if it's different in other places, I'm jealous. Sinek even argues that isolation is one of the main reasons suicide rates in youth are so high and from my experience, that's very true.
Casper Mason Candlewood you're perfectly right the richer a society becomes the less dependent they becomes on each other the more arrogant we become and the more loneliness life become if you want to fight loneliness go live among or close to some lower class immigrant community where people still depend on each other
i deal with people al day at work. when i go home i dont want to see another person until the next day.
That is a sad life.
when people constantly ruin your day no matter what then it becomes an enjoyable life when you can be alone w/ yourself. i feel not enough people my age are alone w/ themselves long enough to be able to depend on themselves and know what they want and exactly who they are ,but instead they often let others decide and lead them and lose out on quality time w/ themselves. it's a happier life for me when i'm left alone
dragonballzgt1989
I love urban life, but when I get to my apartment and I close my door and I dont want to see anyone else until I leave my apartment.
Its fine to see people in our common areas (gym, pool, smoking area, garden, game room, theater, atrium)
I dont think that this is much different from what she is describing.
But I live alone with my wife by choice.
It takes me two hours each day to collect my thoughts and prepare to start my work day. Fortunately my commute is pretty long. Otherwise I just couldn't imagine how difficult it would be to speak to another living person in the first minutes of my day.
I'd recommend not getting married or having kids then.
Woah! what an incredible idea to build community. I'm an introvert, yet, I've noticed after living in community for a while the dramatic effects it has had on my mood, my self-image, my relationships. It's transformational. How good it is when we live together in unity!
No it's not. She's not in "co-housing" she's in an apartment that has flat style kitchen\common areas. She's still isolated when she talks about her neighbour waving through the window way across the courtyard. They're not in the same area, she's talking about knowing her neighbours like she tries to discourage at the start.
This is simply the effect of flatting, and social isolation is not a bad thing. Humans are social people, but not in all situations and need the alone time to "find themselves"
I've had a similar experience. And maybe these are good for introverts in the way it "forces" you into some social interaction, and strongly encourages you into others (like community activities).
Thumbs up for you too for being willing to face your concerns and realizing that being an introvert doesn't mean being a hermit.
She definately doesn't have any musicians in her housing model.
However 9 famlies of musicians could work well.
Yes unless one or more are drummers and others are classical musicians. ;)
I mean you could install sound proofing
Everyone in the comments who is freaking out didnt even get the point. If you dont want to spend time with strangers so that they start caring for you you dont even have to. Not even if you live in that complex. Its not like the communal spaces are the ones in your house. Its just a 'garden' and 'mass hall'. ADDITIONAL to the private home. Its like having a roof with a table on one of thoose tall square buildings in new york. Its nothing you dont have already.
+Event Hʘriךּon You're on point and the negative freakouts explain why it's so difficult for new interesting ideas to spread- since so many leap to wrong conclusions.
:) With the extra (or the minus) that the kitchen and dining room are commonly shared.
That and plus the people in the community made a choice to become part of the community. They all chose to participate in a social community, not forced.
Paul Petru Alexandru Cazacliu there is a kitchen and dining room in each home though.
It's all about the intention she said. Some people go by this life style even if each has their own separate house.
This only works when people with shared goals and values live together.
I sure hope it doesn't. Maybe it's enough to accept that people's values may and will differ. Call it the value of NOT getting along with some others in a benign way.
@@DailyFrankPeter Yeah. Nah. People who don't have shared goals and values are the gold-standard definition of failing societies. Nice try, though.
sounds like a cult commune.
@@BlueSkyBS no, that's called Family.
@@dmarsub I rest my case.
I'm a huge introvert, yet I wish to live in such a community after watching this video. There's either something wrong with me or this system is a work of genius!
I got depressed in college when I lived with 3 roommates, they partied almost every night and was very loud in general. So no thank you.
You went to college and this is your analysis? You should get your money back
@@mygamepage5719 you don't always get to choose. In a lot of places you take what you can get.
I love this idea and often wish I lived closer to my family. my only worry about cohousing would be ending up with overly friendly neighbors who took offense at my need for alone time or continually infringed on my privacy. I feel like a whole group of introverts housed together would get this balance right for each other, and extroverts likewise!
It works quite well for us. There are little unwritten rules. Open your door and folk know you are "at home" close it, and you don't get so many visitors. Want company? Hang out in the social areas. There is a good privacy/community balance.
Liz I thought the same.
There’s more to it than meets the eye. This model is far cheaper than living alone. Apparently they have a massive housing problem amongst retired professionals in the US. People are being thrown to the streets when they retire for this or other reason. I don’t know if it’s the never ending mortgage payment or the outstanding university fee or the divorce costs. Anyway, highly skilled professionals end up homeless and from what I understand this idea aims to address this serious social problem.
.
drania76 It is not a cheap housing solution. If you can't afford to live in your own house you can't afford co-housing. You may be able to buy into co-operative housing. There are co-operative old folks homes. I like the idea of the USA getting socialist ideals through practical issues.
Basically dorms, but with random people that aren't college students.
not even close! I used to live in one.
Just putting out my frustration here... I hate room mates in colleges lol especially ones who are gamers...
And you own the place, and you maintain it together. It's more like a condo or a cooperative.
@acebasespace lol I live with room mates who play till late at night... They are loud and play multiplayer games... They have no consideration for sleep times... So yeah that's annoying
Cohousing in Spain is the normal thing to do, it depends of the culture of the country. We like our neighbours, we like playing in the streets and going to school five minutes away.
Yeah, that's why the Catalans want out of Spain, eh?
mappyhappychappy you know, I love Cataluña and the Catalans, and in terms of being extrovert and lovely people, I am sure we all think the same, whether they want to belong to my country or not. Also I do not thing your comment is anything but imprudent, you should not spread that kind of hate, because this community does not deserve it.
mappyhappychappy what? catalans want to separate from Spain because they don't like cohousing?
Catalans are more communal in cities that the rest of spain I think. City blocks in Barcelona are kinda built in a semi communal way. (Square areas with a open space in the middle)@@BlueSkyBS
My neighbors are people who do not know their neighbors by name. We have even given our neighbors coffee multiple times as gifts, and it's still "work" trying to get them to say hi to us. We have concluded that they either hate us or want nothing to do with us so we have given up. It's bad energy. I think it is most likely due to the area I live in (Los Angeles). It is also due to attitude, behavior, empathy and kindness. Which I think most people lack. I find most people here to be disingenuous. It's hard to find "real" people nowadays.
Maybe they don’t want anything to do with you because you come off condescending
People don't need technology to ignore each other
but technology does help in enforcing it...
like you no longer have to go to your local supermarket where you might be forced to interact with someone, online shopping and delivery services help you avoid it
I would go so far as to say that technology allows people to socialize with the people they want to socialize with when they want to socialize if used the right way. As the speaker herself mentions at the start of the video, it is possible to be lonely in a crowd. It is also possible to be surrounded by people who care about you and who you care about without being physically near even a single person.
Love this idea. Looks like my story. I lived in a low income complex where everybody knew everybody, it was always nice to be near people. Married, moved into upscale neighborhood. Though my home is a dream, I've never felt so alone. I beleive it can save your life. We are not created to be alone. Isolation can be death.
Very interesting to see the comments on this talk. As a studying Architect writing my thesis on a similar proposition, it's interesting to see what is generally accepted as a good idea amongst Architects, is clearly not for most people. However, we should look at this not as an alternative form of housing to start and raise a family in, but for students who need this 'sardine' way of living as it will drive down rent price, or for elderly people who may have fewer people in their lives.
ryansmith0709 are u kidding? Students never needed "sardine type of living"!
Ryansmith Boulder, CO has examples of co-housing with individual family homes around a common green space aka pocket neighborhoods.
I think the main problem with the idea is that you would need to find a suitable large group of hand-picked people at a time when people often can't even find a home in a good spot for two working people in the household to have a convenient commute. Perhaps this would be more interesting for people who work in a home office setting and thus lack the social aspects of a work life.
Who want to share space with other people, its hell@@sherylgoodman2134
Isolation isn't the cause of loneliness but rather a result of it. Lonely people are usually disappointed with their previous social interactions and they isolate themselves in their private space as kind of a shelter from all the potentially awkward, selfish or useless social interactions. Cohousing could meet some demands for people who would like to break out of their loneliness but does not have much motivation to do so via other social networks. But it is not a solution for the kind of loneliness most people are experiencing. So the idea is okay but not as great as it is advertised in the talk.
Great comment and I agree completely! As a person who is no longer interested in dealing with people...I live on 36 acres of pristine beauty in the Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas. Loneliness is a non-issue as I am far more connected to nature than human beings.
This is so accurate!!!
People should learn to cherish solitude more. To be alone, to think, and to be lazy and to just exist. This hysteria and obsession about always socializing and being "connected" is making us all depressed and fed up with eachother.
Have you tried it as a lonely person, how do you know if it won't help? It's an option for people, and i don't understand why people are against having more options.
It may be a more involved subject, but loneliness does not mean the same as seclusion. Loneliness is an unfilled need for intimacy which is not met by the mere presence of others. Ever heard of the lonely crowd? I suggest the most likely cause of withdrawal is going to be fear of rejection.
This looks perfect! I'm an introvert and get pretty anxious so I was and of sceptical but now I'm sold! Everyone has their own safe and private space where you don't have to come out if you don't want to, but if I ever feel the urge to just see someone else I can do so without being overwhelmed.
I personally have lived in a co-housing setting (in bandung, indonesia) and I must say it was probably one of the greatest experiences in my life! I must say though it's only nice bc they were all old retired couples so they don't cause a lot of troubles and noises. with the right group of people, I can say it is a really good way of living.
Nightmare scenario for an INFJ. I'd be hiding in my apartment until I could be certain the courtyard was empty and I could safely exit without having to make small talk with my neighbors. I'm not anti-people, just don't enjoy forced interaction, which is what this amounts to. With the right community of people this would make for a happy, inclusive situation, but not all of us are cut out for communal living. Think about all those people you run into who can't stop talking about themselves, yap-yap-yap endlessly without a clue how to hold a real conversation. What if you were stuck sharing space with someone like that? Or a busy body? Or a bully? Or someone who plays their music or TV at blaring levels with the door/window open because everyone is part of "one big, happy community?" This would also be a disaster for people who work at home and need a quiet environment without interruptions.
It's not "forced" interaction. It's available for those who want it. There are no obligations to engage in the shared meals. Of course those signing up/moving in have a desire for this type of community so no one is being forced.
I feel you lmao
yeah you and 21 other people don’t know what “forced interactions” is…. this is the opposite of that.
The nice thing is that INTJ and other people uncomfortable with the idea of shared spaces, knowing the risks, will avoid cohousing.
*Seeing a neighbour is waving at me every morning would be my nightmare* as I am an introvert. When I am not intentionally willing, I do not want to see people, nor I want to be seen.
Then close your blinds.
That has nothing to do with being introvert has it ? You are just socially awkward and need to get out there more
My favorite part about college is the community and having friends right outside my door. I don't want to give that up as an adult so this is awesome.
More public spaces it is the answer. But it's working when your neighbors are not criminals, have normal social skills and financially secured. By the way, it reminded me communal apartments in the USSR.
I like social interaction outside my home. I want privacy inside my home. Wouldn't mix
So many comment act as if she says that this lifestyle is for everyone, or that she want to impose this world view
Chill out, she is just presenting the benefits of this way of life!
Dennis Choomac jesus calm down
hoa hoang dennis seems pretty calm to me. He is simply pointing out that the ideas portrayed in this vid could be abused..
Benefits?? Haha
Yes benefits.
karma bad, yes it can be abused, like when there is a comment comparing her with staline?
... Something's wrong with some people.
Thank you Grace for putting words on my thoughts... I have always tried to explain to people around me ( especially in the busy environment of Dubai) how co-housing is important for our life balance, but never with such a brillant presentation
The main thing I get from this is that there has to be intention. Meaning, you _consent_ to living this life, or whatever other life you choose. This implies internal locus of control--the idea that you're in charge of your life and destiny. You believe your life belongs to you, and you're secure in that.
Too often, people are isolated when they don't want to be--partly thanks to architecture, sure--and then they go from that to being "over-connected" on an internet where they have even less control over what happens. And there's no happy medium, where you know and get along with your neighbors. It's either solitary confinement or massive over-connection, over-sharing and over-crowding.
Most people know solitary confinement, of an involuntary sort, is bad. But not a whole lot of people have heard of a *Mouse Utopia*. A Mouse Utopia, was a classical experiment in overcrowding done with mice where a relatively large yard was arranged so that mice could randomly come in, always have shelter (in rodent-appropriate "high rises" or apartments) always have food, always have bedding and the like. A utopia, in other words, free of the usual stresses of predators and/or needing food or shelter. Of course, the mice, being mice, overpopulated the thing.
What happened next, post-overcrowding, was the real kicker: the freaks came out. Only a few mice actually became domineering and violent. Many of the rest became sexually deviant--more likely to be homosexual, asexual or obsessive with certain objects. Some mice over-groomed themselves several times a day while others couldn't be bothered with hygiene. Some mice were hyper-active, others lethargic. Every possible abnormal behavior a mouse could do came out.
It was a madhouse and eventually mice left in droves. (the remainder had to be put down at the end of the experiment)
This is the tough part of it, as far as humans go. On the one hand, isolation kills--you literally can't expect human infants and children to survive and grow without some sort of warm parent figure. Primates are wired to die in too much isolation, this goes back to the monkeys. Adult humans aren't much better off, we simply lose it and go crazy, becoming depressed, delusional, suicidal too.
But with the internet being the way it is, how sensitive are we now to involuntary sorts of over-crowding? How much locus of control, or intention, has to be re-introduced so we can tolerate each other in real life? Because truth be told. . .
The internet is a Mouse Utopia already. It's just waiting for the right amount of real-life crowding (not even over-crowding) to make it real.
BPoe07
Hi, I know you posted this 2 years ago but I wanted to add something. All this talk of communal housing, other ted talks talking about how to make a city more walkable (partly by fostering closer community bonds), and other ted talks and UA-cam videos on the housing crisis seem to forget that population will be the largest deciding factor of everything they talk about. You can't have a communal, walkable, affordable city without limiting the amount of people in it, otherwise urban sprawl happens and the environment outside the city is harmed. Eventually all around the globe either populations will need to settle out and stay around the replenishment rate, or things are going to breakdown further than they already have. I'm not advocating for eugenics or any like it, but if humanity wants to help protect the environment, and have walkable, communal, affordable cities, the population needs to level out on a global scale.
Most people can understand what happens if there is a breakdown of a feeling of community in a large society, many smaller sub communities are formed and you get partisan politics and societal friction, and those 2 problems lead to a whole lot of other problems very quickly, America being the best example of this. If we started limiting the amount of people in our cities and by extension our countries, well 1st, to do this would be considered draconian and the only way to enforce such a rule is through draconian measures that infringe on people's rights, 2nd, it would impact the growth based economy of most nations on earth.
The only way that the economy could continue to be growth based is if the majority of all factories were automated, and most jobs were either high skilled ones or creative ones. Manual labour jobs that would be difficult to automate would still exist, but that would slowly disappear as people figured out how to automate one jobs as well. When it comes to high skilled jobs like programming and creative jobs like painting, singing or writing, we're already seeing AI's able to write to the same degree as your average journalist, and create decent paintings and drawings, and use machine learning it improve themselves with no input from humans ( like how a Google algorithm improved itself without the knowledge of the programmers, and they couldn't figure out it did what it did, so they deleted it ). Eventually a form of UBI would have to be implemented to keep huge swaths of the population of whatever country this is occurring in from becoming jobless and homeless. But when people loose something that helped to give them meaning, social and mental problems ensue. Problems like a breakdown of societal cohesion and community bonds.
@@unfriendlyjack4223
So basically you want something Republican voters hate: UBI and Automation.
I agree. Republican voters don’t like it because it will affect their business and how they make money to make a living but they don’t realize that this is beyond them. In order to save humanity is by going automation and UBI. It will affect low skill jobs for low skilled folks and that’s a good thing. Replace them with automation.
They will say “it’s socialism/communism” all they want but they are ignoring the problem. They are afraid.
Automation and UBI is our future.
We don’t need workers to sacrifice themselves for the economy. They deserve better living. That means Higher wages but Republican voters don’t like it because they think that’s going to “raise the price”.
I believe we can own a space of living and pay a fee for the maintenance. I believe that’s a condo, right?
Imagine waking up and have 12 hours to ourselves and actually LIVE rather than sacrifice 12 hours of living to work just to pay the bills. That’s not living. That’s surviving. UBI is our solution to allow us to LIVE a life.
Do hobbies, spend time with families, friends.
Do SOMETHING and UBI will allow us to pay off the bills and taxes and actually LIVE a life. I can go to the beach and not worry about how much money to travel.
More money into the economy is stimulating the economy or else deflation starts. Actually spend the money in the economy to help LOCAL BUSINESS is better than rich people HOARDING the money and not invest it in local business. Think about it.
I work in a home for elderly as a volunteer and I would love to see cohousing with elderly too, because most of them just sit around staring at the wall and are extremely hard to motivate, which I completely understand when given the choice between scrabble and bingo. I think it would already lift their spirits if there were children playing in the courtyard in which they are sitting, being able to help with chopping the vegetables or even the laundry, so that they don't feel useless, that's what many of the elderly experience.
I can envision this as part of the Venus Project. Thanks for the lesson. Kurt Vonnegut wrote that we all needed much larger families (and remember their names). That way, your immediate family isn't expected to make you happy. Takes the stress off. I've made it to 70 and can appreciate that isolation is truly deadly.
I love this so much! I just came from my yoga teacher training in a self sustainable farming community in Guatemala and I really want this in the US.
No thanks other people annoy me (even family at times)
This seems like a really great opportunity to have a group (or groups) of people to play D&D or board games.
I'm studying architecture and I'm not a fan of how she advertises cohousing. The way I learned about cohousing is that it was meant more for single young adults or retired people since they don't need/want as much space as a family, it's an opportunity to be social (if that's what you want), plus it could be cheaper. But it doesn't make a lot of sense if you have a family since you have your own little family community.
As an introvert I'm a little irritated because she makes it seems like being alone means you are lonely and uses the word 'isolation' as a bad thing. Pretty sure they did a TED talk on understanding introverts and this is the exact opposite. She also tries to make kids screaming in a court yard sound like a good thing....
It's amazing to see how afraid people are of new ideas.
I don't think you get it. This idea isn't new. This is literally just an apartment complex. The only thing they did was give it a paint job and a volunteer cafeteria. This is propaganda. It's saying apartment complexes are healthier than other forms of living. Ever person on the damn planet knows that's not true. And we're asking "Why are they lying to us this time?"
TheRackits its not a new idea.. its thousands of years old.
I beg your pardon. Allow me to rephrase. It's amazing how afraid people are of OPTIONAL ALTERNATIVES. lol FFS
Computers were optional now you won't have a successful business or be competitive on the job market if you choose not to use one. Just an example of how things are phased into being "required" in society.
"Optional".
Keep telling yourself that.
I dont wanna know my neighbors.. im happy in the social circle i have
Good for you!!
This is my nightmare. I hate having neighbors. Much less being forced to share spaces with them.
THANK YOU!! I have had this idea for a number of years but people I know thought it was crazy... I am glad there is an example to show it can work. THanK YOU!!!!
Sounds like a good idea, especially for the older generations that perhaps don't get out as much as they'd like.
Unfortunately not my cup of tea though. One way to put it, this is the kinda place people who would say hello to random strangers would thrive in.
It's probably not the kind of place for people who are fairly likely to go into shock because some random person in the street said hello to them.
as a mexican im very aware of the concept... we call them barrios. though they are looked down among the rich
Pierre Sanchez some of the happiest people live in barrios though. They are not perfect, but they are good for many people.
Not exactly. Barrio is like a small "city". This is living in the same apartment complex with interactive community areas.
Thats a shame. A lovely idea. Would benefit more poeple. Especially the elderly and low income persons. Co- housing also has health benefits.
I think it's called vecindad
Also "vecindad". Like "El chavo del 8".
I am isolated by a language barrier. People all around me, and very few of them socializing in my language. None of them like the things that I like. None of them lead a life like I live. We have nothing in common. But there are groups on the internet that I can talk to in my language about the things I like. This is a bigger place to be lonely.
The world today, people move around a lot. You have to follow the opportunities. As I grew up I had very few friends that I hung out with for more than one school year because they all moved away. I have none of the same neighbors that I had in the same place six years ago.
Reminds me of college. I miss it sometimes. All I had to myself is my bedroom. Shared living room and kitchen with a few other guys and most meals were at the cafeteria with a larger group. I'm very introverted, but that little room was enough when I needed to be alone and my community was always just on the other side of that door.
I already have to live on the same planet as you people I don't want to share a house too
I really like this idea but your comment made me chuckle out loud, thanks.
lmao this is a terrible concept... i can't stand other people
I love this comment with this look in the picture you have 😂
There's a reason university seems to be happiest days of your life, its effectively this
Newuxtreme I meant a student house like we do I UK and most of the world
Those living in student housing seem happy because they are a highly homogenous community -- similar age (late teens to 20's), same goal (education and beer), financially dependent (parental help or student loan). Try mixing a student house and nursing home together, and see if everyone is still happy.
^ This, I'd happily live in a cohousing type arrangement if I knew the other people there were of a similar mindset/ age/ income level as me... not otherwise though.
That's probably why people who choose to live in a coop are typically interviewed by the other residents before they are accepted into their community.
I don't think you have gone to university. There is all sorts of people there from late teens, to people specializing to a different masters degree and researchers literally from everywhere and every kind of specialization.
I love how much of a flame war people go on to, due to simply being shown an alternative. As is if we have taken your suburban paradise or something.
This is great for so many and would also help deal with the lack of space. But it would be my worse nightmare. A lot of us go out of our way to avoid others and enjoy doing our own things with a small circle of friends.
Great video and very true. We need to live in community, share and care for each other.
Cohousing + mixed use development = auto dependency reduction and increased livability
yes
I think this combined with being able to have privacy when you want it would be nice. Knowing your neighbors and learning about their lives and stuff is nice. And you might find more people in the world you can trust. But also i wouldnt want to wake up everyday to hear kids screaming in the courtyard when i worked late the night before. And i would like blinds. I dont like people being able to see what im doing all the time. But hey the apartments loom nice
The fact that you kept using the word "nice" suggests you secretly hate the idea. People use the nice word when they are rejecting something. "You're a nice guy" = You're kind of boring, "That's nice" = I'm not really interested and "It's nice to meet you" = I haven't made my mind up about you yet but I don't find you attractive right now.
@@wittyclips... Is the only exposure to the word nice you've ever gotten been secretly negative or something? Nice is a word that's between great and mediocre. "You're a nice guy", "That's nice" and "It's nice to meet you" also mean that the experience is neither bad nor terribly good, but mostly neutral in a positive way. If the person gives it an intonation or whatever then yeah, it can be seen as a signal of "not interested". But it definitively isn't restricted only to that.
Like, I live in a nice neighborhood. Its not amazing, but it's not bad. Its just ok and I'm aware that it could be worse.
Congratulating someone's cool skateboard flip with a "Niceee" isn't necessarily passive aggressive.
I just saw that your comment is 9 months old. Sorry for blowing up at you over this, it just kind of bothered me that you didn't believe them for that reason.
"But also i wouldnt want to wake up everyday to hear kids screaming in the courtyard when i worked late the night before."
How exactly is that different from any other form of housing? How is it different from kids playing in the street or nearby lawns? How is it different that kids living in an apartment building?
"And i would like blinds."
Any why exactly wouldn't you have them? Again, how does this differ from any other form of housing?
What a beautifull concept! Very nicely presented by this young and litterate architect
I used to live and work in a hostel and it was something similar to this but on a small and temporary scale; I loved it and miss it everyday
This concept has always been around. I would like to see more of it. Some is semi-forced, like dorms on campus.
I would like to see dorms out in the community for adults. Of course, this would include bigger individual areas, say like 500-700 sq, feet. We actually have this for older people already. They are called independent and assisted living. As a health worker I have noticed that thew fancier they are, the more isolated people are. I know one independent living unit with 2000 sq foot units, that look like a home and include a grand piano. These people want little to do with each other. Other places are small with about 500 square feet for a living room/kitchenette, bedroom, and bathroom. Meals are taken in the dining hall. The elevators have lists of activities (at least 3 each hour), and there are places to park your car, but they also have 1 or 2 communal recreation, shopping, or sightseeing trips on a facility bus every day.
Cohousing is growing in Southern California among young people. They are like living long term in a hostel.
Another way people are battling this isolation is by becoming a nomad in their cars, camper trucks, vans, trailers, and RV's. They gather with friends and make transient communities month to month. Quartzite, Arizona, a town of 35,000, balloons to two million people in the winter. Half of the RV'ers are snowbirds from the north and half are nomads that spend the winter there. There is a huge amount of BLM land and you can stay for 7 months for $180 total. Since people sit outside their vehicles and tents, communities of friends spring up easily. This is another type of cohousing.
In my case, my lonely years were all about inner peace, intelligence/the ability to think and health. I've lived with friends and found the habits of others to be disgusting (as I'm sure they found mine to be). I'm sensitive to the noises people make, the smells they create. Now with a family although I love them to bits I don't get any inner peace or self-reflection time. Co-habiting creates worry and tension about things that would otherwise not be there to bother you. Loneliness is a beautiful thing and recommended to find your true self, otherwise you'll just be a grumpy conformist in your later years.
I think you mean solitude, rather than lonliness?
Amazing!
I loved the images used and the personal experience
I'm an introvert and love spending time alone reading or working on a craft project (jewelry, knitting, painting...) locked in my room. But this sounds like a nice idea. Especially when I get into a reading/crafting marathon and don't realize I've missed breakfast and lunch. Though that only happens on the days I don't have to go to work.
When family and churches have been discarded, we must attempt to recreate what we miss of them.
That’s true my friend, i’m not catolic , but a good thing of the catolic church is the importance off a good community.
am i the only person who watched this and thought, I dont want some random person seeing into my house and what i'm doing in the mornings? lol my blinds would be shut the whole time
Susie the whole point of this is having a shared space, not a shared home
And if I wanted to interact with the people in the other apartment I wouldn't want to have to do it across two panes of glass and a void in between.
@@PHlophe just get a communal garden then. Or join an activity group.
Your community doesn't have to be at your doorstep.
@@che3se1495 i can kind of see how people would feel its a little too invasive with less clear boundaries.
I think living next to or with other people is a phenomenal pain in the back side
This is actually ideal for a lot of communities- some universities are basically already doing this- but making this more available in general for people of all ages would be awesome. Also strong communities are necessary, and ours are weakening, so any antidote for that is welcome
If you have pleasant weather and don't rely on heating or A/C a majority of the time, the common area makes sense. But when you have to start splitting the $200/mo for electricity and gas as well as other considerations like that, and people wanting to turn the A/C on higher or lower, or forgetting to turn it off when nobody's in the common area... would be a headache
Condos already do this.
How is listening to music with headphones considered social isolation? Also guaranteed most people you see on their phones are talking to a a friend or family member.
Also some people need isolation; they need to learn to be alone. I know way too many people who'll do anything to get attention.
And very few people would want to sit in a coffee shop alone doing nothing (Except drinking coffee or eating something, of course)
Youre literally blocking one of your senses from your environment, you dont see how its isolation? Did the avid music lovers of the 19th century walk around listening to music? It was a sacred thing and time was taken out to produce and digest music, now you can access it anytime you want, making it less sacred, less meaningful, and encourages the microwave music you see today, similar to fast food, replace your argument with fast food and see if you can find a parallel
@Tay it's not isolation. When you listen to music you're concentrating on your own things, or your own wellbeing. Just because you're blocking a sense, that doesn't mean it's a bad thing.
When people ask for attention it is an expression of loneliness, the need one friend or two that really cares and shares common interests, then they will be fine. Relationships that are not deep will not be enough for them.
Are you wearing headphones because you like music, or are you listening to headphones so you can block everyone else out? When you're talking to your friend while looking at your phone, are you really having a conversation, or are you just making noise at each other.
I can't remember the name of it, but there are a lot of great videos on UA-cam that show how much people miss in their surroundings when they are using their phones, like a guy in a gorilla suit walking around them, or a juggling clown unicycling in front of them. If you like music, then keep liking it. But that's not what she is talking about.
This is great , thank you , this has gave me a new idea for my Architecture class project. ❤️
Great presentation. Clean and straightforward 👌🏽
She means well and I understand, but I value my privacy and personal space. Once I'm inside the perimeter of my home, I'd rather be left alone in peace.
Mango but that’s exactly it, you are. You interact and then you all go home to separate houses
People use their hand held devices to connect to social media to find their communities. Like minded individuals who share their interests, politics and desires aren't necessarily in close proximity to them.
I agree, though there is something to be said for interacting with people who do not share your interests, politics,... to broaden your horizon. Designing people's living spaces to force them to do so seems the wrong approach though.
This looks amazing! I would love to live in a community like this or even a tiny house community like this
Great video!
About people staring at their phones: most people use them for messengers and social media. So technology doesn't make us less social, it just changes the way we are social. If used right, it can be great. Of course if you only use it for superficial relationships, it can still make you feel disconnected.
I wouldn't want to live in the community at 1:00 any more than I would want to live in a commune. There must be other options for us loners who hate smelly barbecues, loud stereos and noisy kids and still require the support of the wider human world.
Trust me, I'd still spend most of my time alone with my computer...
I was born to a family with cousins and friends live in single row terrace of 6 units however my unit serves as the common area for dinner and Mahjong games (Underground gambling I would say). It was fun and now I realised those are the happiness that I've loss while many people don't get to enjoy.
I would never. I'm a hard introvert, so I don't like being surrounded by people at all. I used to struggle living with my parents and now I struggle living with an aunt. So no, thank you. I just want my own home in a place no one knows me!
Not my cup of tea.
I love to have privacy.
GribNick To each his own. Interesting idea.
Did you even watch the whole video? They live in separate apartments but share a large dinning hall and court yard
My old apartments were in a house window-to-window to another house. It was pretty disturbing for me. 90% of the time the curtains on my window were closed. Now I`m living in another apartment with no window-to-window neighbors, and guess what? I feel much better.
So, dear architectors, leave alone my loneliness, please.
I think it would be better if you knew the people
I grew up in this type of building, they are common in Armenia. I think this is a very happy place to grow up in. And of course each family chose how much they wanted to be a part of it.
Thank you, you are amazing...
I know my neighbors, they're fucking awful and some of them I fight with, one is invasive and wants to talk about themselves and will only ask 'how are you' after 20 minutes before continuing to talk about themselves. Maybe they'd benefit from this kind of housing set up but most people would hate it. I don't know anyone who lives in normal apartments and doesn't complain about neighbors, personal space and privacy.
Also, no way would I trust others to watch or look after my kid, living in a shared space does not automatically make all residents trustworthy.
Honestly it reminds me of nursing homes, which would probably be the types of people attracted to this alongside social outcasts who failed to find love or make solid friendships, maybe a single parent would be interested in it too. Not something the general population would be fond of tho.
i love how some people are calling others anti-social for not liking this idea
i bet this people have never dealt with cramp houses full of family members or people they know and hate and have to fight almost for all privileges like animals couse nobody likes the samething others do
imagine this with strangers
loneliness is my best friend. i really find it pleasing
I see a lot of introverts in the comments saying that this is not for them. I'm am introvert and this is for us! Especially if the housing design is done well. Humans are social creatures and need human interaction, a well designed co-housing situation gently helps you build familiarity with the others, so they are not strangers, and gives you the power to choose when to have those interactions and when to seek refuge in your separate room. Co-housing is not a dorm for broke college kids. It's a thoughtfully designed community that provides privacy and casual social interaction when needed by each individual.
Well, I'm an introvert and a loner, but I would like this. Sometimes, I need to be forced to interact with people for my own mental health well-being. She's not trying to force this idea on anyone; she's providing it as an option for some people who need different lifestyle options than what the typical American culture currently offers. It has worked for many other people. Just because it's not for you that does not mean it wouldn't be useful for other people. Not everyone is like you. Not everyone wants what you want. Not everyone values what you value. One person's trash is someone else's treasure.
A lot of apartment complexes don't offer or encourage this type of interaction, and residents don't feel obliged to interact with neighbors because it's only a temporary residence.
Another person who ignored her closing spiel.
mappyhappychappy Why are all of your comments being deleted as spam?? I was interested in what you had to say.
Elizabeth Cartwright You completely missed my point. I'm not fond of repeating what I already said, but apparently that's what has to happen here. I never said the speaker was forcing her ideas on me. I said she has an agenda. If you're saying introverts need to be forced to interact with others to make them "healthy", you're part of the problem in this society. Listen to what the speaker is saying. She's an architect. Who do you think benefits from this? You? Or her?
One question, what is the soundproofing? Cause I want to play my guitar
Something similar was envisioned in the year 1900. Edward Belamy wrote a book called "Looking Backward" in which a Utopian society was described. It was the 2nd most popular book in the world at that time after the Bible. It had many of the same elements Ms. Kim showed us.
My friend lives in co-housing, I love it. I visit frequently, getting to know the neighbors.
I wonder about making it happen where I am
I think cohousing is a bit extreme in our modern world, but the idea of living somewhere with shared spaces like courtyards or even just a single community room with sofas a TV and a kitchenette is great. I live in the suburbs where my neighbors are an older couple who are either inside or visiting their kids, and a single woman who almost crashes into her garage door because she is trying to get inside as soon as possible.
You can point out some flaws to this and I liked the way she addressed that conflicts and problems could arouse, but nevertheless, it's a great concept and I think the idea of it should be more widespread
Lucas no such a thing as conflict free space anyway
Really liked her. Thank god, an educated professnal with a new and bold idea on a Ted talk.
This is a excellent idea! My family and I would love to live in a place like this.
meh i don't mind living alone
sad.
I do everything I can to avoid interacting with my neighbors.
The problem for me is, that I don't like most people, and most people wouldn't like me if they knew me personally.
I could leave the bathroom door open when I'm around my friends, but even as much as having adjazent walls with strangers is unpleasant in terms of privacy. I do feel lonely, but until I can choose the people sorrounding me, I'd rather live secluded.
I think this would work with people who have similar, if not nearly the same values. It’s definitely not for everyone, but in some senses it is a return to humanity’s days living in the same cave or hut.
I was surprised at how much I like having a roommate. I’ve never had one, but now that I do, it’s nice to know someone is there. I trust them and they trust me.
She's promoting her own agenda. Not everyone wants this lifestyle. Not everyone's idea of having a home means connection. Some people like their space, their privacy. And, no, it doesn't need to change. This is just another way to cramp people in like sardines and say it's healthy. I LOVE my space. I don't need an architect to tell me how to live. I'm doing fine without that. Not a convincing speech at all.
She said it's not for everyone, did she not? Your privacy is messing up your hearing, mate.
Yeah, that's why she brought up the study to say it is imperative that governments force this upon us.... for our own health. And I still say she can f*** off.
Don't take it dear.
JLC Roth she’s not saying everyone has to live like this. You’ll still have the option, you always will. I’ve lived in a sharehouse and it was a great experience, I preferred it to a single apartment in the US
she's not forcing her views on you if you for sure don't want it, she's opening up the idea for people that haven't considered it