This weed we read articles by Kanter and Sosis that highlighted different issues in group life. For the most part from what I’ve read, a communities biggest struggle is usually to stay united and motivated to keep together. Kanter shows us how there are ways to measure the success of an intentional community; degree of congruence from original ideals to its actual existence, satisfaction of members, and sometimes longevity. Maintaining ideals that are consistent with a groups original intentions brings up the question of religion, which Sosis addressed. Religion is the most successful way of equally sharing commitment to groups in communes. Not to say that communities can’t exist based on things like socialism, but it shows that those communities don’t usually last.
It is important for the people in these groups to feel a sense of purpose, to which it helps to have a leader that can uphold central ideals, and a group that is constantly working for the betterment of the lives of themselves and everyone else. Maintenance of the community in itself can offer personal satisfaction with safety, security, and building deep stable relationships with the group. Not to mention work is a source of pride and self esteem by being an important part of something successful – by the members being active in their work and sharing their possessions. This makes it harder for people to get a free ride off the work of others, which becomes harder in religious communities where the purpose is centered around belief instead of working for a purpose.