There are forces pulling our society in opposite directions. The example of the constructive chaos of Burning Man and the destructive chaos of Katrina coinciding at the same time illuminates this point quite drastically. While some pressures on artists have become almost routine, (government suppression, corporate homogenization, etc.) other more destructive forces are gaining strength. For the first time in remembered history our lives are completely dependent on a centralized technological infrastructure that will inevitably fail, either by force of war, natural disaster, or economic collapse due to lack of cheap energy. We face these challenges at the same time as the tools for reconnecting and preserving our community have become available to everyone. For the first time ever we are all connected via electronic media and have the knowledge and technology to create an autonomous, sustainable, and free society while still enjoying the benefits of modern civilization.

The basic concept we are presenting is not new. Indigenous tribal cultures have existed before and will continue to exist after our present centralized, hierarchal society has destroyed itself. These cultures, along with the recent emergence of modern planned communities offer examples to be learned from and integrated into our own social experimentation. What we are proposing is social construct that takes the core concepts of these examples, (self-sufficiency, social equality, the sense of security that only a community can provide,) and incorporates them into a dynamic structure that can be experienced by everyone on a permanent basis.

We propose the conscious development of rural properties outside of the major cities that can sustain the needs of both a permanent and transient population. With the basic necessities of food, water, and sanitation provided by the application of already developed techniques, the resulting surplus of energy can be used to create sustainable artistic joy. Burning Man is an example of surplus energy from one system, (food, water, fuel and materials generated from a capitalist economy) being used to facilitate a week of fantasy. What we want to create is a system that can make that fantasy an ongoing reality, one that needs only the input of imagination and a willingness to cooperate.

The technology and practices already exist to allow a small group of people with varying levels of experience and knowledge to provide for the needs of a much larger community. Once the basic on-site infrastructure is in place and is overseen by competent individuals, a rural property can handle the influx of people looking to escape the social limitations of everyday life and participate in an ongoing cultural experiment of artistic expression freed from the confines of an economy of enforced scarcity.

When visiting such a place, the public should have the option of paying to enjoy the fruits of the community, participating in the work necessary to maintain the community, or contributing a form of art as compensation for their stay. Of course these contributions would have to be approved by a board of curators and certain time limits would have to be included. This mixed system of exchange would encourage participation while still providing funds to maintain the property and pay back the initial investment.

This concept will not take energy away from the pursuit of social change and expression within our major cities. Having a working example of our principles existing at the right distance outside the city will prove to be invaluable in the struggle to affect positive change within our system. The communities will provide training grounds for sustainable practices and serve as models for the reconstruction of our cities, especially Los Angeles, the media capital of the world. The greatest gift this kind of open community provides is in its permanence. A person can be inspired by what they experience and immediately bring back their friends to enjoy and be inspired within a short time, allowing the exposure to concepts such as a gift economy and artistic sustainability to spread much faster than rate we see today, with events like Burning Man happening only once a year.

On top of it all, these communities will also serve as lifeboats for the eventual collapse of industrialized civilization. Since its not if but when, and since no matter how sustainable and well defended a community is, continuing to live within a giant city after the power, water, and delivery trucks have all stopped is impossible, we will all need to have a place to retreat to. A functioning community that has practiced integrating strangers into a cooperative team will be worth its entire weight in gold, (and gold will be worth a lot!)

We are at a crossroads in human history. We have both the physical and intellectual means to create a decentralized societal system where self-sufficient local communities provide both the security and the freedom that humans need and for the first time we have the tools to spread these concepts to open minded individuals all around the world. At the same time we are well within the twilight of the corporate/empire/state power system that is sustaining our lives at this very moment. Old forms of life die out and make way for new life to flourish. The question is, will we make the transition ourselves and can we help others to the same?