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The Abundant Community: Awakening The Power Of Families And Neighborhoods (2010)

by John McKnight(Favorite Author)

3.96 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1605095842 (ISBN13: 9781605095844)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

Berrett-Koehler Publishers

review 1: Really liked this. We focus so often on what is wrong or complaining - here are not only good ideas, but a background for what makes community - and makes it well. Rather than thinking about what I need - look to what the community needs to thrive - and your life as a part of that community will be better. Should be required reading for school boards and local elected officals
review 2: In this weak economy where budgets of local governments and non-profit budgets will continue to get slashed, it is especially heartening to read the mutual-reliance message inherent in this book. Rather than rely solely on outsiders and related funding and services, the authors suggest we band together with locals to come up with our own solutions to problems – and ways to ... moreleverage the resources we each have in support of “our” community.While the authors advocate “no more relying on institutions or systems to provide us with the good life” the ideas that are good enough to be adopted do tend to get honed into systems and sometimes even institutions. That’s part of the ebb and flow of community design.I see variations on this message from sites like shareable and the creative people cited in Richard Florida’s books.Another reviewer notes that the authors advocate our striving toward greater compassion for each other rather than greater systems of efficiency yet I believe that, like natural systems and user-friendly design, finding ways to be more efficient can be a reflection of caring about one’s community. Not only do I feel compassion but genuine liking for those in my community who invent or suggest a way to make our community better run and/or close-knit. That’s compassion in action.As a long admirer of Block’s ideas who believes that the economy will be bumpy at best for the next five or so years I am heartened by the several specific ways that bottom-up community-building is happening - and that the models for such local efforts spreading so leaders in different communities can learn from each other’s local experience. The more specific they are the more “spreadable” they become – and often they reflect more efficient ways to be mutually supportive. Some examples are as seemingly mundane as Freecycle – which is elegantly moderated in my Marin County by “Nicole,” co-work space and the Village movement started in Beacon Hill. When people discover concrete ways they can be mutually-supportive they tend to adopt and modify them and to tell others. to spread.From my work in forging partnerships to generate more value and visibility I’ve found that identifying the sweet spot of mutual interest between individuals and/or organizations is a crucial first step to exploring how to accomplish greater things together than one can alone. When people collaborate around an explicit shared purpose they tend to bring out the better sides in each other so they inevitably get closer.Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the co-authors use their influence to advocate the creation of an online community where we could exchange ideas about what’s working to create “abundant communities?” less

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