Adam Pine

Lot's of interesting thoughts. I completely agree about community, it gives you purpose and, at least for me, turns a monotonous task like hugelkultur beds into something so much more when you can imagine the faces of the people eating their fruit. It does seem like there is a changing tide with more people being willing to step out of their comfortable lives and try the hard things like permaculture. Have you looked much into anthropology? There are many examples of groups of people living and working together in flexible arrangements that aren't driven by dogma. Curious to hear more thoughts on how that could look? I'm a big fan  of making ambitious but realistic plans and then executing them (as best as possible).

Totally agree, I've been trying to start a community in TN that might be a good fit. Quietude is not a stated goal but definitely a by product of living a simple, largely self sufficient life. Honestly, once you give up fossil fuels, reliance on machinery and living near anyone that hasn't, humans can be very quiet. I've been living about a mile from anyone else for almost 3 years and rarely hear anyone else. The trees and terrain help to isolate the noise, in the summer the underbrush and canopy is thick enough to block almost all noise except gunshots about once a week and a car or two a day. In the winter I definitely hear domestic dogs (sometimes) and coyotes (more often) from a mile+ away. Logging operations (several days a year) and chainsaws from maybe 2+ miles depending on direction/terrain. I'm deep enough in the forest that light pollution is basically non-existent (when I turn my lights off). I like the idea of limiting noise to certain hours a week but I'm struggling to think if there are enough loud tasks to even warrant that.