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Twin Oaks Intentional Community was founded in 1967 based on the behaviorist principles of BF Skinner's book Walden Two. We are no longer a behaviorist community, but it is here that our roots lie, and so we are including this information on the wepbage. Note that Twin Oaks does retain some of it's Walden Two roots: the labor system and planner/manager decison-making system were important elements in Walden Two which are still central to life at Twin Oaks.

This site was intended for open discussion of issues raised in and by B.F. Skinner's 1948 utopian novel, Walden Two, and issues about communities and behavior science. It was created by Nexus, a former member of Twin Oaks.

Now, let us explore the idealism of, and the critiques against Walden Two.

Walden Two, the Novel
Communal Experiments
Literature and the Arts
Science and Behavior
B.F. Skinner
Quirky

Walden Two, the Novel

Reconsidering Walden Two: Skinner’s Novel is Best Read as a Popularization of Reinforcement Theory, Not the Necessary Civic Components for a Behaviorological Community by Barry Stoller

Communal Experiments

Creating Utopia An article about Los Horcones, by Hilke Kuhlmann.

Twin Oaks Community was originally inspired by Walden Two, but now has an ideologically diverse membership.

Walden Two's Bastard Child Nexus explores the strained relationship between the novel and Twin Oaks Community.

Walden Two Community Forming

UTOPIA 2 0 0 0
Utopia 2000. Another proposed community based on a sort of Walden Two idea, and heavy on the socialist political aspects.

Communities magazine (#103, Summer, 1999) is a special issue on Walden Two communities. Order it now from the publisher online, or call 1-800-462-8240 US & Canada (1-540-894-5798 elsewhere) and use Visa, Mastercard, or Discover, or send your name, address, and phone number, along with a note about what you are ordering together with your payment (made out to Communities Magazine) to:

Literature and the Arts

Upon Further Reflection, by B.F. Skinner, 1984. This anthology contains a sequel to Walden Two! Few people seem to be aware that B.F. Skinner Wrote a sequel to Walden Two. It's called, "News From Nowhere, 1984," and it's in this anthology. It tells how George Orwell fakes his death and then lives out the rest of his days at Walden Two with Frasier, Burris, the pie lady and crew. Notable in this story is that Skinner (via Frasier) explicitly identifies his ideology as anarchist. I'm sure Chomsky would disagree (not to mention Zerzan.)

The Theory of the Leisure Class, by Thorstein B. Veblen, nd. Mentioned in Walden Two

Looking Backward 2000-1887, by Edward Bellamy, 1887. This 19th Century utopian novel set in the year 2000 was one of B.F. Skinner's main inspirations for writing Walden Two.

Walden Two   A folk-grunge band from the Netherlands.

Science and Behavior

Behavior Analysis Links

Behaviorists for Social Responsibility

World Database of Happiness Continuous register of scientific research on subjective appreciation of life

International Society for Performance Improvement Dedicated to improving human performance in the workplace in systematic and reproducible ways.

B.F. Skinner (1904-1990)

B.F. Skinner's Grave

Quirky

This Walden Two Fan Site is hosted by

but does not necessarily represent the opinons or policies of Twin Oaks Community.