Los Horcones:
a Walden Two Community
"The problem of far greater importance remains to be solved. Rather than build a world in which we shall all live well, we must stop building one in which it will be impossible to live at all."
B. F. Skinner 1989. p 84
There are many types of communities (intentional communities)all over the world. Each has its own distinctive characteristics. Los Horcones is a Walden Two community. Its most distinctive characteristic is that these type of communities apply data derived from behavior analysis to the design of a culture where all people can live happily and productively. See Behavior Analysis.
Note. If you are not acquainted with terms like "behavior analysis", "behaviorism", "cultural design" or others like these, don't worry. What we are saying above is that Los Horcones gives plenty of importance to interpersonal relationships, and that a behaviorally designed community is centered in the improvement of this relations and in the development of each of its members as unique personas (unique behavioral repertoire). A Walden Two society applies the science of behavior.
A Walden Two community is not based on opinions or subjective ideas of a guide, leader or guru, but rather on scientific evidences about human behavior which is of knowledge of all its members. For a Walden Two community the behavior of its members is as important that it studies and analyzes it from a scientific perspective, not subjective- not based on opinions. In this way it is possible to avoid to give it personal biases - that the community does or stop doing something based on the personal preferences of its members.
Why do we say that Los Horcones is a Walden Two community
The name Walden Two comes from a novel written in 1945 by the behavioral psychologist B. F. Skinner. The novel Walden Two was published by Macmillan in 1948. See B. F. Skinner.Los Horcones uses the name Walden Two to label a community design based on data obtained by the science of behavior. These data are applied in several areas of the community, such as family life, education, economics, organization,work and government. You can see in a very general way how we apply the science of behavior in Los Horcones by reading this home page.
Note. Please do not expect to find in Los Horcones an ideal community where a science of behavior is being effectively applied in each of its areas. To the extent in which our human and financial resources increase we have more possibilities of achieving our objectives as a Walden Two.To design a new society is not an easy task.
Thus the central point of a Walden Two community is its application of the science of behavior and its philosophy, radical behaviorism.See Radical Behaviorism.
From our point of view, the fact that a community is "inspired"by the novel Walden Two, does not makes it a Walden Two style community.A Walden Two is a community of members strongly committed to the science of behavior and behaviorism applied to the design of a better society.
If you want, you can skip this part. It is only a clarification about the use and misuse of the name "Walden Two".
Perhaps you will find the following note misplaced, but we considered opportune to clarify the following:
It is not appropriate for the development of the Walden Two movement to identify as Walden Two communities those which were only initially inspired in the book Walden Two. People confuse these type of communities with Walden Two. To be inspired in a novel to start a community, is not the same as applying the science of behavior in the structure and functioning (design) of a community.
A Walden Two community is one where concepts and principles of behavior analysis are applied to the design of each one of their areas. Members of a Walden Two community, have radical behaviorism as their basic philosophy.
To us, it is sad that today even some behavior analysts (behaviorists)consider as Walden Two communities, those that were merely inspired in the Walden Two novel. This does not help to the development of the Walden Two movement. Perhaps for them this is not relevant but it is to those of us who are building a Walden Two.
To say that a community is a Walden Two community, just because it was inspired in the novel or because it applies some of the practices described in the novel. It would be like saying that a school is aWalden Two school because itimplements a couple of thins from the novel to education without really applying the science of behavior to teaching. We are sure that no serious behavior analysts would make this statement.
But let us be clear: We are not saying that these communities do not function well or that they are wrong simply because they are not Walden Two. Communities inspired in the novel Walden Two may be very successful, as an other type of community. What we are saying is that a community is not a Walden Two merely by being inspired in the novel Walden Two or by applying some of the practices Skinner presented in his novel. The central idea of Skinner's novel were not the practices he suggested, but the application of behavior analysis to the design of a culture. Walden Two is based in a radical behavioristic philosophy.
One of the possible explanations why this misleading idea is maintained by some behavior analysts from U.S.A., is that they have learned nationalistic(ethnocentric) behaviors. They do not want to admit that something positive that does not happen in their own country, can happen in another country.We are saying this based on the report of many visitors (journalists, etc).For example: when journalists from U.S.A. is interested in writing about Walden Two, they do not consider important to come to Mexico to write their article because they say that the general reader in U.S.A. is not interested in what happens in Mexico. The news about Mexico which do have an impact are only those on terrorism, drug dealers and governmental corruption. That is the way Mexico is often represented (misrepresented) on the U.S.A. media.
The fact that the first Walden Two was founded in Mexico, it does not mean it is a "Mexican Walden Two" as it would not be "French Walden Two" would it had been founded in France. Walden Two is like world citizens, not nationalistic. Walden two is for all.
To those who are reading the novel Walden Two:
If you are reading the novel Walden Two, please consider the following facts:
a) Skinner was not a novel writer, he was a scientist.In his novel he presented a personal view of what a society which applied the science of behavior, as it was at that time, could be.
b) Skinner wrote he novel in 1945. There is a big difference between the data available about human behavior at that time than now.
c) The main point of the novel is that we can design a society applying the science of behavior. That we can live a behavioristic philosophy. So it will be useful for you to now more about this science and philosophy. We recommend you to read the first three chapters of the book "Science and Human Behavior" written by B. F. Skinner in 1953 (Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.).
The following books can also be useful. Some of its the chapters are more suitable to beginning readers of Skinner's work:
"Reflections on Behaviorism and Society" (Skinner, 1978. Prentice-Hall, Inc.).
"Upon Further Reflections" (Skinner, 1987. Prentice-Hall, Inc.)
"Recent Issues in the Analysis of Behavior" (Skinner, 1989. Merrill Publishing Co.)
Please if some of your professors are misrepresenting Walden Two, Behavior Analysis or Behaviorism,suggest them to please read this Web Page
Some implications of Radical Behaviorism:
a) We are not competitive or cooperative from birth, we learn these behaviors through interaction with our environment. We learn it from our culture.
b) In order to change our behavior the environment needs to change. Thus, by designing a society which promotes or reinforces cooperation instead of competition, we will learn to cooperate. This is Walden Two is trying to do.
c) In improving the society we need to have a constant experimental attitude, not fixed rules, no dogmatism. Everything needs to be tested and what does not work, needs to be change. This is a basic practice in Walden Two.
d) Behaviorism is humanist. It considers each individual as unique because his/her history is unique. Radical behaviorism is a humanist philosophy because: - it seeks the full development of one's potential. - It leads us to a rich and meaningful life and helps us to become better person. - It believes in the human potential, in self-realization behaviors.
Behaviorism is humanism
When we apply the science of behavior to the design of a culture, we obtain a Walden Two culture with the following characteristics:
- A culture based on cooperation not on competition, a communitarian society.
- A culture based on equality not on inequality or discrimination,a egalitarian society.
- A culture with a non hierarchical organization. A culture open to all people regardless age, sex, nationality, cultural or economic status,etc. A personocratic society. See Personocracy.
- A culture based on sharing not on appropriation. A sharing society. See Walden Economy
- A culture based on pacifism (non-violence) not on aggression.A pacifist society.
- A culture that respect religious beliefs as long as they are not used to attack, discriminate or compete with people with different beliefs. See Religion in Walden Two
- A culture ecologically oriented. An ecological society.See Ecology. See Desert Tortoise Reserve
- A culture which seeks self-sufficiency in all possible aspects. See Self-sufficiency
Frequent questions about this theme
1. Was Los Horcones inspired by the novel Walden Two?
No, it was not. Los Horcones is based on the science of behavior and radical behaviorism. Skinners' novel was a fictional account based on his subjective view about how behavioral principles could be applied to a community.
2. What is Radical Behaviorism?
A rough definition of radical behaviorism could be the following: It is a philosophy about human behavior which states that human beings learn to behave the way we do, we aren't born the way we are. We behave (act) the way we do as a result of interacting with our environment. We can modify our environment and in turn these modifications affect our behavior (affect the way they act). The relationship environment-behavior is reciprocal. We are not passive upon our environment. We are not machines that respond to stimuli. We interact with our environment and change it. Radical behaviorism is a humanistic philosophy. It seeks the best for all people. See Radical Behaviorism
3. Is the novel Walden Two a guide for Los Horcones community?
No. The novel Walden Two is just Skinner's personal version of a fictional society that has applied the science of behavior to its design.It is important to remember that he wrote his novel back in 1945. From that date up to now, the science of behavior has advanced greatly. Consequently,Los Horcones is now applying a more advanced science of behavior. For example,research carried out in Los Horcones about natural reinforcement and on forms of government, have significantly influenced the design of this community.
B.F. Skinner was the first to propose the application of the science of behavior to the design of a culture. His proposal was made in his novel Walden Two.
Note. In one of our conversations with Skinner, he told us "I like that you are not based on my novel, but in the experimental analysis of behavior."
4. What is the difference between a Walden Two community and other type of communities?
Walden Two communities apply the science of behavior to their design, other communities have philosophical, political, religious or other types of foundations.
In a Walden Two community, members need to improve as a person, to change their individualistic and competitive behaviors by altruistic and cooperative ones. They need to learn communitarian behaviors. A Walden Two community is a educational community. It arranges the conditions so its members can learn communitarian behaviors. Walden Two does not let personal change happen at random, but helps its members to achieve it.
A Walden Two community is not a group of individuals who do not consider the common good.
A Walden Two community is not nationalistic.
Walden two does not have gurus whose knowledge is revealed from supernatural dimensions. In Walden Two no person is worshiped.
Skinner was not a guru to Los Horcones, but he was our friend. His contributions to the science of behavior have made Los Horcones possible. See B. F. Skinner.
Walden Two communities are not "hippy" communes where drugs are used and where people escape from their responsibilities.Of course, Walden Two communities respect other types of communities,other alternative lifestyles.
5. Are there other Walden Two communities in the world?
No. Unfortunately, until now only Los Horcones. We are planning an extension to U.S.A. and to Spain. If you want to help us start a sister Walden Two community someplace in the world, please send us an e-mail message.
6. Do you say that if a community is not Walden Two style then it is not a successful community?
No, we do not say that. There are very successful communities which are not Walden Two or behavioristic communities. What we say is that if a community does not apply a science of behavior in its design then it is not a Walden Two community. What we say is that if its members are not identified with a radical behaviorist philosophy,then it is not a Walden Two community.
7. Is B. F. Skinner a guru for you?
No. He was a friend and he help us. His research has given us the possibility to initiate Los Horcones. But more data about human behavior in cultural setting need to be obtain.
Last up-date: May 2003
Go back to the Index