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(#9) Falling In Love Was Seen As A Sin
In a community that abhorred monogamy, falling in love with a specific individual could be a very bad thing, indeed. Thanks to the system of complex marriage in Oneida, all of the men were technically married to all the women, and vice versa - so devoting oneself to a single person threatened to undermine the entire commune.
Moreover, with their emphasis on sex as a social experience that could heal and perfect the soul, falling in love could be a selfish sin.
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(#13) The Founder Fled To Canada
The Oneida Community lasted for around 30 years. Though relatively successful, it never could escape the air of scandal and immortality that Victorian America assigned to it. In 1879, hopes of utopia came crashing down when Noyes fled to Canada to escape charges of statutory rape.
Considering how young some women were when they were sexually initiated into the community, the charges are not surprising. He soon encouraged remaining members to quit his program and find a new occupation.
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(#3) Sexual Education Was A Hands-On Experience
Since the Oneida community allowed free love, they took the act and art of sex very seriously. As such, younger members were initiated in the act of sex by older members in a kind of mentorship program. Post-menopausal women mentored adolescent males, since there was no question of the woman's getting pregnant while the young men learned control.
Disturbingly, Noyes himself often took up the task of mentoring young women at the age of around 12.
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(#10) Oneida Made A Name For Itself By Making Cutlery
Despite being a fairly self-contained commune, Oneida had to sustain itself somehow. Members took up various industries and trades. Among the most successful: making silverware. After 1879, members of the community set up the Oneida Company, which continues to manufacture cutlery.
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(#12) The Community Was Built On Ideas Of Equality
As a result of the Industrial Revolution, questions of social equality and economic opportunity intensified in the 19th century. The Oneida Community provided one answer to these concerns. In theory, everyone in Oneida was equal.
This was echoed in the fact that everyone rotated jobs, wore the same clothes, and shared responsibility of children born into the community.
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(#6) The Community Made Criticism Public
Noyes intended to perfect the body and soul of Oneida members. That meant doling out constructive criticism. The Oneida Community thus had a regular, official meeting where members would critique one another. Known as "cures," these meetings gave members the chance to air grievances and make observations about others.
The hope was that the criticisms would fall on responsive ears and that it would relieve social pressure.
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When it comes to Oneida, most people associate it with exquisite silverware. But few people know that it was born of a radical religious experiment on free love in the 19th century. The Oneida was a community established by Noyce and his disciples near New York State in the 19th century. Members of the Oneida commune insist that free love is the key to eternal life. They believe that there is heaven on earth, and God's energy can be obtained through prayer, communication, and even sex.
The Oneida can be said the most successful commune in American history. More than 200 members live like a big family, they can share works, property, and even their lovers. The random tool introduced 13 facts about life in Oneida.
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