Fraser is completing his Master of Arts in Social Anthropology at Massey University, and tutors the core citizenship course within the Bachelor of Arts programme. His thesis is an ethnography exploring an New Zealand eco-village that was established to realise a desire to live sustainably. Sustainability is articulated as living lightly on the earth and closer to nature, representing a break from what they perceive as the competitive, consumerist values that prevail in mainstream society. Some community members take this further, and seek to influence the world beyond their community. In an attempt to achieve these goals, the eco-villagers have adopted permaculture principles, and have ample economic resources to draw upon. Despite this, Fraser discovered a frustration amongst the eco-villagers that feel they have been unable to see their values materialise. A common theme presented was ‘sustainability is not possible.’ All have encountered challenges, and taken divergent approaches to create their ideal lifestyles, which caused conflict in the community. These challenges, and the attendant inability to achieve ideals, have in-part resulted from the social and economic context within which the eco-village project has been attempted.
These experiences illustrate the need for context to be considered in whether individuals have the ability to put their values into action. Fraser attempts to contribute to a body of work that contends that ‘sustainability’ cannot simply be the result of individual action and responsibility – systemic change must be foremost. Furthermore, rigid conceptions of ethical ‘success’ or ‘failure’ do not account for the attempts of individuals, with diverse backgrounds and world views, to lead better lives in constrained circumstances. Ecologically ethical living at an individual level is better understood as a progressive movement towards an ideal, rather than succeeding or failing in specific instances.