I worked on a kibbutz for a year in my late teens and found it an incredibly good life lesson. For many its the first time they’ve ever been away from home and living on thier own. Not only do you need to keep your place clean you have work 8 hours a day, or they’ll kick you out!
It teaches lessons about how a community is greater than the sum of its parts, and helps to foster the understanding that, as part of a community, you are responsible for your share of making it work.
Personally, I can’t think of a better thing that youngsters today could learn. She may not like the lifestyle – its pretty basic, especially for American kids used to hot-and-cold running everything – but at least she’s experienced it, which is more than many other kids today will.
Lots of people live in a ‘communal’ way – not just religious orders or the military. Even renting in an apartment complex is a sort of ‘communal’ living style. If you’re totally unconcerned about the other people around you then eventually you’ll get kicked out.
I don’t really understand why being taught to consider others needs and to work for a common good ‘isn’t a good way to start off life’.