Page 71 - GHES-2-3

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability
Sustainability with luck-dependent decision-making

(Esteves et al., 2021; Kaul et al., 2022), despite a paucity utopianism, and anarchism (Firth, 2019). Shared values,
of research in this regard. For research to increase in this mutual agreements, or agreed-upon purposes define the
area, maintaining the intentional community through intentional nature of the community. In their attempt at
its economic success is necessary. This study aims to democratic cooperation in a highly competitive culture,
investigate the preferred decision-making practices of intentional communities rely on members’ personally
one economically successful intentional community chosen values being accepted and supported (Jarvis,
in demonstrating equality and achieving peaceful and 2019). Although intentional communities based on shared
just solutions to potential group-wide problems. The personal values have always existed, they remain rare
intentional community is a Korean popular (K-pop) (Kozakavich, 2023). The defining feature of any intentional
music group named Stray Kids. Surprisingly, their primary community is rejecting the idea that one person can
method of decision-making involves using luck to settle represent others—all members must be directly involved
potential community disputes by playing the Rock-Paper- in decision-making (Firth, 2019). In this regard, by their
Scissors game. While unusual, research has identified it as very nature, intentional communities look to support the
a game played in various official capacities (Brockbank & United Nations SDG of equality, as everyone affected by
Vul, 2021). a decision must participate in deciding the course before
Luck is different from fortune, which is defined as a taking action. In a review of various forms of decision-
relatively stable positive or negative context within which making for intentional communities, the conclusion is that
choices are made; in contrast, luck is an unpredictable after considering the needs of everyone, peace remains
series of better or worse outcomes (Ranieri et al., 2019). and a sense of justice prevails (The Seeds for Change
Decisions made by luck are those that are entirely outside Collective, 2007), in contrast to representational decision-
the control of the individual. Relying on luck to make making through voting, where only those identified with
decisions allows individuals to blame external factors the representative winner are satisfied with the result. As
when they experience a loss, impeding the internalization over a decade ago, losing such a representational vote was
of negative emotions (Krull et al., 2024). Negative found to be the primary reason for a lack of satisfaction
emotions are recognized to hamper peace in settling with democracy (Singh et al., 2012), the potential value of
conflicts (Saliternik, 2016). Therefore, a decision-making the decision-making practices of intentional communities
method, like luck, which reduces the internalization of is noteworthy for the larger society for maintaining peace
negative emotions, is compatible with Goal 16 of the and a sense of justice.
United Nations SDGs. In addition, playing games based on Stray Kids is a self-producing male K-pop music group
luck has been identified with players being more forgiving of eight (there were originally nine, one of the members
of shortcomings regarding service failures associated with left the group in 2019 [Delgado, 2019]) members, who live
reasons for playing the game (Xu & Liu, 2024). Forgiveness together in dorms in Seoul, South Korea. JYP Entertainment
is considered a primary ingredient for reconciliation in formed the group in 2017 through a reality TV show of the
social justice and maintaining peace (Mullet et al., 2021), same name (Crystal-Stay, 2022), where the participants
both aspects of Goal 16. were personally selected by their then-20-year-old leader
Intentional communities are groups that “form for a (Wicks, 2023). Since their debut album in 2018, Stray Kids’
specific agreed-upon purpose and live in close proximity to most recent four albums have all ranked number one on
achieve their desired end” (Rubin et al., 2019, p. 181). They the Billboard 200 album chart (Sisario, 2023), which ranks
include those “who have chosen to live (and sometimes the most popular albums of the week in the United States
work) together for some common purpose beyond that of America (US) based on multi-metric consumption
of tradition, personal relationship, or family ties” (Jarvis, in equivalent album units (Caulfield, 2023). In October
2019, p. 268). Consequently, an intentional community 2023, Stray Kids was named Next Generation Leaders
may go beyond people cohabitating and involve a by Time magazine based on their international success,
working community—the type of intentional community global fan base, and goal of “continuously pioneering new
that is the focus of this study. Both definitions identify (musical) subjects to have their music be recognized as a
the importance of an agreed-upon common purpose, ‘Stray Kids’ genre” (de Guzman, 2023). Known for their
representing what is uniquely valued by the intentional humility, earnestness, and empowerment (Frances, 2018),
community. Communities are intentional when they Stray Kids members depend on their close bond with each
choose to live separately from society (Sager, 2018), as other and with their fans to maintain a continuing sense
they isolate themselves spatially and psychologically from of what they have described as “family” (Bell, 2022). The
the mainstream (Lopez & Weaver, 2019). A three-way group represents an intentional community because its
relationship is identifiable among intentional communities, formation was contingent on the values of the leader of the

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2024) 2 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.3191