Gifteconomy

In societys where we value  our actions after the profit we are loosing the view for the needs and gratification. Loosing ourselfs in the routine of daylife. Most of us even forget the impact our actions. Driven by an extrinsic motivation, pushing people into the need of  "gainful employment”.

We’ve created and still supporting a system which turns out beeing kind of psychopat. It’s a system based on the fear. The idea of not becoming enough. For what else reason should I then trade, istead of sharing? I’m not wanting to condemn, but whiching to have a view on trading itself in condicion of time groups.

This article isn’t claming to be scientific. Just tryn to questionizing some strongly ancord habits. :slight_smile:

….but before having a view on trading I would like to go a step further. Because what is needed before beeing able to trade is property. Property itself can be understood as something taken from the comon. It’s a resource holded by private/group until accepted trade occurs. Two maigor(possible) problems can be apier from that. Obviosly as soon as there are enough people trading, it creates a force. Resources you’re mainly able to resieve are needed to be in exchange. It’s creating a “need” to search for trading oportunities for your own service. Which is then aswell creating a extrinsic motivation, which then turns in modern markets in a direction where people following  “oportunities for a trade” instead of activities intrinsic motivated. Like that I find my self where a lot’s people doing jobs they would never do under “normal condicions”. Having more “marketpower” is then directly related to having more power over people.

There might be many solutions to declining this trend. Me personly resonate quiet strongly to those related to the gifteconomy. Somehow I have the feeling while creating a gifteconomy it’s at the same work on all the habbits which let the world look like how it is now.

It’s about sharing and collaboration instead of sensless competition. Same as it creates trust and connections towards each other.

Taking care about something (someone) “just” because you want to. You do because you love to help and because you’re passionated about.

But what if not enough people think like that? The world is already full of volunteers. And once more resources are free available again, more could do so.

Starting with food:

Everything you’ll like to do not alone you need people. Nothing more brings people that easy together then food. Everybody needs to eat. To have this resource free available could be a big step.

While 30-40% of all produced food is wasted a good start is about preventing the waste while sharing the saved food freely. In Germany there’s since about 3 years a movent existing called foodsharing just doing exactly this. In this very moment we’re working on to turn it international. While this movment started from the idea of saving food, there’s still the main focus on. Step by step I would like to create a bigger focus direction eatable cities, community supported agricultre and freeGardens.

If anybody is interested in here, just conntact me. :slight_smile:

Sharing everything (you like to). For that we’re working on a open source multible sharing platform called yunity.org. But it’s not “only” about creating a plattform, it’s on the same about creating/supporting a social architecture brining people together with a focus on collaration.

Once the MVP of the plattform is finished it will be used in first to turn foodsharing into a international movement.

Statement about communitys:

…just some in every contry with the same intention, well connected could easily create momentum.

Creating community/movement:

I’m  looking for a team of 9-30 activists, interested in playing oasis game simliar settings, while traveling together and being filmed.

I will start with in Europe. (if someone likes to do same/simliar somewhere else: DO IT! :-))

Do we need money?

One of the only reason why we may feel like, is of having a lack of connections. Once a network is big enough it’s self-supporting. :slight_smile:

That’s something I’m highly interested to work on.

Foodsharing

The Foodsharing idea (https://project.yunity.org/about_foodsharing in English) just makes so much sense.

I am not completely sure we can classify it as “care”, though. But perhaps it’s not even  that important.

@Paul_Free, I know there are plans of community (vegetable) gardening as part of the city of Galway’s bid to become European Capital of Culture 2020. This is led by the Transition Town people in town. @Noemi and @NiallOH know more about this. Should we put you in touch?

Good morning,

@Paul_Free, I’m totally in! :slight_smile:

I really liked the way you approach this issue, starting with traditional economics basis and then ending in something more like socia/ecological/inclusive economics and global welfare.

Good attitude to start with…

Like @Carolina, I am interested, mostly in the traveling tour.

@Noelito pointed me years ago to a project by European Alternatives called TransEuropa Caravans where a group would go from place to place to meet initiatives and work out storytelling formats for connecting them. See this video as example:

This wasn’t moneyless though, and probably costs a lot of time and work. and only as a starting and learning point.

We tried network building last year in Bucharest with a project called Futurespotters -wasn’t food related but it was also about getting people who are very much aligned in values and agree on a lot of things that need to be solved, to meet each other and collaborate. But then a lot of other things are needed to make a network be self-supporting as you say (not sure if it can though), I don’t even know where to start - leadership, vision, headspace to get out of your own bubble and hyper localized projects -there are so many great initiatives out there doing good. Someone once said to me that they’re actually meant to be small, informal, cheap, and operating at any other scale would ruin it.

This said, food sharing and looking at reducing waste sounds like it’s part of the future, I dont see anyone here disagreeing, so you’re on to something…!

Experimenting Alternative Economics in Cairo, Egypt

I am researching the alternative economics initiatives to hold an event to experiments the different concepts here in Cairo. I was fascinated by the use of alternative currencies in some communities in Brazil and had the chance to meet someone from Banco de Bem.

I basically have many things that I am interested to sell or donate. It has been 3 years since I started to reduce my belonging starting by donating more than half my wardrobe, old functioning computer, extra blanket, etc. Now I want to make some money, can exchange some items for other and donate a few. I started gardening. I planted zuccinis and pumpkins, have herbs and trying to expend :slight_smile: I am interested in your initiative. I can open another discussion to get ideas for my event.

What are the tools known as alternatives to the current economic system?

Examples from around the globe?

What should I be experimenting and spreading awareness through practice?

How?

I feel a little bit confused unable to cluster or organise these concepts: - Bartering - alternative currencies - BitCoin - Gift Economy - Swap - LETS etc.

Finally what Oasis Game are you talking about?

I am in.

Dina

Egypt’s poor a living on donations - Gift and share economy.

Somewhere people were calling for money to buy food to be distributed on poor people during the Ramadan. I can’t see how do you waste food. Do you cook food, eat and through the remaining away instead of storing it in the fridge for next day?

The how is simple…

Food waste is largely about food that doesn’t even end up in your fridge - it gets wasted before that. See example of supermarkets throwing away perfectly good food as a very common one.

alternative economy

I think a basic income for everyone would be a good start to an alternative economy. It would tackle the fear of not having enough. Thus, everyone of us could contribute freely to society providing things and services we’re good at. For me (traumatherapist on wheels) it would be a perfect solution : be able to work / to give to the world without having to think about ‘will I earn enough mony doing so?’

In Finland, a basic income experiment is on its way - I am very curious what the outcome will be, and, eventually, how this wil change economy and society!