Wouldn't it be wonderful if people would buy less and share more?
Already, much of what humans do for each other is done for free. The paid economy could not survive without the support of the unpaid one at the base.
Parents raise their kids for free. When you help your friend move you don't expect to be paid at the end.
The volunteer movement is huge, with people doing free things for other people every day.
People give each other things all the time. For free. Because people are generous and cooperative by nature, regardless of what consumer capitalism teaches us.
Some people and organizations think we should have more of that, and I agree.
Two such organizations are The Freecycle Network, and The Buy Nothing group.
The gift economy keeps things out of the dump, and strengthens community bonds. That is what is facilitated in these groups.
The Freecycle Network - Changing The World One Gift At A Time
Welcome to The Freecycle Network™! We are a grassroots & entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving and getting stuff for free in their own Towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Membership is free. Sign up now.
Buy Nothing Project - Buy Nothing, Share Everything
BuyNothing offers people a way to give and receive, share, lend, and express gratitude through a worldwide gift economy network in which the true wealth is the web of connections formed between people. We believe that communities are more resilient, sustainable, equitable, and joyful when they have functional gift economies.
When money enters the picture, the energy flow of the Universe gets gummed up when we succumb to greed and hoarding behaviour.
This scarcity mindset jams up the free flow of the vital life force, and pits us against one another.
But this energy is limitless, and there is enough for everyone. In the end, one will find that when you give, you also receive.
It is a much more abundant and joyful experience than acquisition in the marketplace of selfishness that capitalism is based upon.
Do you have any experience with either of these groups, or something like them? How has it worked out for you?
Something common in many parts of our community (a small city of about 40,000) is we set things on our curbs with a "FREE!" sign on the items. Everything from potted plants to furniture to storage containers to bikes--you get the idea. There is no set day or schedule to this--just as the individual giving something away sees fit. Works for most of us every single time.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to beat the curb method.
Delete- Gregg