January Spore: Give It Up

Evolver.net & Burners Without Borders present:

Debt-based currencies controlled by closed syndicates of private banks are not the only way that humans can make an economy. Many tribal cultures have organized themselves around an entirely different way of exchanging value: The gift. Where our financial system expertly moves resources from the many to the few, gift-based cultures like to share what they have – as writer Lewis Hyde noted, “The gift moves toward the empty place.” At a time when billions are enslaved by passionless work while inequity reaches new historic heights, we are seeing a postmodern revival of sharing and gifting, with examples ranging from the open source movement to the annual Burning Man festival.

In this Spore, we explore the abstract theory and practical dynamics of gifting, the challenges of implementing this innovative, yet archaic, way of getting what you want and wanting what you get. We invite fellow Evolvers to bring their precious gifts – whether it be witticisms or wood-carved totems to the Spore and spread them around.

We are very honored to host Charles Eisenstein at this Spore. For those unfamiliar with his writing, I strongly recommend reading this article before we gather: http://www.realitysandwich.com/money_and_turning_age
This chapter of Charles's book, The Ascent of Humanity, speaks of gift culture: http://ascentofhumanity.com/chapter7-9.php