We all have an idea of what needs to happen; we are piecing together the Transition to a better world in the ways we know how; many of us are reaching out to potential allies, although building productive partnerships is difficult.
The internet is a powerful tool that brings together people who share ideals, languages, and passions and so we spend a lot of time connecting to allies online. Where else in my life could I find people to advise me, support my work and use my software?
Yet I realised yesushterday that this specialisation may have gone too far. The Transition seems to consist of many people and groups pushing in the same direction but somehow not connected, not referring to each other. United by a love of the Earth and of Life, we nevertheless don't know enough about what each other is doing and how all the pieces fit together.
So my field is grass roots monetary reform. I build the software for local communities to run and manage their own accounting systems. I know lots of people interested in that, but this is not a solution in itself. Here are some other reasonably coherent pieces of the puzzle. (By coherent, I mean they could possibly make policy decisions):
- Green / local businesses
- Cryptocurrencies
- Timebanking movement
- Philanthropists
- Investors / crowd investment platforms
- Cooperative movement
- Transition movement
- Permaculture
- Labour union movement
- Ecovillage movement
- Green party and others in politics
I think the best umbrella term for all of these is the 'Solidarity Economy'. Just imagine what could be accomplished with all these actors in the same room! Who did I leave out?
As I see it, the mycelium mat that could connect all of these is an accounting system - enabling them to share resources, work for each other without money, and build relationships and trust.
I'm just sayin.
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