How to Share - for Adults
Soundtrack
Sometimes I awaken to the realization that I am a stubborn 44 year old grad student that decided to do his PhD on “How to share – for adults” then found a null hypothesis – and just never gave up looking.
I went into humanitarian work, figuring I’d find the answer. Nope.
Turns out “How to share” is a wicked problem. But I did find some answers.
- Taking turns (reciprocity)
- Keeping track (accountability)
- Honoring Commitments (honesty)
- Combining resources (pooling)
- Public infrastructure (building together multiplier)
What tools would we need to bring out those abilities – and answer the question “How to share”?
For kids – they just learn to “Give”
It’s too simple. Doesn’t really pan out unless you’ve got parents footing the bill for your paid tickets to Burning Man.
Many assume that indigenous gift-like economics were simply like a society of children giving each-other endless gifts, without identifying the ‘adults’ that weave it into reality.
But for adults, it gets more complicated …. “To whom?” “How much much?”
“Where do I get it so I can give it?”
“What if I run out?” “Who will share with me?”
These questions – without sufficient answers, a nest egg, or wealthy parents, push toward accepting that you’ll have to do something to get money.
And we as a society do…. Stuff to get money.
And so the solution - I thought:
The rally call I remember as a teen was “Go local” which, in my 20s, was followed by “State money bad, local money good” from Complementary and Community Currency folks. It seemed like a logical progression. Communities can make their own money?!”
“Money is a great invention that just needs to be reworked” - is another phrase that I would hear and repeat.
Stated more eloquently “large-scale systems [like money] ‘dissolve’ communities into large formless bodies of people who just see themselves as floating ‘consumers’, while small-scale systems [like local money] connect people into more holistic closely-knit meshes” — Brett Scott
- I was hooked on the idea - “Let communities make their own money!”
Sadly those ‘closely-knit meshes’ when using the same ‘money’ logic still dissolve groups and communities into zero-sum systems as well.
When starting to find grassroots economics - in 2010 with Eco Pesa followed by Bangla Pesa – I was under the assumption that decentralization of ‘money/currency’ was the answer to a lot of “How to Share” social/economic problems. As a result I worked with community groups and business networks to create common vouchers among themselves in printed and eventually digital forms. I would call these Community Currencies or Community Inclusion Currencies in general and the idea was that these instruments would be able to circulate as a general purpose medium of exchange (e.g. money).
Fast forward ~10 years - after witnessing over a million exchanges via SMS/USSD front ends with distributed ledger back ends with tens of thousands of users and over a 100 groups - I’ve noticed some key commonalities with the successes and failures of these groups.
Don’t work: “Sharing breaks down” When anything is assumed to be a ‘currency or money’ (i.e. that it will be accepted by people without having any guarantee behind it). When there is no promise, integrity or commitment behind the instrument.
Do Work: “Sharing continues” Individual commitments of members enable a pooling and flow of value and building of trust within a group. The pooling and flow was strongest in Kenyan groups that did merry-go-round or traditional mutual aid. Commitments between groups enabled a flow of vouchers across different groups
Rather than creating money - if I imagine that the issuer(s) of a voucher are creating a promise or commitment I fall into the theoretical landscape of Promise Theory which formalizes the development of trust via sovereign agents expressing promises. This concept of building trust matches with mutual aid where trust is built from various forms of pooling and exchanging commitments.
Taking these observations and concepts to heart I’ve begun to focus more and more on pooling ‘Vouchers’ - expressions of commitments or promises - as a primary focus rather than ‘Money or [community] Currency’ (terms which tend to confuse more than help).
Together with partners like the Foundation for Law and Governance in Kenya - we’ve coined the term Community Asset Vouchers when working with groups issuing a voucher and not individuals and groups or businesses can create their own unique vouchers for free on https://sarafu.network
Here is a step-by-step guide on creating an account and voucher ( please give it a try yourself - free!)
Pooling of various vouchers together has become a major focus as we learn from indigenous mutual aid practices. We no longer think of the instruments we help develop as money or currencies - but rather as vouchers or expressions of their intention (promises and commitments) and instead of expecting these vouchers to circulate like money we focus on methods of pooling them together as our ancestors did.
For a model of a non-monetary system that includes accounting, credit, and debt, please see:
- [Village Market Simulation v1.1 - Non-Monetary](
Imagine a new form of cooperative.
What could a transition look like?
Given the importance of commitments of sovereign agents, – I realized that a single instrument or credit or money (or community currency) working across a group was putting the cart before the horse.
The same problem with national currency was, and still is, there in community currency just at a smaller scale. A credit/money that rotates and moves among a group but has no real commitment behind it – must employ a whole circus of routines to keep it moving.
“I want the freedom to thrive that money gives me” - the Haves
“I want the freedom to survive that money gives me” – the Have-Nots
Something that everyone can unabashedly want for legitimate reasons … Wow that must be a good thing right? - wrong! The dichotomy of the Haves and Have-Nots is the tragic melody that I know can’t be the only song we can sing this holiday season.
The elegant systems of mutual aid - resource coordination (sharing) among indigenous peoples should not be lumped into a term money or currency. Rather than reinvent the terms (money and currency) to be better or more holistic, let's appreciate and learn more from the methods our ancestors used for generations.
In finding my indigenous roots I draw from those whom stock I was cut - family.
I remember my mom baking cookies and me greedily trying to snatch one at the age of 8.
“Willy no.” I stopped, caught red handed.
“These are for the new neighbors down the street. Go take them a plate first.” she continued, in that tone that I knew there was no use disputing - it was the right thing to do.
I brought the plate of cookies down the road. The neighbors were startled and happy, they said welcome back anytime then they brought the bowl back later and said hi to my mom.
If all you saw was the cookies – you would miss the work of a great weaver ( I love my mom ).
…. handkerchief time ….
So “How to Share” – for Adults?
As an adult this (photos above) is the best I’ve come up with personally - taking turns gardening with my neighbors every week. Hope my mom is proud.
The book that’s yet to be written. Maybe you’ll write your own version - whomever is reading this?
Potential trust is quite powerful and takes a spark (sometimes a cookie) to begin the flow. Here are some cookies, enjoy.
Here is a book for early teenagers that I continue to putter around with on “How to share” called Fritology.
Here is a yearly report by Grassroots Economics on “How to Share”.
“How to Share – For Adults” coming soon.
Should you be interested in learning what how to share, then I suggest seeking a consultation with your own mom if possible and if not – find or become a Grassroots Economist.
For all the money you might normally give Grassroots Economics this year – I want you to give those cookies to your neighbors.
Happy Holidays.
-Will