Comments on: UnMoney Local Community Alternative Currency Conference in Seattle, April

By: alistair

alistair — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:36:55 +0000

i will break down and charge admission to my seminars. i have no real way to input chickens, goats, eggs, or services for barter anyway. curse the feudal overlords.

i will have to take some satisfaction in the accumilation of credit in my bank account and the attendant sway that holds over the wishes of others.

By: Big Elk

Big Elk — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:30:00 +0000

Perhaps the real â€œwealthâ€ at focus with a tool like that is the social interaction/gesture, etc.

Yes! The actual money is irrelevant and meaningless at best.

Thanks Julia! Render unto Caesar - interpret that however you want. (And your comment above is amazingly concise)

By: Julia

Julia — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 06:49:15 +0000

Hey, while we’re waiting for the monetary system of planet Earth to change could somebody throw some of that filthy lucre in the tip jar? It’s been stuck at $412.77 for a long time and it’s getting annoying. How about a gift certificate for some beer or coffee since we’re on the subject?

By: Julia

Julia — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 06:46:09 +0000

Imho men prefer to owe men and women objects like beer or coffee. Women prefer to owe other women favors that have to do with showing an appropriate emotion when needed by the other woman when she is being observed which necessitates a longer term relationship in order to be repaid. (See, I have a friend/back up/strength. Better than money in the bank. )And, women prefer to owe men nothing but will repay most debts with the appearance of submission and flattery. Most men are satisfied with this arrangement and occasionally get coffee or beer too.

By: skip wiley

skip wiley — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:55:12 +0000

Big Elk, I agree with that totally… there are many potential issues. Transferring could be tricky (”the beer was for you, not that guy!”), as could be the implication of owage where it was not made clear (”you expect me to owe you a beer for that? it was a favor!”). Perhaps the real “wealth” at focus with a tool like that is the social interaction/gesture, etc.

By: Big Elk

Big Elk — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:29:29 +0000

â€¦but I recently came across Foamee, a mash-up built off of the social network Twitter that keeps track of people owing other people a beer (or coffee).

I understand what you’re getting at, but I actually think this is kind of petty. If you’re really good friends, you don’t actually “owe” someone back for a beer. You just know to buy next time, or even better, you just naturally want to buy things for your friends. We don’t need technology for that.

By: Big Elk

Big Elk — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:25:24 +0000

speaking of commerce i would like to think i could survive without money using my new website http://www.mensacademy.com but i don`t think it would be possible.

How are you going to teach anyone anything with an attitude like that? You’re destined to failure and noone will follow that kind of weak leadership.

By: alistair

alistair — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:01:29 +0000

well, there is some guilt implied in who owes who……..what…….when.

unless the deal is completed immediately there becomes issues over time.

money is a phenomenally powerful binding agent in our society that has conscripted us all into enslavement to the feudal lords.

thier agents ride the highways with a show of force that does everything but make sure we go to work on time and get to the mall after supper.

speaking of commerce i would like to think i could survive without money using my new website http://www.mensacademy.com but i don`t think it would be possible.

thank goodness or the godess for paypal.

By: skip wiley

skip wiley — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:55:50 +0000

That event sounds really cool! I have not been around these parts for a few months, so am not sure if this has already been discussed…

…but I recently came across Foamee, a mash-up built off of the social network Twitter that keeps track of people owing other people a beer (or coffee). I had only been vaguely familiar with alternative currencies, but this got me thinking of these things in a digital context.

I’m not sure if there is actual alternative currency involved in this exact example, but the idea of keeping track of “who owes who” in a local, friend-based digital medium seems equally important, in a way. Esepcially with the “average” cell phone being increasingly able to do this internet/GPS stuff… I’m hoping that some cool & useful things can be done with these new tools. Otherwise, what is the point.