Saturday, June 14, 2014

God’s Economy ~ Is it possible?


In a world and culture captivated by the faux-polarity1 of Capitalism / Communism, what are one’s economic options?

from Office: Microsoft.com
 MC900299723
Our better natures seem to prefer giving the gift of self, time, and talent to improve the world. (See Daniel Pink’s, Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us.) Thus, various forms of giving have arisen to satisfy man’s “yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves.”

A few modern-day examples (of our better nature) are:
▪ Open-source software development
▪ Wikipedia contributors
▪ Free Apps by the tens of thousands
▪ YouTube sharing*
▪ Crowdfunding (like Kickstarter, Indiegogo, Crowdfunder, RocketHub, Crowdrise, Somolend, etc.)
▪ A plethora of other “sharing” websites*
▪ Voluntary communes such as Mondragón2
And THIS:3
http://sacred-economics.com/sacred-economics-chapter-16-transition-to-gift-economy/
 http://sacred-economics.com/sacred-economics-chapter-18-relearning-gift-culture/
http://gift-economy.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gift_economy
http://tommorkes.com/ (interview with Adrian Hoppel)
http://wiki.gifteconomy.org/Main_Page
http://www.tikkun.org/nextgen/the-gift-economy-a-model-for-collaborative-community
▪ Charles Eisenstein: A New Story of the People; TEDx ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjoxh4c2Dj0 )
A gift economy!! Is that the substance of Jesus’ teachings? Of the Zion way? A means to live in the world, but not of the world? A déjà vu from Enoch’s day?

Maybe there is no need for commune-living, or waiting upon authorities to lead the way, or wondering how to share what we love to do without “laboring for money.” Maybe we can actually begin to live Nephi’s advice:
… , the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish. But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish. (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 26:30-31)
Is this the way? where one by one, we take up the challenge to truly become One.

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Added June 18, 2014: Here is a newsworthy example of “giving” from the CBC News Online of June 18, 2014: “Tesla's Elon Musk proves why patents are passé” as he becomes “the latest hero of the open source movement. ... Last week, Musk gave away all the patents on Tesla's electric car technology, allowing anyone — including competitors — to use them.” The comment was:
Musk's generosity has already offered evidence that sharing patents may be a good idea. Nissan and BMW have told enquiring reporters that they would like to take Musk up on his offer, especially when it comes to Tesla's "Supercharger" method for fast battery recharges.4
*NOTE to some YouTubers and other onliners: A gift can be given by the creator or owner of something. If we appropriate or upload a creative work that is not ours without permission, it is NOT a gift; it is theft (whatever the motivation or attempted justification).

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1. What is our present corporate economic system, if not a type of Communism? 1) where HyPEs (Highly Paid Employees) manage the common assets/goods of shareholders for the supposed profit of those shareholders, but who in reality manage the common assets/goods and investments for HyPE profit and agenda; 2) where the elite prosper at the expense of “intended beneficiaries”; 3) where “competing” corporations circumvent supposed “free market” competition in every way imaginable; 4) where shareholders (except IPO shareholders) contribute NADA to the common venture, but who claim equal rights with IPOers to common gains; 5) where command & control is the order of the corporate day (each and every day); 6) where inalienable rights are deemed alienable (via mandatory contract); etc., etc.
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mondrag%C3%B3n_Cooperative_Corporation
3. Sites referred to me by my sister. Thank you, BYS.
4. http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/tesla-s-elon-musk-proves-why-patents-are-pass%C3%A9-don-pittis-1.2678359?cmp=rss