Money Communities

Because my research for this class looks at the history and non-capitalist experience of North American Rainbow Gatherings--a social/economic experiment that includes elements of the celebratory drumming and dancing environment Bill Mauer describes in his paper, “Money Nutters,”--I was drawn to his framing of two emerging alternative economies: Bitcoin and Time Banks.

He suggests these two economic experiments are “two arms of a hyperbola” (Mauer 2011, 6). I found this geometric visual reference to be interesting but not as effective as it might have been with a graphic (what can I say? I’m a visual learner!). Additionally, while the association allows for interesting conceptual associations and word play (hyperbola/hyperbole), in the end this type of framing has less resonance for me than understanding alternative economic systems in a complexity context.  Rather than systems that are operating in separate spheres, my understanding of how alternatives emerge comes from a complex network of social connections (including knowledge and ideas) that respond to patterns of innovation and adaptation. 

At any rate, Mauer provides a good platform for exploring what he calls “a crazy time for money, not just money’s conceptual status or construction, but its very materiality” (Mauer 11).  It may be of interest to some to know that Athens also has a “time exchange.” Please check it out! http://athenstimeexchange.blogspot.com