To speak of economy is to speak of life itself, for the exchange of goods and labor is nothing other than the exchange of life’s effort, its breath, its toil. A society that organizes this exchange must do so with an awareness that what is being passed from hand to…
The Indifference of the Well-Fed
I have often thought that man, left to his own devices, is much like the housecat—content to nap in a sunny spot until the house catches fire. At that moment, he will leap from his slumber, all senses engaged, tail aflame, and make a grand show of his escape. But…
Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” – in his own words?
And so it starts with me, Sal Paradise, yearning for something more, restless, rolling cigarettes in a dim New York room, feeling the weight of time pressing down on my bones. Then Dean Moriarty blazes into my life like a comet, crazy and hungry and full of wild laughter, this…
The Debt That Binds Us: Obligation and the Fabric of Human Connection
The nature of obligation is such that it precedes us, as light precedes the dawn. Before a child knows how to speak, before she can name herself as an “I,” she is already held in a web of duties, spoken or unspoken. She is fed, clothed, touched, and looked upon,…
The Nature of Human Generosity and Selfishness in the Absence of Law
Are human beings, by their essence, generous or selfish? It is a question as old as philosophy itself, debated by theologians, political thinkers, and poets. The answer is often sought in abstraction, in idealized notions of human nature. But when we strip away the formal structures of civilization—when the law…
The Economy of a Human Life
There’s a basic rule in economics: a society can’t consume more than it produces. At least, not indefinitely. Sure, with credit and debt, countries and individuals can stretch beyond their means for a while. But if the global economy functioned like a perfectly balanced ledger, consumption would always have to…
Why You Should Rethink Your Doubts About Starting (or Joining) a Time Co-Op
At first glance, a time co-op—where people come together in a community for the purpose of supporting and investing in the well-being of one another—might seem unnecessary or even idealistic. After all, most of us are used to handling things on our own, and the idea of building a mutual-support…
The Future of Community: How Time Co-Ops Can Revitalize Society
In today’s world, where economic uncertainty, job displacement, and social fragmentation are on the rise, it’s time we rethink how communities function. The traditional economic model—one based on monetary transactions and individualistic success—has left many behind. But what if there were a way to harness the power of cooperation without…
Cooperative Networks of Peer Support: More than just an interesting idea
The idea of “cooperative networks of peer support”, championed by the organization called “Humans United in Mutual Aid Networks” represents an incredibly powerful, untapped potential for addressing the economic and social challenges that increasingly characterize modern life. And by leveraging platforms like KommunityKoin.com as a foundational framework, these networks can…
The Unconventional Life: A Life Worth Living
Most people go about their days as if on a set course, following patterns laid before them without questioning whether those patterns serve them or merely confine them. The habits of the world become their habits, and the expectations of others dictate the form of their existence. To live in…