Freeconomy Blog
Sat
12 Jan
Giving & receiving - two sides of the same non-monetary coin
When I first started this project, I was inundated by people telling me it could never work as too many people will abuse the system. Well it seems that nothing could be further from the truth.
I've had the good fortune of meeting a lot of freeconomists over the last week and the most common bit of feedback I received was that most of them are actually slightly cautious about asking for help without offering something in return, which is the exact opposite of what people originally believed would happen!
So I thought I would take this opportunity to relay to everyone my views on asking for help. I see giving and receiving as two sides of the same non-monetary coin. You cannot have one without the other.
Think of how good it feels when you help someone with something, show them how to do something or share an item you possess. There's a real feel good factor from knowing you have made someone elses life more enjoyable.
So on the basis of that, to deny someone else that same wholesome feeling is almost selfish. If you enjoy doing it, why wouldn't someone else? We have got to start realising that unless there is a 'receiver' there can be no 'giver', and that in order to find harmony we all must partake in both. We all have the ability to help each other and regularly do. But we also all need help with things at various points. To accept you are interdependent on the rest of this world can be very liberating.
From birth we've all been brainwashed into thinking that there is only one way of doing things - exchange. Money, bartering, Timebanks, LETS - they are all focused on exchange. But there is another way of doing things. Call it Freeconomy, call it unconditional giving, call it 'pay-it-forward', call it kindness. Whatever you call it, it is a method infinitely more enriching as it not only nourishes your physical self but also your spiritual self, something 'exchange' will never be able to do.
To read more on the whole topic of giving, nothing is more succinct and insightful than Kahlil Gibran's book `The Prophet`. The chapter on Giving is essential reading and is so short I really recommend reading it twice.
Having said all that, activity between freeconomists has skyrocketed since the New Year so it seems that everyone is finally realising that to allow someone to give is a beautiful thing!
