Freeconomy Blog
Wed
02 Jun
A massive day for Freeconomy
| 41 comments |
Today is, without doubt, the most important and significant day in Freeconomy's short history. Two major developments have finally come to fruition. The first major development is that my book, The Moneyless Man, is out today! The deadlines were insane, the days and nights seamless, and the screams many. But after nine months of hard labour - a labour of love, of course - it has been born into the world.
You can buy it through the Guardian bookshop at the bottom of the weekly blog there (see below), but the cheapest place is probably going to be Amazon (click here to buy it). Waterstones have agreed to promote it in their 3 for 2 non-fiction summer promotion, which is fantastic news for getting it out to a much wider audience. Ideally, you can also ask your local bookshop to get it in if they aren't already stocking it. So take your pick!
And remember, every single penny of the proceeds I am due from the book are going to the Charitable Trust that I'm in the process of setting up, whose primary aim will be to buy land for the first - and subsequent - real Freeconomy Communities, places where anyone from this online community will be able to come and stay for an agreed period of time to experience moneyless living and learn all the skills involved, completely for free. If anyone is interested in donating to this charity, feel free to e-mail me here with any questions or thoughts.
You can also spread the word about the book (and find the best deals on it) by going to this facebook page, and emailing the links to friends. And if you are passing the local library (so it can also be read for free) or book shop, call in and ask them to order it. Here are the details:
Title: The Moneyless Man
Publisher: Oneworld
Author: Mark Boyle
website: http://www.oneworld-publications.com/
ISBN: 978-1-85168-754-1
The second major (but ever-so-slightly smaller) development is that I - and therefore the whole community - have got a new regular column starting in the Guardian today. The column is called 'Life for Free' (here, in the Environment section) and every two weeks I will be picking an aspect of life - such as Food this week - and showing how it can be down without having to spend a single penny.
It's on a trial period to begin with, so it would be such a help if all the members of this community could log-in to the Guardian (it takes about 30 secs to sign up), and leave a comment - you can be supportive, ask questions, criticise, whatever you like - but try to raise a bit of debate and get people thinking. As always, I don't pretend to have all the answers, I just want to raise the questions. If you can, please forward the link to your friends and contacts and share it on facebook or twitter. All help would be really appreciated, and feel free to add the same comments here as well.
This is a massive chance for Freeconomy to go to the next level. If you have 5 mins to help in any of the ways above, I'd really appreciate it.
Great to be sharing the planet with you all.
THE FREECONOMY BLOG is written by Mark Boyle, who has been living without money for 18 months, and is the founder of the Freeconomy Community.
Comment on this Post:
Carol comments ...
Best of luck with the book and column, but it's unfortunate that the initial column shows you with a possibly stolen shopping trolley.
David B comments ...
Mark your an inspiration - After securing a very well paid job just over a year ago I’ve been living a frivolous life of spending and having pretty much what ever I want. After first realising that whilst I have most that I lusted after all those years I’m essentially more stressed and unhappier I've just begun on the road to a moneyless life. It's only day two and I’m still in the assessment stage but I’m looking forward to it and feeling happier already! Can't wait to get the book (from the library!)
LyssaM comments ...
@mark. Well done! you did brill! Loved the Q&As and will be off to read today's column after this... How are you feeling after yesterday's debates and criticisms?
@Carol... Knowing what it's like round here... he more than likely found it after someone dumped it... or could be a let over when the shop changed them (a nearby sinsburys and M&S joined forces and got new trollies and got rid of all the old ones)
@David well done you!!! Come join in on the forum so we can keep up with your progress... remember don't be disheartened cos it was really hard for Mark to begin with. Do you have a blog or something that you'll be using? (you can use the library computer. And I'm the same... waiting for the book to come out in the libary unless I can beg or borrow from someone (do you think anyone will notice if I hide under a table in waterstones, reading it? pmsl.
Ana comments ...
Thanks for indirectly answering my question. I suppose there is not another way, you need all the resources you can gathered for the creation of the first economy community.
I see the advantage and disadvantage of the both money/moneyless systems, I think the money system allow more individual freedoms but it has going totally corrupted. At the end of the day that's why I support what you're doing, you're one the few that are challenging this money system that are destroying ours livelihoods, starting from the ones at the bottom, and it's terrifying!. I hope more and more people join to your community and put a great pressure on the status quo.
pippa comments ...
Wonderful!! So inspiring to see so many loving inventive souls!! great theory but cant see how we can do that with bills while in houses and council tax etc but i havnt read the book yet!! i will!! p.s would be great to recommend in the Guardian that it can be bought from cygnus!! they deserve all the supoort they can get!! & would introduce new clients!! p.s . If i can help anyone with my role as catalyst for transformation with Angel Healing and Readings please do look me up on angelmagic.biz . If we can swap in some way instead of money that would be great too!!! love , joy and hope for a money free world where we all follow our hearts and give and receive freely!! Have you seen film Zeitgeist Addendum and their money free movement? maybe you could inspire each other?
LyssaM comments ...
@Mike.. I really don't think it is... but if you're patient I'm sure it'll come to the library or someone near you might be willing to pass their's on.... I'm waiting till October and if I haven'tbeen able to read for free I'll be telling people they can give me it for my brithday, lol.
John Walker comments ...
Mark's book is available for £7.19 at www.thebookdepository.co.uk with free P&P. The good thing about this supplier is that they use Royal Mail, which Amazon (£7.69) don't for many items - especially stuff delivered by their 'super saver' option (usually a courier firm who don't know what maps are, or what asking for directions is!). You can opt for quicker delivery with Amazon, usually by Royal Mail, but that adds £2.75 P&P.
Trish Young comments ...
I thought the shopping trolley was a prop for the article to show Mark's "shopping" and it had been brought there by the photo shoot people to illustrate the point!
They (shopping trolleys) are unwieldy things for fields !
Sandie comments ...
Hej Mark just had a look at your colum in the Guardian gr8 read, links 2 & 272 comments. Now u can share your wise thoughts with more of us, cheers
Celine comments ...
Mark,
well done on book, a great achievement.
I heard you on radio and as a fellow hayfever sufferer I was interested in your plantain remedy. Is plantain the weed used as "soldiers" in children's game- "flowers" have slim stems and a brown compact head?
Do you pick the leaves and brew them in a tea?
Would love to find a good natural remedy.
regards
Celine
Davey comments ...
while i was at the dark mountain camp, i asked if i could have a free copy of the book on the stall,no way, i had to have money,to pay for it,still it would of been wonderfull to donate a free copy to the freeconomy bring and take stall,who was there for 7 days, we could of past it around
Don comments ...
Mark, I couldn't wait for my Oxfordshire library to stir themselves and order the book, so I've bought it on Amazon.
When I've read it I'll donate it to the library!
Good luck with the book's sales and also for the success of your column.
Mark Boyle comments ...
@ Celine - I hope it works for you, I am sure it will. Here is a picture of plantain -
http://www.greatgrass.co.uk/Pictures/Plantain.JPG
Pick 30 leaves, stick in teapot, put some cold water in so you don't scald the leaves, boil water and fill up a large teapot, leave for a few hours at least and then drink 200ml in the morning and evening every day. Its a natural anti-histamine. If you do ever go to the doctors it would be no harm telling them you take plantain tea (this is just a disclaimer!), but there is absolutely no reason why it would be a problem.
sem comments ...
@mark big respect and love by the lorryload
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keo comments ...
man I am happy for you, and when I think about the real community, only good can come out of it. best wishes, may I find myself at your doorstep.
Esme Silberman comments ...
Wondeful - thank you! Looking forward to reading all about it. Will sign up now .
Factual solutions comments ...
Heeeey Mark - congratulations for the book :)
I just got the Sample chapter - i will read it soon, i just wanted to come over here and say that you have been turning a lot of heads towards you, leading by example. Contrags Mark.
:)
FS
Darren Thompson comments ...
Hi Mark, Great to meet you at Sunrise. If didn't need it myself I would have given you my shirt (free of course) as you didnt seem to own one or ws it the great weather... haha. I enjoyed your talks and its got the grey matter going with a project my partner is planning... Off now to log onto the Guardian...later... Darren
frantasia comments ...
@Mark Boyle
I'd love to know how you do your book tour without money - will you tell us?
I saw your interview on Ireland AM - you came across very well. Wishing you well with your talks.
Elusive Butterfly comments ...
Hey :)
Your an Inspiration Mark! Congrats on your Book and all your hard work! Still waiting for your book to come in at my local library.Really looking forward to reading it...
Looking forward to seeing the new Freeconomy set up.I`ll def.come to lend a hand when I can. Take Care,
Love @ Peace,Jo x
Miguel Machado comments ...
Mark, I am a Brazilian guy who really loved the way that you live your life. I think that is a worderful way to feel happy. Congratulations. I would love to keep in touch to understand more and more about "Tha moneyless Man". Big hug.
miguel.amachado@terra.com.br
Seamus Bradley comments ...
Just heard Mark speak here in Dublin...fair play. Gave a great account of himself, the book and what he hopes to achieve with the community. Much respect and warm wishes,
SB
Ana comments ...
Hi there Mark!
You must have heard about "The Venus Project". It looks like a much better experience... What do you think about it??
Robert Howes (Swansea, Wales, UK) comments ...
Hi Mark,
I too would like to know your exact thoughts on other projects similar to your own. So far you have been too diplomatic about the Venus Project, the Zeitgeist movement and my own efforts in that direction. You have thoughts about them so I think you should say what they are, both here and in the Guardian. Don't you think we can all work together?
Cheers,
Bob
***
Mark Boyle comments ...
@ Seamus Bradley - great to meet you too, it was a lovely evening, sorry I had to rush off so quickly afterwards. If ever in UK, you're always welcome here.
@ Ana - if I had a quid for everyone who asked me if I'd heard of the Venus Project or Zeitgeist...! With projects that are founded with a pure intention to have a constructive social impact, I much prefer to focus on the positives, and I think the intention behind The Venus Project is fantastic and I couldn't fault Jacque Fresco on that score at all.
With Zeitgeist, I really admire Peter Joseph and would be happy to work with him in the future on something.
But I have to admit, I genuinely feel The Venus Project is seriously, seriously flawed, and almost dangerously so. Of course you're going to think it is much better, Ana. I could construct a vision of a world made of candy floss with leprachauns serving tea all day long and that would sound fantastic too I bet! But it is fantasy stuff.
That's why it is has got such a huge following - it's offering the dream to every aspiring environmentalist-who-is-addicted-to-the-trappings-of-indusrialisation out there - that we can still have all the stuff and the high technology, yet still have fresh clean water, abundant forest, clean air etc. We can't, so get over TVP (not textured veggie protein by the way) really quickly is my advice.
To be really honest, I'd love to have a live debate with Jacque Fresco about it all, I see so many holes in the vision. But that's just my opinion, I don't claim that it is correct on this issue, but I'd challenge anyone, especially Jacque, to debate it with me.
But I do also feel that it is not only unrealistic, it is completely missing the root causes of why we are in this mess in the first place. Most of the major issues in the world today are symptoms of our disconnection with nature, and the burgeoning degrees of separation between the consumer and the consumed, and The Venus Project seems to think it will be able to actually maintain these degrees of separation (or even increase them) and still expect people to become enlightened enough to make the necessary mental changes that will be required to carry out its vision! I really feel it has missed a huge point (many points, in fact) that I believe completely undermines its entire philosophy. But I really do admire the intentions of Jacques Fresco and I find Peter Joseph somebody I could definitely work with, or at least have a very long conversation with.
Make up your own mind on it, don't listen to me.
One last very personal opinion, nothing to do with whether it is missing a huge point or not - I find it visually incredibly ugly and an example of a human dominated world yet again. Where is the ecology in it? Am I the only one who would not want to live in that kind of world?
Mark Boyle comments ...
@ Ana - actually I just watched a quick interview with Jacque Fresco, and I think he is an awesome guy with a huge heart and massive amount of passion, especially for a man of 94.
I still disagree with the vision though, but he certainly doesn't need my agreeance and if he did make it a reality, it would be much, much better that what we have now. So more power to him.
Rachel comments ...
I found this website and blog through the Cygnus Books website and newsletter, where your book is being sold for £6.59. They are a great company promoting 'alternative' ways of life etc. Check them out. They are very supportive of you.
Great stuff, Rachel.
Robert Howes (Swansea, Wales, UK) comments ...
+ £2.50 delivery. Orders over £40, free delivery.
Cheers,
Bob
***
Robert Howes (Swansea, Wales, UK) comments ...
@ Mark and everyone (we are all one, aren't we?),
Check this out:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=137645508291
sagey comments ...
I'm a bit late to add a comment on this post, but it seems to me that both the ZM and TVP's messages are damaged by their support of the 9/11 conspiracy?
Peace
Ben comments ...
I brought your book at sunrise festival and finished it yesterday. its really inspired me so much so that today i went scavenging in the local market skips for wood to make my raised veg garden at home.
Good luck with the column.
william comments ...
this i great and i cant w8 till you manage to get a freeeoenmy up and running if theyr is anything i can do other than donate to help this cause please let me know
mary comments ...
in many ways i really think you are doing fantastic things. i really believe in your ideal of no money. i live on next to nothing, without a permanent home, living on beaches, in abandoned houses, farms, and with friends, hitchiking, recycling food. when i want to learn something like horse riding i volunteer at a farm, or carpentry i go watch and help out, be a sort of apprentice, not all people are free and willing to teach and show, but i find a few. i sometimes stay with friends and help them plant gardens and do manual chores, or help them with there work in exchange for a place to stay and food. although it is certainly hard at times. there is a freedom i have not known before that, and a sense of empowerment.
i have some thoughts that have been bothering me a little. i know you are really excited about your new book. you have really succeeded in gaining a very broad public audience, and spreading the word. which is of course exactly what is needed. but sometimes i feel like you are just as stressed now with all your publishing and deadlines as you ever were. I know its exciting and big but that doesn't necessarily mean good.
i sometimes feel there are more gentle ways to go about the same thing.
and in a way publishing a book, you know all those trees , and factories, transportaion, they will all be wrapped in plastic, all that stuff. using stuff that money can buy, isn't that what you are against.
i feel like a blog is more than enough space to say everything you need, sometimes less words are better too. maybe the format could be different. there are whole books on line for free too. i feel like while your intentions are good, you still haven't fully been able to let go of money yourself. i feel so silly buying a book on how to live without money. i do believe money can be used as a means to an end of money. money that already exists, already earned. therefore can be collected in differnt ways, other than publishing a book.
i don't say take back what is already done. i know you will create a wonderful space and community. but i am sure there must be other solutions for the rest of us, that will not publish books, or use money from your trust fund.
you are already in a pretty good position with a wide audience and a lot of people who think you are doing great things and would like to contribute, and that would have a lot to offer. .
i would love to see if there were alternative ways - without money-to accomplish the same goals. maybe we would all not "have to" buy land in order to create pockets of freeeconomies. and create funds, and charities. it is also not sustainable, we wnt to start as many self sustaining communities as possible, the more the better, everywhere in the world, and we do not all have the money to do so, and we shouldn't all be trying to make the money to do so. there must be other ways. of course the only way is to work together, everyone giving what they can. we need to see who is really serious about giving their time , energy, resources. the question is how do we get together.
i would love it if the freeconomy community tried different experiments, like see if there any people out there who have land that free economy could use, people that would like to be part of it themselves, or a small portion of their land, corners of land, not donating, because they would not lose the land themselves, instead they would gain people using the land, working the land, making it fertile, creating friendships, communities, and whatever else we can give in return.
maybe some scouting could be done looking for abandoned peieces of land, and using them, and if they belong to someone, finding out who it belongs to and making a proposal to see how both they and the freeconomy could gain. how we could share something. i think the sharing is the key, and always should be the focus. using what we already have. buying land, making it our own doesn't seems to be right .since as you said, we don't own anything and we should get out of the habit of thinking we do. instead of actively trying to make the money to buy the land, we should be actively trying to find other ways to find land that we can use.
i definitely don't have all the answers but i think if we all put our heads together, we can find unending creative solutions. how we can group togehter to start edible gardens, everywhere, in our neighbours gardens, in parks, in pots in the street, on rooves. up walls.
i feel like you are somewhat lost in your great plans, and too excited about numbers of audiences.
you have become a role model and thats what you want. you want to show people how to live witout money, and share and grow food, and live sustainably. you need to be careful of what you are portraying. i feel like any excuse you make to use money, is room to let other peole make their excuses too. its really hard to be honest with ourselves all the time. and we all have our weaknesses. i am always being checked. i always have something to work on. i feel like a lot of your focus is preaching, i think more practical advice is needed, more creative solutions. more details of real life, simple details, instead of grandiose plans. i would be much more interested in and inspired by your blogs if they were actually how your potatoes were doing.
Robert Howes (Swansea, Wales, UK) comments ...
@ Mary,
I like what you have written. Very similar to my own thinking
***
You are welcome to come here any time and share and discuss and so on. We are the Brynderwen Vegan Community, Brynderwen, Crymlyn Road, Llansamlet, Swansea SA7 9XT Wales UK. 01792 792 442, robertcircle1@yahoo.co.uk
Cheers,
Bob
***
Glennyboy comments ...
nice one, I've just discovered this blog and Mark Boyle, looking forwrd to learning more. it makes sense :suffering diminishes ego, diminshed ego is less reliant on cash...
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