A world without money?

[HK]

Can you imagine a world where we no longer use a monetary system?

I'm having trouble wrapping my head round it - so much of our lives are tied up in what we buy or rent or spend.

I don't necessarily mean going back to a barter system either - just a world where we had the technology to provide everyone with housing and food and education, where life isn't driven by the acquisition of things because you could easily have anything you want.

I'm not sure if I'm explaining this very well. It's a difficult concept for me.

 

[porterjack]

if you could have anything you want through technology, there would be no economic benefit to idustry
governments would have to run everything

shudder

accountable will pee himself at the thought

 

[HK]

Okay, I found what I was thinking of!

http://www.thevenusproject.com

I read this site a while back and just spent the last hour revisiting it. I really love their ideas, and the way they discuss a future in a resource based economy sounds very possible.

It still has a lot of question marks for me, but I hope I can see it happen in my lifetime.

And to respond to you Porter - there'd be no governments! None at all.

 

[Zorak]

edgray used to love this stuff.

I think it's utterly impossible to pursue. However, that's not to say there aren't some good ideas in there that could be implemented into our current system.

 

[BadBoy]

Just watched the movie In Time last night... That would absolutely suck if time was currency...

 

[darkcgi]

i dont dig it
i say we work on barter

 

[Panacea]

The world will never give up politics and money so long as they share a bed and hold the most power on earth. That site looks interesting though, thanks!

 

[HK]

i say we work on barter

That's not far better than money - you're still working to achieve goods based on the value society ascribes them, you just trade the actual goods rather than giving money in exchange for them.


If anyone does have any sort of vague interest, take a look at the site faqs. They answered a lot of my initial questions about what their aims are and how certain things would be workable.

 

[BadBoy]

Wouldn't it take a heck of a lot of money to live in a world without money? If you know what I mean?

 

[darkcgi]

i was kidding i know that would suck too

 

[HK]

Wouldn't it take a heck of a lot of money to live in a world without money? If you know what I mean?

Yeah I know what you mean

I have to say I haven't looked much at the financial side of it - I know there's already a research centre in the US and at the moment they're trying to raise donations so they can make a feature film and spread awareness. A lot of what they do is through volunteers - you can sign up to proofread for them, or translate, or write articles, etc etc.

 

[Accountable]

Just back from the bathroom.

edgray used to love this stuff.

I think it's utterly impossible to pursue. However, that's not to say there aren't some good ideas in there that could be implemented into our current system.

I miss Ed. We had some great conversations together. I haven't looked at the link, but if it's what Ed espoused, I think it could work really well in small communities, but not in a society of hundreds of millions.

 

[alice in chains]

you could eliminate the monetary system, but not the concept of "i will do something for something in return". THAT is value of money and that will always exist as long as there is society with some form of government or order.

 

[Francis]

Can you imagine a world where we no longer use a monetary system?

I'm having trouble wrapping my head round it - so much of our lives are tied up in what we buy or rent or spend.

I don't necessarily mean going back to a barter system either - just a world where we had the technology to provide everyone with housing and food and education, where life isn't driven by the acquisition of things because you could easily have anything you want.

I'm not sure if I'm explaining this very well. It's a difficult concept for me.

Ed Gray, your back....

 

[Francis]

edgray used to love this stuff.

I think it's utterly impossible to pursue. However, that's not to say there aren't some good ideas in there that could be implemented into our current system.

Ed was in to The Zeitgeist Movement and this Venus Project is a derivative of it.. Kimmy would talk to no end of the Venus Project..

While it is a Ethiopia type of world and would be great it's not feasible for way to many reasons..