September 2011 - P2P-Foundation - lists.ourproject.org

Re: [P2P-F] On capitalist and anti-capitalist commons
by Michel Bauwens 02 Sep '11

02 Sep '11

Hi George, I already serialized this interesting essay on the p2p blog a while ago, yet, I wonder what your take is on it? My take is that it partakes in a zero-sum vision of the commons, with only 2 polarities, while in my view, there are a lot of messy commons that can be both beneficial to commoners, but also still embedded within capitalism. The free software commons is a case in point. Is it bad because it partakes in capital accumulation? My own attitude is not to demonize this fact, but rather to look at how the free software commons can be rendered more autonomous and freeer from this embedment .. (such as our proposal to combine phyles and the peer production license in the p2p coop) I'm really curious on your take, Michel On Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 9:09 PM, George Papanikolaou <georgepapani(a)gmail.com>wrote: > http://www.rebelnet.gr/**articles/view/The-Future-Of--** > The-Commons---Neoliberalism-s-**-Plan/original<http://www.rebelnet.gr/articles/view/The-Future-Of--The-Commons---Neolibera…> > -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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openwear collaborative local clothing directory
by Michel Bauwens 02 Sep '11

02 Sep '11

Dear Zoe, I have no time to do this myself, but am requesting Eli to have a look at your initiative for a collaborative clothing directory, http://openwear.org/community/openhttp://openwear.org/community/open If there have been reports about it, thanks for sending them to eli (and copy to me) By the time Eli reports, hopefully John will have registered his own initiative, and we can Eli to specifically mention this thai initiative, Hans, other clothing design coops in thailand could benefit from this exposure, if you know any? Michel -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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neo-feudalism and libertarianism
by Michel Bauwens 02 Sep '11

02 Sep '11

Dear Dale, you recently used the expression, "Neo-Feudalist megalomaniacs like Peter Thiel ", which I know expresses your displeasure, that I share, with right-wing libertarianism. However, is there more to this concept, i.e. is this a serious political etiquette you have thought about? If so, I'd be really happy to know more about it, Michel -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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couchsurfing controversy update
by Michel Bauwens 02 Sep '11

02 Sep '11

I can't remember who I asked to cover the couchsurfing story, and in fact, the whole peer hospitality scene would warrant a series of articles, but here is a first approach already on the blog later today, but thanks for continuing to work on a more expanded and detailed article, or covering some details of it: via http://shareable.net/blog/the-rise-of-the-not-just-for-profit On Couchsurfing becoming a B Corporation: the controversy<http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/?p=19155> Tags: [empty] [image: photo of Michel Bauwens] Michel Bauwens 2nd September 2011 Here is a first entry into the debate rocking the Couchsurfing community, via Shareable <http://shareable.net/blog/the-rise-of-the-not-just-for-profit>: Excerpted from *Malcolm Harris*: *“Let’s imagine the standard start-up route and we’ll see the kind of double-bind CouchSurfing is in. You start with a good idea, attract high-value employees cheap with equity offers and big investment cheques, you hit the Initial Public Offering (IPO) and everyone gets paid, then if you’re lucky, a bigger company will try and buy you for even more money. CouchSurfing wants to attract the high-level programming talent and investment capital that comes with a good idea (and is necessary to realizing that idea), but they don’t want to risk losing control of the organization’s mission to shareholders. What’s an ethical start-up to do?* *What CouchSurfing did is register as a “B corporation.” B (or Benefit) Corporations compose a new class of US corporations, dedicated to social as well as financial good. Five states have passed laws governing B corps, and a bill is moving in California now. Although there are other benefits, the biggest one seems to me described on the B Corp site: “As a B Corporation, founders and other mission-driven shareholders can hold directors accountable to consider the impact of operating and liquidity decisions not only on shareholders, but on all stakeholders.” By building responsibility and accountability mechanisms into the founding of the corporation, the B Corp framework seems substantially different than the “corporate responsibility” cons.* *As part of the B incorporation, CouchSurfing accepted $7.6 million in venture capital funding, something they never could have done previously as a non-profit. Combined with the site’s already 3 million-large membership base, the site seems ready to take it to the next level. However, the directors maintain CouchSurfing will always be free for participants. Here’s hoping the B Corporation framework helps them, and maybe provides a model for start-ups facing the same conundrum.”* *Robino on the Community conflict over the new status:* *“Couchsurfing as I see it has almost nothing to do with this what you call collaborative consumption Malcolm. It is about doing away with that model of production and consumption. It is hospitality. It is allowing a stranger to be your guest. It is l-i-f-e. It is sharing your life with someone for maybe a day, maybe a couple of days, and sometimes even longer. For many of these people, traveling is NOT a product, neither is hospitality, neither is sharing. It is how we live.* *That’s why there is no money involved, that’s why they like non-profit, this is why many members inside the community are currently so upset. Because we want to do it the other way: without the profit, without the money. And because we know it can be done.* *…* *Couchsurfing though never wanted to make the step to transform the organization into a democratically run organization, or to make the source-code of the website available for people to hack on it. They said they wanted it to become a charity (for tax-purposes) but never got that up and running either, and after years of inaction and numerous expensive retreats, decided to go for a “sell-out”, when their member-base was finally big enough.* *Around 90% of CS-members probably don’t really care about that. They just want to have a good website to find hosts and guests, but the others (the ones who speak up the most) do care about it. They are critical about their data that has just been sold to a new corporation. Their data, their profiles, their personal references, their personal information, their friends that they once provided to a non-profit association and not to a corporation with CEO’s and investors.* *Having said all this, we’ll see where this goes, and how it will affect the networks. For one, the success of Couchsurfing really depends on people like me who are “active hosts” inside the big touristic cities. And with this enormous growing member-base of Couchsurfing that we’ve seen for the past years, it has become really hard for these hosts to keep up with the amount of requests they get. And this announcement of Couchsurfing turning into a profit-organization (why is that legally allowed anyway?) might be a final drop for quite a few of them.”* -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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twitter payment service
by Michel Bauwens 02 Sep '11

02 Sep '11

hi sepp, could you check this out? see: http://www.paypygg.com/ -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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artleaks and free labour
by Michel Bauwens 02 Sep '11

02 Sep '11

Dear Kevin, Are you already in Korea and how is it going? Could you do an entry on artleaks, http://art-leaks.org/, in the wiki and perhaps also introduce it to our blog audience, Michel -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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update on Campaign for Commons Literacy
by Michel Bauwens 01 Sep '11

01 Sep '11

(hi Chris, could you ning this crowdfunding campaign update from our friends?, many thanks!!) Via George Por: The Campaign for Commons Literacy is definitely progressing although not as rapidly as we would like it. So far the * http://www.indiegogo.com/CommonsCampaign* page with our video got 2935 page views; we have 14 crowdfunders who donated a total of $946; our Facebook page *http://www.facebook.com/SchoolOfCommoning* attracted 144 “Likes.” Even more important than those figures is the outpouring of interest and solidarity that triggers good conversations, in which people from different continents and walks of life tell us about their enthusiasm for getting involved with the campaign in various ways. So the Campaign is already becoming what it was intended to: one of the dynamic hubs of the commons movement. Another important news is that we’re merging with the Commons Learning Alliance, under the name of School of Commoning. By the end of next week, we plan to launch the Campaign Commons, a multi-platform web space, centered on the SoC site as its coordination and learning hub. We are also planning to use James Quilligan visit to the UK later this month, to feature him in our Meetings with Remarkable Commoners that you graciously inaugurated in May. In December, we hope to introduce Silke Helfrich to the London commoning scene, in the same series. To finish this message, let me quote a graffiti on our Facebook wall: All boats rise with the tide. And so it is with commoning. Working together raises our collective potential for a higher quality of life. The current tide of history is the Commons. Here’s a beautiful illustration, giving us a visual reminder of that simple fact of life: *http://www.schoolofcommoning.com/content/about-soc * *for the Commons! * ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: George Por <george(a)community-intelligence.com> Date: Thu, Sep 1, 2011 at 11:39 PM Subject: [Commoning] p.s. to School of Commoning / Campaign for Commons Literacy To: Michel Bauwens <michel(a)p2pfoundation.net> Cc: Anna Betz <anna(a)schoolofcommoning.com>, mark jagdev < mark(a)schoolofcommoning.com>, commoning(a)lists.wissensallmende.de, Tia Carr Williams <tia(a)schoolofcommoning.com> I was so eager to get the previous message with all those news to you that I forgot to check the spelling. If you plan to re-transmit the message anywhere, please correct: in the first line, Litearcay to Literacy and in the last line, gerge to george thanks - g. The Campaign for Commons Litearcay is definitely progressing although not as rapidly as we would like it. So far the * http://www.indiegogo.com/CommonsCampaign* page with our video got 2935 page views; we have 14 crowdfunders who donated a total of $946; our Facebook page *http://www.facebook.com/SchoolOfCommoning* attracted 144 “Likes.” Even more important than those figures is the outpouring of interest and solidarity that triggers good conversations, in which people from different continents and walks of life tell us about their enthusiasm for getting involved with the campaign in various ways. So the Campaign is already becoming what it was intended to: one of the dynamic hubs of the commons movement. Another important news is that we’re merging with the Commons Learning Alliance, under the name of School of Commoning. By the end of next week, we plan to launch the Campaign Commons, a multi-platform web space, centered on the SoC site as its coordination and learning hub. We are also planning to use James Quilligan visit to the UK later this month, to feature him in our Meetings with Remarkable Commoners that you graciously inaugurated in May. In December, we hope to introduce Silke Helfrich to the London commoning scene, in the same series. To finish this message, let me quote a graffiti on our Facebook wall: All boats rise with the tide. And so it is with commoning. Working together raises our collective potential for a higher quality of life. The current tide of history is the Commons. Here’s a beautiful illustration, giving us a visual reminder of that simple fact of life: *http://www.schoolofcommoning.com/content/about-soc * *for the Commons! * gerge _______________________________________________ Commoning mailing list Commoning(a)lists.wissensallmende.de http://lists.wissensallmende.de/mailman/listinfo/commoning -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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GPLv3 not enough to protect communication rights
by M. Fioretti 01 Sep '11

01 Sep '11

Greetings, here is some background on another project I'm working on. A community-managed, completely open secure communication infrastructure for the masses: http://www.telematicsfreedom.org/en/2011/09/01/gplv3-great-promote-open-inn… feedback is welcome, of course! Marco -- Digital Citizenship online course: http://mfioretti.com/node/129

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a policy in support of social sharing
by Michel Bauwens 01 Sep '11

01 Sep '11

thanks for the hint amaia, I will publish excerpts of derek wall on the blog, http://p2pfoundation.net/Economics_After_Capitalism can you find out a bit more about him? Michel -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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serializing the political economy of waste, request ..
by Michel Bauwens 01 Sep '11

01 Sep '11

Dear Kevin, Dear Franco: Dear Kevin: I'm processing your excellent “Political Economy of Waste”, http://p2pfoundation.net/Political_Economy_of_Waste I've already excerpted pieces on artificial property rights with IP as an example, which will be published september 3 and 4 And these are wiki entries using material from the essay, see 1. Artificial Property Rights<http://p2pfoundation.net/Artificial_Property_Rights> 2. Counterproductivity <http://p2pfoundation.net/Counterproductivity> 3. Credentialism <http://p2pfoundation.net/Credentialism> as a Radical Monopoly<http://p2pfoundation.net/Political_Economy_of_Waste?title=Radical_Monopoly&…> 4. Cost Plus <http://p2pfoundation.net/Cost_Plus> . I'm asking Franco, in this same email, to serialize your typology, http://p2pfoundation.net/Political_Economy_of_Waste#Typology (please post-date september 5 or after I would like your assistance however, to separately publish some of the example that I find interesting, and hope you can help us with excerpting this, I'm thinking of: - your treatment of suburbanism and zoning regulations - your treatment of educational credentialism - your treatment of the fallacy of GDP calculations - the critique of sloanist corporate accounting The above would be simply to choose the appropriate excerpt from your C4SS essay/report. Thanks for considering this and post-dating it, September 10 or after, Good periods to consider, as I'm travelling then and need extra material, is the period of September 18 to October 5 and October 18 to November 5. Dear Franco, In presenting Kevin's essay, I would start with the 'history' piece and the conclusion excerpt, followed by a serialization of the typology, in batches of 2 or 3 .. Many thanks for helping me out with this!! Michel ** -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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