January 2016 - P2P-Foundation - lists.ourproject.org

Re: [P2P-F] [NetworkedLabour] Fwd: P2P and the economic calculation problem
by Michel Bauwens 12 Jan '16

12 Jan '16

dear Bob, On Mon, Jan 11, 2016 at 10:27 PM, Bob Haugen <bob.haugen(a)gmail.com> wrote: > I thought Ackerman's article was excellent, although I am not sure how > much of it I agree with. He gets into a lot more detail about the problems > of Soviet planning than I usually see in such articles. > > I added some sources to the quotes in the Discussion of the cited P2P > page: http://p2pfoundation.net/Economic_Calculation_Problem#Discussion > > (There were no quotes from Jean-Daniel Cusin in that section, so I took > him out.) > > I'm thinking about Ackerman's ideas about "a form of socialized finance > which would respect the autonomy of the firm." I think it might help, but I > don't know how we would get it to happen. Which is the problem with a lot > of "good ideas", including those of the P2PF. They would require a > non-existent organization to take over from our present rulers. (P2PF is a > bit more realistic than Ackerman, but still...) > I am puzzled by your point here. I think the logic is very different. The proposal of Ackerman are a proposal for a political program that needs to win power first, but the great majority of the proposals of the p2p foundation are already working (it's the rule for the wiki, it has to exist), though they may need politics to be scaled and generalize. Of course, i have a few proposals which call for new institutions, but they are happening as well (phyles, assemblies and chambers of the commons); stigmergy and transparency between entrepreneurial coalitions is happening as well so which proposals do you mean exactly, dear Bob ? > > I do have a question for Michel, though: P2PF says, "*To qualify as > stigmergy, agents cannot communicate directly with one another, but rather > must engage indirectly via a medium*." > actually, I disagree with that statement, the signalling stigmergy does not at all exclude additional layers of person to person communication, as is standard in all open source projects .. stigmergy never happens alone, as human are communicating their intentions all the time > > I have maintained that the actual signals by which the advanced capitalist > supply chains coordinate their physical production and transportation are > valid precursors to, and directly usable by, a very different economic > system. They do not depend at all on prices. Those signals are always > through a medium, but sometimes indirect (as between agents who do not > directly coordinate with each other) and sometimes direct (the agents do > coordinate directly with each other, but use messages via some medium to do > so). Do those direct signals between coordinating agents qualify for > stigmergy? > see above, if you give an expanded definition of stigmergy, which I think is appropriate, then yes. COULD YOU PLEASE write a full article on this !! We really need to make that argument formally as part of our mutual coordination proposals. Can you educate us about this path forward. > > And re Ackerman: from reading, and also working with an ex-Soviet planner > on a software project, I have concluded that the main problems with Soviet > planning were ideological, not technical. The bosses of the nominally > state-owned enterprises treated those enterprises as their own businesses, > and regularly subverted the plans. Those bosses were eager to become the > new oligarchs when Russia's system converted to capitalism. > > Likewise, if you read between the lines of the fascinating Red Plenty > book, the failures to adopt computerized planning were political and > ideological, not technical. Likewise the problems of quality and fitness > for use were ideological, not technical. > > By "ideological", I mean world view, your consciousness determined by your > social being. I don't have the quote handy, but Marx talked a lot about the > people in the new system being indoctrinated in the thinking of the old. So > for capitalism, the individual ideology is "me first", and the social > ideology is domination and subordination. "Me first" can subvert any > plans, Ackerman's or anybody else's. So a new system cannot be developed > just with technical and organizational ideas, however good. Ideological > transformation will be necessary, and that is the hard part. > absolutely agree, I have seen this numerous times, 'solutions' are only accepted if they serve material interests ok, to help you write that article, see: http://p2pfoundation.net/How_Current_Supply_Chains_Can_Serve_Broader_Mutual… end of my remarks > > And that's still true ~after~ the revolution. Better to start now, before. > > On Mon, Jan 11, 2016 at 5:08 AM, Bob Haugen <bob.haugen(a)gmail.com> wrote: > >> I'll read the article cited below later today and comment on it, but I >> think most such discussions miss what I talked about here, which was cited >> in this list when I first joined it: >> >> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q6hEpH75Q0VkkCIFUAJhXejrBZqD_j6-gFhkmKN… >> >> The short version is that the people who are still talking about the >> calculation problem do not seem to understand how planning and replanning >> is done now in capitalist supply chains (as well as US military supply >> chains), by propagating signals from the end customers or users back along >> the networks. >> >> And, of course, by finance capital. >> >> Plus, heres a link to Nick Dyer-Witheford's "Red Plenty Platforms", which >> might be what ORsan was looking for: >> http://www.culturemachine.net/index.php/cm/article/download/511/526 >> >> >> On Mon, Jan 11, 2016 at 4:38 AM, Orsan <orsan1234(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> >>> In relation to below I would suggest closer to look at: >>> http://p2pfoundation.net/Economic_Calculation_Problem >>> and also Fabian Tompsett's text here: >>> https://www.academia.edu/15806152/ENCYCLOPEDISM_FOR_DEVELOPMENT_FROM_THE_UN… >>> >>> Best, Orsan >>> >>> >>> Begin forwarded message: >>> >>> *From:* Michel Bauwens <michel(a)p2pfoundation.net> >>> *Date:* 11 januari 2016 07:54:17 CET >>> *To:* p2p-foundation <p2p-foundation(a)lists.ourproject.org>, xavier >>> rizos <xavier.rizos(a)gmail.com>, celine trefle <piques.celine(a)gmail.com> >>> *Subject:* *[P2P-F] P2P and the economic calculation problem* >>> *Reply-To:* P2P Foundation mailing list < >>> p2p-foundation(a)lists.ourproject.org> >>> >>> Friends, this is really the key issue for a commons transition, I will >>> publish this on the 19th as a commentary on a jacobin article which I urge >>> everyone to read. >>> >>> Stacco, this is a strong recommendation for you as well, as the 'head' >>> of our commons transition project. >>> >>> Xavier and Celine: I talked in Sydney, apart from our very exciting >>> joint project on the thermodynamic efficiencies of peer production, about >>> the need for a more strategically-oriented group of thinkers operating >>> within and around the p2p foundation; this would the the kind of issues we >>> need to collectively tackle. >>> >>> So anyway, here is my short text, presenting the problematique, as well >>> as the very specific solution we are proposing: >>> >>> How a p2p-driven mutual coordination economy may solve the economic >>> calculation problem (2) <http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/?p=53483> >>> [image: photo of Michel Bauwens] >>> >>> Michel Bauwens >>> 19th January 2016 >>> >>> >>> Two days ago, we presented the article >>> <https://www.jacobinmag.com/2012/12/the-red-and-the-black/> by Seth >>> Ackerman in which he presented the ‘economic calculation problem’ and >>> various solutions to it, ending his argument with a call for a form of >>> socialized finance which would respect the autonomy of the firm. >>> >>> For a more in-depth understanding, see how I have processed his >>> arguments here <http://p2pfoundation.net/Economic_Calculation_Problem>. >>> >>> Please note what may be an essential difference between the classic left >>> approach of the author Seth Ackerman, and our own sensibility .. Ackerman >>> seems to call, despite the autonomy of the firms that he recognizes, for a >>> unified public property as socialized finance, while I believe today the >>> approach of distributed property (including distributed commons), offers >>> stronger guarantees against any state-driven control. >>> >>> In the P2P and commons transition context, the issue is the following: >>> >>> * capitalist pricing is very flawed and often miscalculates, but the >>> autonomy of the firms allows a lot of flexibility to coordinate the economy >>> >>> * central planning only worked well (and at a costly human price), in >>> the early moments of economic modernization and stalls in the informational >>> stage >>> >>> * democratic central planning, like proposed by Parecon, seems eminently >>> unworkable >>> >>> Therefore, the P2P proposal, which maintains the autonomy of the firm, >>> but transforms them into commons-oriented entrepreneurial coalitions which >>> ‘internalize’ the costs that capitalism itself externalizes, make a lot of >>> sense, allowing maximum coordination through stigmergy, both at the level >>> of the work done by the open contributory systems, and at the level of the >>> cooperative firms. >>> >>> Here are four five theses, which introduce our special wiki section on >>> Mutual Coordination Economics: >>> >>> “0. What market pricing is to capitalism and planning is to state-based >>> production, mutual coordination is to commons-based peer production! >>> 1. Today we have the emergence of a new proto-system of production, >>> Commons-Based Peer Production in which contributors are free to contribute >>> to a common pool of shareable knowledge, code and design, which may be >>> associated through physical production in microfactories using distributed >>> machinery such as 3D printing. >>> 2. This emerging new system of value creation and distribution is not >>> sustainable if contributors need to find work as labour for capital, so >>> contributors need to be able to generate livelihoods for themselves, >>> keeping the generation of surplus value within the sphere of the commons >>> and its contributors. >>> 3. To achieve this, we advocate the use of Commons-Based Reciprocity >>> Licenses such as the Peer Production License. This allows for the creation >>> of a non-capitalist ‘counter’ economy based on Open Cooperativism and other >>> forms of an ethical economy. In this proposal, the commoners or peer >>> producers, i.e. the contributors to the commons, are also cooperators of >>> their own corporate entities, which create livelihoods and insure the >>> surplus value remains within the commons. So, in between the sphere of the >>> accumulation of the commons (open input, participatory process, >>> commons-oriented output), and the sphere of capital accumulation, there is >>> a intermediary sphere of cooperative production, which regulates physical >>> production and the social reproduction of the commoners-cooperators. >>> >>> 4. The production of immaterial common pools is already regulated >>> through mutual coordination and stigmergy, i.e. coordination based on open >>> and transparent signals of what is needed by the system; but physical >>> production cannot be coordinated without similar signals, i.e. the >>> coordination of production through information. It is therefore a next >>> logical step to advocate and practice, within the ethical entrepreneurial >>> coalitions that coalesce around particular commons through their shared >>> adherence to the commons-based licenses, to also practice open accounting >>> and open supply-chains and logistics. This means that within these >>> coalitions, physical production can also be coordinated through stigmergic >>> signals; and negotiated coordination and even voluntary common planning can >>> take place on the basis of the shared production information.” >>> >>> Recent advances would seem to suggest that the blockchain may be a key >>> technology for participatory open supply chains, while advances in >>> contributory accounting are in the process of producing an added >>> coordination mechanism for open contributory systems based on distributed >>> tasks, linking the contributory dynamics to those of the cooperative firms. >>> (I am personally however, quite happy with a stronger ‘wall’ between the >>> two systems, i.e. a strong separation between commons and market). >>> >>> -- >>> Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: >>> http://commonstransition.org >>> >>> P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - >>> http://blog.p2pfoundation.net >>> >>> <http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation>Updates: >>> http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens >>> >>> #82 on the (En)Rich list: http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/ >>> >>> >>> = >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> P2P Foundation - Mailing list >>> >>> Blog - http://www.blog.p2pfoundation.net >>> Wiki - http://www.p2pfoundation.net >>> >>> Show some love and help us maintain and update our knowledge commons by >>> making a donation. Thank you for your support. >>> https://blog.p2pfoundation.net/donation >>> >>> https://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> NetworkedLabour mailing list >>> NetworkedLabour(a)lists.contrast.org >>> http://lists.contrast.org/mailman/listinfo/networkedlabour >>> >>> >> > > _______________________________________________ > NetworkedLabour mailing list > NetworkedLabour(a)lists.contrast.org > http://lists.contrast.org/mailman/listinfo/networkedlabour > > -- Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: http://commonstransition.org P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net <http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation>Updates: http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens #82 on the (En)Rich list: http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/

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P2P and the economic calculation problem
by Michel Bauwens 12 Jan '16

12 Jan '16

Friends, this is really the key issue for a commons transition, I will publish this on the 19th as a commentary on a jacobin article which I urge everyone to read. Stacco, this is a strong recommendation for you as well, as the 'head' of our commons transition project. Xavier and Celine: I talked in Sydney, apart from our very exciting joint project on the thermodynamic efficiencies of peer production, about the need for a more strategically-oriented group of thinkers operating within and around the p2p foundation; this would the the kind of issues we need to collectively tackle. So anyway, here is my short text, presenting the problematique, as well as the very specific solution we are proposing: How a p2p-driven mutual coordination economy may solve the economic calculation problem (2) <http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/?p=53483> [image: photo of Michel Bauwens] Michel Bauwens 19th January 2016 Two days ago, we presented the article <https://www.jacobinmag.com/2012/12/the-red-and-the-black/> by Seth Ackerman in which he presented the ‘economic calculation problem’ and various solutions to it, ending his argument with a call for a form of socialized finance which would respect the autonomy of the firm. For a more in-depth understanding, see how I have processed his arguments here <http://p2pfoundation.net/Economic_Calculation_Problem>. Please note what may be an essential difference between the classic left approach of the author Seth Ackerman, and our own sensibility .. Ackerman seems to call, despite the autonomy of the firms that he recognizes, for a unified public property as socialized finance, while I believe today the approach of distributed property (including distributed commons), offers stronger guarantees against any state-driven control. In the P2P and commons transition context, the issue is the following: * capitalist pricing is very flawed and often miscalculates, but the autonomy of the firms allows a lot of flexibility to coordinate the economy * central planning only worked well (and at a costly human price), in the early moments of economic modernization and stalls in the informational stage * democratic central planning, like proposed by Parecon, seems eminently unworkable Therefore, the P2P proposal, which maintains the autonomy of the firm, but transforms them into commons-oriented entrepreneurial coalitions which ‘internalize’ the costs that capitalism itself externalizes, make a lot of sense, allowing maximum coordination through stigmergy, both at the level of the work done by the open contributory systems, and at the level of the cooperative firms. Here are four five theses, which introduce our special wiki section on Mutual Coordination Economics: “0. What market pricing is to capitalism and planning is to state-based production, mutual coordination is to commons-based peer production! 1. Today we have the emergence of a new proto-system of production, Commons-Based Peer Production in which contributors are free to contribute to a common pool of shareable knowledge, code and design, which may be associated through physical production in microfactories using distributed machinery such as 3D printing. 2. This emerging new system of value creation and distribution is not sustainable if contributors need to find work as labour for capital, so contributors need to be able to generate livelihoods for themselves, keeping the generation of surplus value within the sphere of the commons and its contributors. 3. To achieve this, we advocate the use of Commons-Based Reciprocity Licenses such as the Peer Production License. This allows for the creation of a non-capitalist ‘counter’ economy based on Open Cooperativism and other forms of an ethical economy. In this proposal, the commoners or peer producers, i.e. the contributors to the commons, are also cooperators of their own corporate entities, which create livelihoods and insure the surplus value remains within the commons. So, in between the sphere of the accumulation of the commons (open input, participatory process, commons-oriented output), and the sphere of capital accumulation, there is a intermediary sphere of cooperative production, which regulates physical production and the social reproduction of the commoners-cooperators. 4. The production of immaterial common pools is already regulated through mutual coordination and stigmergy, i.e. coordination based on open and transparent signals of what is needed by the system; but physical production cannot be coordinated without similar signals, i.e. the coordination of production through information. It is therefore a next logical step to advocate and practice, within the ethical entrepreneurial coalitions that coalesce around particular commons through their shared adherence to the commons-based licenses, to also practice open accounting and open supply-chains and logistics. This means that within these coalitions, physical production can also be coordinated through stigmergic signals; and negotiated coordination and even voluntary common planning can take place on the basis of the shared production information.” Recent advances would seem to suggest that the blockchain may be a key technology for participatory open supply chains, while advances in contributory accounting are in the process of producing an added coordination mechanism for open contributory systems based on distributed tasks, linking the contributory dynamics to those of the cooperative firms. (I am personally however, quite happy with a stronger ‘wall’ between the two systems, i.e. a strong separation between commons and market). -- Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: http://commonstransition.org P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net <http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation>Updates: http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens #82 on the (En)Rich list: http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/

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Fwd: [Réciprocité] Fwd: [echanges] Séminaire EnCommuns
by Michel Bauwens 12 Jan '16

12 Jan '16

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Fabienne Orsi <fabienne.orsi(a)ird.fr> Date: 2016-01-11 16:05 GMT+07:00 Subject: [Réciprocité] Fwd: [echanges] Séminaire EnCommuns To: reciprocite(a)bienscommuns.org Chers tous Je transfère sur cette liste l'annonce que nous avons faite sur la liste "echanges" dans l'éventualité où certains d'entre vous n'auraient pas reçu cette annonce de séminaires. Le 21 janvier en particulier, nous serions très heureux de discuter avec vous des licences à réciprocité. N'hésitez pas à vous joindre à nous. Bien à vous Fabienne Orsi -------- Message transféré -------- Sujet : [echanges] Séminaire EnCommuns Date : Sat, 9 Jan 2016 16:54:27 +0000 (UTC) De : Broca Sébastien <brocasebastien(a)yahoo.fr> <brocasebastien(a)yahoo.fr> Répondre à : Broca Sébastien <brocasebastien(a)yahoo.fr> <brocasebastien(a)yahoo.fr> Pour : echanges(a)bienscommuns.org <echanges(a)bienscommuns.org> <echanges(a)bienscommuns.org> *[Veuillez nous excuser pour les éventuels doublons]* Chers toutes et tous, Vous trouverez ci-joint (et ci-dessous en version *digest*) l'annonce des deux prochaines séances du séminaire *EnCommuns*, qui se dérouleront le 21 janvier et le 18 février à la MSH Paris Nord. La première s'interrogera sur les stratégies juridiques mises en place pour défendre les communs numériques, la seconde s'intéressera aux communs fonciers dans toute leur actualité. En espérant vous y voir nombreux. Bien cordialement, Sébastien Broca, Benjamin Coriat et Fabienne Orsi *EnCommuns* *Entreprendre en Communs : Droits de Propriété, Communs et Entreprises* ** Jeudi 21 janvier : Quelle stratégie juridique pour défendre les communs numériques ?* 14h00-15h30. Benjamin Jean (fondateur du cabinet inno³, vice-président de l'*Open Source Summit*, président de l'association *Open Law*, enseignant en propriété intellectuelle) : « Retour sur la consultation publique menée dans le cadre de la loi Lemaire » 15h30-17h00. Lionel Maurel (co-fondateur du collectif SavoirsCom1, auteur du blog S.I.Lex) : « Les licences à réciprocité : une nouvelle piste pour le développement des communs ? » 17h00-18h00. Discussion générale Lieu : Maison des Sciences de l’Homme Paris Nord, salle 408, 20 avenue George Sand, La Plaine Saint-Denis (métro *«Front Populaire », sortie 3, terminus ligne 12), p**lan d’accès : http://www.mshparisnord.fr/fr/la-msh-paris-nord/contacts/acceder-a-la-msh-p… <http://www.mshparisnord.fr/fr/la-msh-paris-nord/contacts/acceder-a-la-msh-p…>* ** Jeudi 18 février : Les communs fonciers entre résilience et renouveau* 10h30-13h00. Autour des sections de commune - Pierre Couturier (CERAMAC, Université Clermont Auvergne, Université Blaise Pascal) : « Les sections: de l’illusion communautaire à la revendication d’un “commun” » - Sarah Vanuxem (GREDEG, Université Nice Sohpia-Antipolis) : « Les sections de la commune de Gentioux. Des pousses de "communs" en terre hostile" » 14h30-17h. Quand les actionnaires deviennent commoneurs : L’expérience Terre de Liens - Philippe Cacciabue (co-fondateur de *Terres de liens *et premier gérant de la Foncière Tdl) : « La Foncière Terre de liens, une commandite par action au service d'un nouveau commun foncier : quand des actionnaires deviennent commoneurs » Lieu : Maison des Sciences de l’Homme Paris Nord, salle 414, 20 avenue George Sand, La Plaine Saint-Denis (métro *«Front Populaire », sortie 3, terminus ligne 12), p**lan d’accès : http://www.mshparisnord.fr/fr/la-msh-paris-nord/contacts/acceder-a-la-msh-p… <http://www.mshparisnord.fr/fr/la-msh-paris-nord/contacts/acceder-a-la-msh-p…>* -- Fabienne Orsi Economiste, chercheuse à l'IRD SESSTIM UMR 912, Université d'Aix-Marseille Faculté de Médecine, 27 Bd Jean Moulin 13385 Marseille Cedex 5, France Tel : +33 4 91324784 email : fabienne.orsi(a)ird.fr -- Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: http://commonstransition.org P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net <http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation>Updates: http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens #82 on the (En)Rich list: http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/

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two very interesting books outlining techno-progressive accerlationism
by Michel Bauwens 12 Jan '16

12 Jan '16

Dear Jean, I strongly suggest purchasing these two books if you can <g> http://p2pfoundation.net/Resurgence_of_Capitalism_and_the_Death_of_Statist_… http://p2pfoundation.net/Techno-Optimism_and_the_Way_to_the_Age_of_Abundance On the 14th, I am publishing an editorial on 'p2p and accelerationism' On the 15th, presenting the 2nd book, and subsequently a series of pointers to 'true accelerationist technology', i.e the kind of technologies that can reverse biospheric destruction .. (rather than feed gnostic fantasies of transhumanism) Michel -- Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: http://commonstransition.org P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net <http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation>Updates: http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens #82 on the (En)Rich list: http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/

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'THE SINGULARITY & SOCIALISM' - AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR C. JAMES TOWNSEND
by Orsan 11 Jan '16

11 Jan '16

Came across to this interesting interview on Facebook (via Miguel Caetano) : The Singularity is near! That’s what a lot of us futurists have been planning for since we first came to understand the exponential growth rate of information technologies. What this technological singularity entails, however, is an entirely different question, and one of which requires radical thinking. One such author, C. James Townsend, has ventured himself on the quest of answering this very question – not just from a scientific or technological viewpoint, but equally an economic and political one as well! In his newly published book, [easyazon_link identifier=”1503034739″ locale=”US” tag=”seriou03-20″]The Singularity & Socialism: Marx, Mises, Complexity Theory, Techno-Optimism and the Way to the Age of Abundance[/easyazon_link], Townsend explores past ideological ideas that critically examined the trajectory of our economies in relation to scientific and technological development, in doing so to reach a commonly accepted conclusion of which were shared by these various ideologies – a post-capitalist era of abundance and transcendence! I was especially happy to finally get to speak with Townsend and discuss his work, his vision of the future, and what we need to do to ensure this future materializes. Below is the entire transcript of our conversation. Enjoy. C. James Townsend, author of The Singularity & Socialism Q: I’m very happy to be speaking with you, James. First and foremost, what inspired you to start writing this book of yours, The Singularity & Socialism? A: It’s a pleasure B.J. I love the opportunity to be interviewed by such an author and futurist as yourself. You can say that this book was over 35 years in the making and was a culmination of my many diverse interests. I have one of those omnivorous minds and from my early years I had a thirst to know, especially to know how the world worked and where our ideas came from. Besides being an avid sci-fi fan in my early years I got a penchant for looking behind the scenes, to rummage through the dust bins of history as it were, for all of those juicy tidbits you never get in history courses in school. So I careened through such diverse topics as the history of philosophy, comparative religions, occult history, Gnosticism, Eastern and Western mysticism, physics, science and technology. When I discovered Fritjof Capra’s The Tao of Physics in my early 20’s I thought I was in heaven and it was one of the reasons that I became a physics major at first in college. The Holographic Paradigm by Karl Pribram was also a real game changer for me. Though I didn’t finish my physics degree, which I regret now, I did receive a B.A. in Integrated Studies pulling all of my varied interests and elective courses together. One course that had a profound effect on me was a course on Christian Mysticism in which I was introduced to Teilhard of Chardin. I thought that somehow he had read my mind as I had already come to a complex interrelated and evolutionary vision of the universe; his works set me on the road to eventually discovering the Russian Cosmists, which many Transhumanist’s have now done. So I had a great base and background in science that also became united to various complexity ideas which have fascinated me throughout my life. In my late 30’s I became more interested in political and economic philosophy and its history. I hate to admit it now but I had a short “conservative period” and read works by Russell Kirk and a few other conservatives, I eventually left that path as the “conservative” writers became more and more constipated in their thinking. Along the way I one day discovered and became enamored with Ayn Rand and read through most of her works that are in print. A footnote in some book I was reading mentioned The Law by Frederick Bastiat and that led me to Ludwig von Mises, F.A. Hayek, Murray Rothbard and the Austrian School of Economics. As an avid enthusiast in science and technology and its potential to change the world for the better I also ran across Dr. Julian Simon’s work The Ultimate Resource and then went on from there to read more extensively on Techno–Optimism. Also Ray Kurzweil, Matt Ridly, Kevin Kelly and so many others along the way were also a great inspiration to me. But the funny thing that got me into researching Karl Marx and his thought was Ludwig von Mises himself. I read his magnum opus Human Action and then his tome Socialismand I became enthralled by the “socialism calculation” debate and then Hayek’s “knowledge problem.” I went on to read everything that was in print by Mises and a lot by Hayek. It was their debate with the Marxists and discussing the various issues, especially Mises comparing and contrasting Marxism with classical liberal theory as propounded by the Austrian School that really captured and fired my imagination. So I delved into reading Marx himself and any work on the socialist calculation debate or knowledge problem I could get my hands on. As I researched I began to see so many areas of convergence and cross fertilization that I was just stunned. When I came across Complexity Theory and Complexity Economics in my mid 40’s the die was cast and the Rubicon was crossed. I was brought around full circle and came to see a holographic quality, an interrelationship between all of these various ideas; Marxist, classical liberal, techno-optimist, and complexity theory that was just fascinating. All of this percolated in the back of my mind until I had an epiphany one day and my mind leaped forward in an extrapolation based on classical liberal and Marxian economics teaching that as capitalism progressed it brought down prices as productivity constantly increased. Classical economists and Marxists know this as the law of immiseration. Suddenly I saw the entire steam of economic ideas, Marxist and classical liberal, unite into one stream leading to the same Omega Point, the event horizon of a coming economic singularity where all prices drop down an asymptote toward zero as technology advances exponentially. It was this that really inspired me to write the book. I had to share that vision, that there is a way forward using “valid” economics to reach, for lack of a better word, utopia. Rest of the text http://www.seriouswonder.com/singularity-socialism-interview-author-c-james… Sent from my iPad

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Re: [P2P-F] Micro and nano-tribunes and power generators
by Roberto Verzola 10 Jan '16

10 Jan '16

Thanks for the url. Yes, it looks like a very good approach. It can work not only with pipes whose contents flow downhill, but also in households where the pressure is unnecessarily high. The idea should also work not only with drinking water but with all kinds of fluids. The Philippine National Irrigation Administration (NIA) had a similar idea. They have a hydroelectric section within their organization that taps irrigation systems flowing downhill to harvest electricity. There's a lot of hydro resources waiting to be tapped. Greetings, Roberto On Sun, 10 Jan 2016 13:52:23 -0500 Devin Balkind <devin(a)sarapis.org> wrote: > Portland, Oregon makes electricity with turbines in their pipes. > > Good article about it: > https://magazine.good.is/articles/portland-pipeline-water-turbine-power > > On Sunday, January 10, 2016, Michel Bauwens <michel(a)p2pfoundation.net> > wrote: > > > dear Roberto, > > > > we would be happy to serialize your findings if you have time to > > select parts of your book, > > > > Michel > > > > On Sat, Jan 9, 2016 at 9:56 PM, Roberto Verzola <rverzola(a)gn.apc.org > > <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','rverzola(a)gn.apc.org');>> wrote: > > > >> In fact you don't have to go nano or wait for other esoteric and > >> untested technologies for renewable technologies to undermine the > >> current energy paradigms. > >> > >> Rooftop solar is now spreading rapidly due to the continuing > >> declines in solar panel prices, enabling households to generate > >> their own electricity. This creates a situation where they will be > >> sending their surplus to the grid some of the time, and getting > >> their additional supply from the grid at some other times. Thus, > >> they will be engaging in peering arrangements with the grid > >> itself, which are actually P2P transactions. At some point when > >> P2P transactions over the grid exceed the amount that central > >> power plants provide to non-generating customers, the grid will > >> start taking on more and more the nature of a public commons. Then > >> we should see the same kinds of debates between privatized > >> infrastructures and the commons that have arisen elsewhere. > >> > >> I also discussed in the paper how microhydro and microwind, by > >> getting smaller instead of larger, and if this can result in one > >> or a few orders of magnitude price reductions, as happened with > >> integrated circuits, can put them in production levels where the > >> economics of increasing returns to scale is activated. > >> > >> By the way, I've written a separate paper analyzing the P2P > >> transactions between the grid and solar owners under net metering. > >> Those who are interested may google "pseudo-net-metering > >> double-charges customers". This may be very relevant to countries > >> where net metering is implemented and where utilities insist on > >> charging lower than retail price, which results in > >> double-charging. I use very simple math in the paper to show > >> exactly where the double-charging happens. > >> > >> Requiring net metering is such an important policy enabler for > >> microsolar, that utilities are now campaigning very hard against > >> it. > >> > >> A lot of exciting things, such as battery storage costs starting > >> on a downhill trend, are happening in the renewables area. I urge > >> people to look more closely into this sector, if you haven't yet. > >> > >> Some of these are discussed in my book Crossing Over: The Energy > >> Transition to Renewable Electricity, published last year but also > >> freely available online (just google the title). > >> > >> The sector will also need in the near future new paradigms and > >> business models to properly appropriate the new values created by > >> the new types of P2P energy exchanges that are emerging. > >> > >> Greetings to all, > >> > >> Roberto > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> Greetings to all, > >> > >> Roberto > >> > >> > >> On Sat, 9 Jan 2016 02:47:24 +0100 > >> Orsan <orsan1234(a)gmail.com > >> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','orsan1234(a)gmail.com');>> wrote: > >> > >> > > >> > The title got me think of real micro- or nano-turbine > >> > technologies being developed to produce electricity. For > >> > instance, if used inside water pipes and ways, such technology > >> > would turn entire city and rural delivery and sanitation systems > >> > more productive at the micro and nano levels then huge dams and > >> > other smaller central hydro electricity generators. Something > >> > like this could complete the convergence between energy and > >> > communication technologies as in Rifkin's theory, at the same > >> > physical level. While thinking on this remembered once seeing a > >> > working nano-engine being used at an experiment at CERN at the > >> > atomic level. Of course if engine do exist then tribune should > >> > also be so. Googled "nano tribune electricity" and found that it > >> > does exist, and developed: > >> > http://www.nanowerk.com/news2/green/newsid=27983.php > >> > http://www.homepower.ca/dc_hydro.htm In case collectively opened > >> > up, peer to peer produced, and implemented, these really micro > >> > power technologies would not only destroy the state and > >> > corporate monopoly over the energy production, but also Harvey's > >> > pessimistic argument about we people's being dependent on > >> > central structures for the creation and maintenance of large > >> > infrastructures and services, as dams, roads, hospitals and > >> > schools. If Sensorica, or any open science groups would go > >> > towards this direction, it would obviously more impactful than > >> > it sounds. Best, Orsan > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > Sent from my iPad > >> > > On 8 jan. 2016, at 23:23, Roberto Verzola <rverzola(a)gn.apc.org > >> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','rverzola(a)gn.apc.org');>> > >> > > wrote: > >> > > > >> > > I just finished the piece "Can micropower be as deep a > >> > > game-changer as microprocessing?" It can be downloaded at: > >> > > > >> > > > >> https://rverzola.wordpress.com/2016/01/07/can-micropower-become-as-deep-a-g… > >> > > > >> > > By "deep", I mean being able to change the rules of the game > >> > > not only within the industry itself but in society as a whole. > >> > > In the piece, I note that the declining prices of renewables > >> > > such as solar and wind seem to have brought the renewables > >> > > sector at the same take-off point that microprocessing was > >> > > some three decades ago. > >> > > > >> > > I analyze the developments from the perspective I've been > >> > > pursuing, which is the perspective of abundance. I note that > >> > > these declining prices, exponential increases in production, > >> > > and expanding markets are bringing these renewables into > >> > > operating points where the economics of increasing returns to > >> > > scale start to take-over, leading to a virtuous cycle of more > >> > > rounds of price declines and higher production, the same kind > >> > > of economic growth pattern we have seen in the information > >> > > sector. These are typical features of the onset of abundance. > >> > > > >> > > I discuss in the piece what might be the conditions that can > >> > > make small-scale generation with renewables as deep a > >> > > game-changer as microprocessors have been. > >> > > > >> > > Greetings to all, > >> > > > >> > > Roberto Verzola > >> > > Philippines > >> > > > >> > > PS. Those who want more details about developments in > >> > > renewables from the perspective of a developing country, you > >> > > can also download my recent book, CROSSING OVER: THE ENERGY > >> > > TRANSITION TO RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY. Just google the title. > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > On Thu, 7 Jan 2016 19:03:57 +0700 > >> > > Michel Bauwens <michel(a)p2pfoundation.net > >> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','michel(a)p2pfoundation.net');>> wrote: > >> > > > >> > >> see > >> > >> > >> http://excellencereporter.com/2016/01/07/michel-bauwens-the-meaning-that-we… > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > _______________________________________________ > >> > > P2P Foundation - Mailing list > >> > > > >> > > Blog - http://www.blog.p2pfoundation.net > >> > > Wiki - http://www.p2pfoundation.net > >> > > > >> > > Show some love and help us maintain and update our knowledge > >> > > commons by making a donation. Thank you for your support. > >> > > https://blog.p2pfoundation.net/donation > >> > > > >> > > https://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation > >> > > >> > _______________________________________________ > >> > P2P Foundation - Mailing list > >> > > >> > Blog - http://www.blog.p2pfoundation.net > >> > Wiki - http://www.p2pfoundation.net > >> > > >> > Show some love and help us maintain and update our knowledge > >> > commons by making a donation. Thank you for your support. > >> > https://blog.p2pfoundation.net/donation > >> > > >> > https://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation > >> > > >> > >> > > > > > > -- > > Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: > > http://commonstransition.org > > > > P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - > > http://blog.p2pfoundation.net > > > > <http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation>Updates: > > http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens > > > > #82 on the (En)Rich list: http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/ > > > > > > >

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Micro and nano-tribunes and power generators
by Orsan 10 Jan '16

10 Jan '16

The title got me think of real micro- or nano-turbine technologies being developed to produce electricity. For instance, if used inside water pipes and ways, such technology would turn entire city and rural delivery and sanitation systems more productive at the micro and nano levels then huge dams and other smaller central hydro electricity generators. Something like this could complete the convergence between energy and communication technologies as in Rifkin's theory, at the same physical level. While thinking on this remembered once seeing a working nano-engine being used at an experiment at CERN at the atomic level. Of course if engine do exist then tribune should also be so. Googled "nano tribune electricity" and found that it does exist, and developed: http://www.nanowerk.com/news2/green/newsid=27983.php http://www.homepower.ca/dc_hydro.htm In case collectively opened up, peer to peer produced, and implemented, these really micro power technologies would not only destroy the state and corporate monopoly over the energy production, but also Harvey's pessimistic argument about we people's being dependent on central structures for the creation and maintenance of large infrastructures and services, as dams, roads, hospitals and schools. If Sensorica, or any open science groups would go towards this direction, it would obviously more impactful than it sounds. Best, Orsan Sent from my iPad > On 8 jan. 2016, at 23:23, Roberto Verzola <rverzola(a)gn.apc.org> wrote: > > I just finished the piece "Can micropower be as deep a game-changer as > microprocessing?" It can be downloaded at: > > https://rverzola.wordpress.com/2016/01/07/can-micropower-become-as-deep-a-g… > > By "deep", I mean being able to change the rules of the game not only > within the industry itself but in society as a whole. In the piece, I > note that the declining prices of renewables such as solar and wind > seem to have brought the renewables sector at the same take-off point > that microprocessing was some three decades ago. > > I analyze the developments from the perspective I've been pursuing, > which is the perspective of abundance. I note that these declining > prices, exponential increases in production, and expanding markets are > bringing these renewables into operating points where the economics of > increasing returns to scale start to take-over, leading to a virtuous > cycle of more rounds of price declines and higher production, the same > kind of economic growth pattern we have seen in the information sector. > These are typical features of the onset of abundance. > > I discuss in the piece what might be the conditions that can make > small-scale generation with renewables as deep a game-changer as > microprocessors have been. > > Greetings to all, > > Roberto Verzola > Philippines > > PS. Those who want more details about developments in renewables from > the perspective of a developing country, you can also download my > recent book, CROSSING OVER: THE ENERGY TRANSITION TO RENEWABLE > ELECTRICITY. Just google the title. > > > > > > > On Thu, 7 Jan 2016 19:03:57 +0700 > Michel Bauwens <michel(a)p2pfoundation.net> wrote: > >> see >> http://excellencereporter.com/2016/01/07/michel-bauwens-the-meaning-that-we… > > > _______________________________________________ > P2P Foundation - Mailing list > > Blog - http://www.blog.p2pfoundation.net > Wiki - http://www.p2pfoundation.net > > Show some love and help us maintain and update our knowledge commons by making a donation. Thank you for your support. > https://blog.p2pfoundation.net/donation > > https://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation

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Fwd: Christopher - The Truth About The Most Recent American Jobs Report -
by Michel Bauwens 10 Jan '16

10 Jan '16

Kind regards, Christopher ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Yet Another Fabricated Jobs Report — Paul Craig Roberts http://www.paulcraigroberts.org <http://www.paulcraigroberts.org> January 8, 2016|* * Another Fabricated Jobs Report Paul Craig Roberts According to Friday’s (January 8) payroll jobs numbers, almost 300,000 new jobs were created in December. * *Additionally, the previous two months were revised upward by 50,000 jobs.* * Apparently, the equity market did not believe the report, with the averages moving down today.* * As I have pointed out almost monthly for what I think could be approaching two decades, the alleged job growth always takes* * place in nontradable domestic services, that is, in areas that do not produce exports and have no competition from imports.* *This is the job profile of a Third World country. Twelve years ago I predicted at a major Washington, D.C.,* *conference that was nationally televised that in 20 years the United States would have a Third World economy * *if jobs offshoring, which benefits only corporate executives and shareholders, continued. Jobs offshoring has continued,* *and judging by the payroll jobs reports from the US government, the US is already a Third World economy.* *The presstitute financial media—and what they are is a bunch of whores—always reports the alleged jobs increase* *as if it is a great thing, testimony to the continuing strength of the American economy, and so forth. Only a handful* *of us look at the data and reveal its meaning. Once again I will strip away the Matrix and show you the reality.* * Allegedly, the US economy has been in recovery since, if memory serves, June 2009. If so, it is an unusual recovery.* * Normally, the rising job opportunities associated with economic recoveries bring entrants into the labor force, but* * the US labor force participation rate has been declining. In December, 2015, there are 1,185,000 fewer Americans * *in the labor force than in December 2014; yet, the working age population is higher today than a year ago. * *The reported unemployment rate does not include “discouraged workers,” that is, workers who unable to* *find jobs have ceased looking for work. The reported unemployment rate of 5% only counts non-discouraged* *workers who are still expecting to find a job. The actual unemployment rate, that is, the rate that includes * *Americans who have given up hope of finding employment, is 23%. Currently, there are 94,691,000 Americans * *of working age who are not in the labor force. In other words, the US Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is deprived * *of a large percentage of its labor input. Now, we will pay attention, unlike the financial presstitute media,* *to the age groups who benefited, according to the BLS, from the 292,000 December new jobs. * *About half of the alleged new jobs—142,000—went to the 55 years old and over age group.* *This age group consists primarily of retirees who have found it necessary to supplement their* *retirement income and of those near retirement who are working in order to compensate for * *the lack of interest on their savings due to the Federal Reserve’s zero interest rate policy. * *These are part-time, lowly paid jobs without benefits. Americans of prime working age,* * 25 years old to 54 year old, only received 16,000 or 5% of the new jobs. Those aged 46 to* * 54 lost 165,000 jobs. In other words, middle aged people are losing their jobs before they* * can provide for their retirement. There are 527,000 more Americans working multiple jobs * *in December 2015 than in December 2014. Now, as we have done so often for many years, * *let’s look at the make believe jobs that the BLS claims. Almost all of them are in lowly paid * *domestic services, such as waitresses, bartenders, couriers and messengers, employment* * services, social services and health care (primarily ambulatory health care services). * *The conclusion is that if we believe the payroll jobs report, the United States is now an* * economy that only creates Third World jobs in lowly paid domestic services. And yet this* * non-economy on the verge of collapse is said by the idiots in Washington to be a super-power. * *What a total joke! * *Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic * *Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, * *Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments.* *His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following. Roberts' latest books are The Failure of* * Laissez Faire Capitalism.* -- Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: http://commonstransition.org P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net <http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation>Updates: http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens #82 on the (En)Rich list: http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/

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Fwd: [NetworkedLabour] new piece in Jacobin
by Michel Bauwens 09 Jan '16

09 Jan '16

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Ursula Huws <ursulahuws(a)analyticaresearch.co.uk> Date: Fri, Jan 8, 2016 at 5:23 AM Subject: [NetworkedLabour] new piece in Jacobin To: "networkedlabour(a)lists.contrast.org" <networkedlabour(a)lists.contrast.org > In case you are interested https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/01/huws-sharing-economy-crowdsource-precari… Ursula _______________________________________________ NetworkedLabour mailing list NetworkedLabour(a)lists.contrast.org http://lists.contrast.org/mailman/listinfo/networkedlabour -- Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: http://commonstransition.org P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net <http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation>Updates: http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens #82 on the (En)Rich list: http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/

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Fwd: Oslo Principles follow-up meeting THURSDAY 14 JANUARY
by Michel Bauwens 09 Jan '16

09 Jan '16

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Hans van Willenswaard <hans(a)schoolforwellbeing.org> Date: Fri, Jan 8, 2016 at 5:01 PM Subject: Oslo Principles follow-up meeting THURSDAY 14 JANUARY To: School for Wellbeing <hans(a)schoolforwellbeing.org> Dear Friends and Colleagues, December 21 2015 professor Jaap Spier presented the “Oslo Principles” at the Dusi Thani Library. (Background information can be found in the attachment: Proposal *Who Owns the Earth?*) A lively discussion emerged. Ajarn Sulak emphasized the importance of private actions like the Russell Tribunal on the USA-War in Vietnam which had enormous impact and anticipated new legal principles and institutes. It was felt that we urgently should continue the discussion in more depth and detail, including discussions in Thai. Therefore we improvise a follow-up meeting on very short notice: *Thursday 14 January 16.30 – 17.00 hours.* Venue will be confirmed. Provisional programme is attached. Please register by email hans(a)schoolforwellbeing.org . The legal instruments to hold actors responsible for climate change and damages to the environment and people are not sufficient in the present situation. New legal principles will only be adopted with strong support of civil society. Please join the discussion on Thursday 14 December. Thank you very much, School for Wellbeing Studies and Research Hans -- Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: http://commonstransition.org P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net <http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation>Updates: http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens #82 on the (En)Rich list: http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/

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