Gift Economy

Giving Status by giving.

Do you do it because you get status??

Communal.

Collective behaviour as opposed to the individual

Whole the collective supports the whole.

The Gift Economy:

Off Wikipedia:

Reciprocal Altruism – oxymoronic

Don’t really work well together.  Counter intuitive.

Altruism does explain some parts, you are always giving.  But if you don’t get back it’s not an economy.

Almost like Karma, what you do will come back to you.

Have to deal with you give to people because it’s the right thing to do.

What do you get out of it.  Get thanks?

Reciprocity.  Expectation of gratitude?

Scale of return.

Some people will give the whole and some just a small part.  It’s not equal.  

Another aspect:

Creative Commons

Can put conditions on the work.  Then it’s not truly altruistic.

Is competition a natural force?

It’s instilled, that might not matter if it’s natural or not.

But for everything that you find is free, you will have to find someone that has paid in labour or in some kind of capital.  In doing so, the have put themselves a debt to provide for others.

For the most part, most don’t know who/ if they have benefited others.

Some people with the 1000’s of posts on discussion boards have a particular reason for doing so.

Perhaps for the sheer fact to amuse – if not monetize the content.

Do you have to do anything for their motivation to continue?

What about the illusion that you get something

The altruistic reason is the fictional audience.

It’s fictional and who we think we write for.

Gift economy as a potentially transformational moment.

What are some motivational factors:

• - filling a void
• - amuse etc

People mostly give for the cause to be better or because it makes them feel better.  How do you move from intrinsic motivation to external.

Purpose of most social movements – change.

At the end of the day you hope that the change occurs.

If you are actually good at what you do, you put yourself out of business, then you don’t need to do it anymore.

There are few social movements that legitimately put themselves out.

There has to be a deficiency as a motivational factor.

You’re always doing for others, because for some reason can’t do for themselves.

Obligation or deficiency.

If we are working for optimization, it is very hard because of the multitude of views.

Assumptions that within capitalist system we are actually looking to maximize.  

What ever you looking to do you’re looking to maximize, more edu, most stuff etc.

If the gift economy is based on collaboration, then not competitive.

Even open source is regulated:

• - built on computers
• - subject to language
• - cultural norms
• - bodies of knowledge

As much as there is the potential and dispensing of it, almost neuter it for other capacities.  Is it detrimental to the cause?

Do you have a right to dictate what a person can do with a gift?

Why should you be able to do that?

Gift Economy is giving conditionally.

Issues of how you determine conditions.

Just give and eventually something to come back.

No negotiation of a fair exchange.

Presumption that it’s a valueless enterprise.

About the amount of labour.

Can expect that my giving will eventually get others to do same

All engaged in economy in some way.

Transformative tool for our system of exchange.

“Doesn’t guarantee and optimize a sustainable life.”

Unless it’s the Holland pick up a bicycle if you need.

Private property predicates all our laws and how we know things.

What is yours and what is shared.

Constriction of transfer ability of things. (value)

So then find a way.

Society of rugged individualism

Why will some not take something for free.

Participation requires some sharing.  System of exchange, power, social levels of exchange.

How do we encourage people to continue, how do we widen to from limited view.

After the break think about:

• - giving and getting back
• - what did you learn about doing what you’ve been doing.
• - Sharing so colleagues can let you know

(And a great suggestion from Rob)

Homework:

Share /Present your case study