This presentation examines human interaction in the virtual world created by networked communication systems, focusing on the formation of reciprocal networks of information sharing. Mauss’s theory of ‘the gift’ is used to indicate the essentially reciprocal nature of gift giving, which creates an obligation for some form of exchange, although not by means of direct payment as expected in market relations. Free exchange of information based on reciprocal sharing has been central to the development of the Internet. Where commercial interests have come in to enforce copywriting and licensing (notably in proprietary software), Free and Open Source Software movements have sprung up with copyleft licensing to protect the right to free sharing of code and other information. In this way what is referred to as the ‘High-Tech Gift Economy’ is directly challenging its capitalist counterpart in technology development, with the development of free software designed through the co-operation of ‘techies’ across the globe competing with commercial products. The paper argues that despite limitations the world wide web of information sharing does create an environment for giving gifts of information to a global audience. It is furthermore argued that reciprocal exchange of such gifts through generalized exchange with a worldwide network requires a heightened sense of presence in the virtual gift society.
Association of Internet Researchers Association of Internet Researchers Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin October 2009 October 2009 Global tools enhance local exchange Global tools enhance local exchange through Community Currency in a through Community Currency in a Complementary Complementary “Gift” Economy “Gift” Economy Liezl Coetzee Liezl Coetzee University of Stellenbosch University of Stellenbosch South Africa South Africa
Transcript
Association of Internet ResearchersAssociation of Internet ResearchersMilwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee, Wisconsin
October 2009October 2009
Global tools enhance local exchange through Global tools enhance local exchange through Community Currency in a Complementary Community Currency in a Complementary
“Gift” Economy“Gift” Economy
Liezl CoetzeeLiezl CoetzeeUniversity of StellenboschUniversity of Stellenbosch
South AfricaSouth Africa
OverviewOverview
Reciprocal Gift E-conomy Reciprocal Gift E-conomy
““The High-Tech Gift Economy”The High-Tech Gift Economy”
Money 2:0 Money 2:0
Community Exchange System Community Exchange System
Mutual trust and reciprocity in Mutual trust and reciprocity in (online) Community Currency (online) Community Currency Networks Networks
Generalized ExchangeGeneralized Exchange
Features to encourage online Features to encourage online reciprocityreciprocity
Building community offlineBuilding community offline
ConclusionConclusion
Reciprocal giftingReciprocal gifting
Mauss’s Tripartite formula for ‘total Mauss’s Tripartite formula for ‘total prestation’ – obligation to:prestation’ – obligation to:
GiveGive ReceiveReceive
RepayRepay
Reciprocity in gifting emphasizes Reciprocity in gifting emphasizes relationship between giver and relationship between giver and receiverreceiver
““Gift economy”Gift economy”
Driven by social Driven by social relationsrelations
Commodity economyCommodity economy
Driven by priceDriven by price
vsvs
Reciprocal Gift E-conomyReciprocal Gift E-conomy
““The High-Tech Gift Economy”The High-Tech Gift Economy”
““[A]t the 'cutting edge' of the emerging information [A]t the 'cutting edge' of the emerging information society, money-commodity relations play a society, money-commodity relations play a secondary role to those created by a really secondary role to those created by a really existing form of anarcho-communism… In the existing form of anarcho-communism… In the absence of states or markets to mediate social absence of states or markets to mediate social bonds, network communities are instead formed bonds, network communities are instead formed through the mutual obligations created by gifts of through the mutual obligations created by gifts of time and ideas”time and ideas” (Barbrook, 1998:5). (Barbrook, 1998:5).
“a kind of gift economy where people do things for one another out of a spirit of building something between them, rather than a spreadsheet-calculated quid pro quo.” (Rheingold, 1991)
Limitations of the Limitations of the “High-Tech Gift Economy”“High-Tech Gift Economy”
Focused on exchange of Focused on exchange of virtual, digital goods/ virtual, digital goods/ informationinformation
Continued dependence on the Continued dependence on the ‘money’ economy‘money’ economy
Accessibility across the digital Accessibility across the digital dividedivide
Money 2:0 Money 2:0
Money as memoryMoney as memory
Juno Moneta – goddess of Juno Moneta – goddess of memorymemory
MonetaMoneta from from moneo = moneo = remind/ remind/ rememberremember
Community CurrencyCommunity Currency ““Community” = Community” =
‘‘munus’ (gift) + munus’ (gift) +
‘‘cum’ (together/ among each cum’ (together/ among each other)other)
““a community currency means that a community currency means that members of the group empower members of the group empower themselves to create their own themselves to create their own
“money,” which they agree to use in “money,” which they agree to use in paying for purchases made among paying for purchases made among
““a radical change in the future of money, a radical change in the future of money, if [its] technical mechanisms are used to if [its] technical mechanisms are used to support the creation and maintenance of support the creation and maintenance of 'local currencies' – a medium of 'local currencies' – a medium of exchange that many communities around exchange that many communities around the world are beginning to experiment the world are beginning to experiment with.”with.” (Rheingold,. 1997)
““Moneys are programmed”Moneys are programmed”““[w]e are proving more likely to [w]e are proving more likely to treat our money as software, treat our money as software, and to write our own… and to write our own… alternative, net-enabled, alternative, net-enabled, bottom-up money systemsbottom-up money systems” ” (Rushkoff, 2009) (Rushkoff, 2009)
Community Exchange System Community Exchange System
Initiated by SANE (South African New Economics) Initiated by SANE (South African New Economics) network network
Piloted in Cape Town in 2003Piloted in Cape Town in 2003
Cape Town Talent ExchangeCape Town Talent Exchange
Talent exchanges spread across SATalent exchanges spread across SA
First international exchange (Australian LETS group) First international exchange (Australian LETS group) joined in 2005joined in 2005
Currently used by 150 Exchanges in 19 CountriesCurrently used by 150 Exchanges in 19 Countries
CES split from SANE in 2008CES split from SANE in 2008
How it worksHow it works
Mutual trust and reciprocity in (online) Community Mutual trust and reciprocity in (online) Community Currency Networks Currency Networks
Some take from the Some take from the system without system without giving back, or don’t giving back, or don’t trade at all.trade at all.
Initial enthusiasts Initial enthusiasts dedicate time and effort dedicate time and effort to provide goods for to provide goods for community currency.community currency.
Credits earned cannot Credits earned cannot be redeemed due to be redeemed due to limited offerings in limited offerings in system.system.
Generalized Exchange Generalized Exchange
Online giftingOnline gifting
Anonymous recipientsAnonymous recipients
Direct exchange impossibleDirect exchange impossible
Give to the communityGive to the community
Receive from the communityReceive from the community
Community currenciesCommunity currencies
Known & unknown recipientsKnown & unknown recipients
Direct exchange impossibleDirect exchange impossible
Give to the communityGive to the community
Receive from the communityReceive from the community
Network-wide accounting systemNetwork-wide accounting system
Benefit given is reciprocated not by recipient but by someone else in the Benefit given is reciprocated not by recipient but by someone else in the groupgroup
More generous & riskier than direct reciprocation – no guarantee of More generous & riskier than direct reciprocation – no guarantee of immediate return immediate return
Temptation to free-ride on others’ efforts could lead to social dilemma Temptation to free-ride on others’ efforts could lead to social dilemma (individually reasonable behaviour leads to collective disaster.(individually reasonable behaviour leads to collective disaster.
Promoting reciprocity Promoting reciprocity
Motivation for giving:Motivation for giving:
Anticipated ReciprocityAnticipated Reciprocity
Expressing IdentityExpressing Identity
ReputationReputation
Sense of efficacySense of efficacy
Attachment/ Group Dynamics, Attachment/ Group Dynamics, andand
Fulfilling a need of the Fulfilling a need of the community. community.
Methods to encourage (online) Methods to encourage (online) reciprocity:reciprocity:
Limited profile informationLimited profile information
Contact detailsContact details
Description of offeringsDescription of offerings
New profile pic featureNew profile pic feature
RecognitionRecognition
Recommendations featureRecommendations feature
Rarely usedRarely used
Users discouraged from trading with Users discouraged from trading with ‘bad traders’‘bad traders’
Bad traders blocked.Bad traders blocked.
TransparencyTransparency
Trading balances for all users Trading balances for all users visible to membersvisible to members
Few use this feature but many Few use this feature but many appreciate that it is there.appreciate that it is there.
Group size Group size
Potential constraints i.t.o. scale and scope of a community exchange Potential constraints i.t.o. scale and scope of a community exchange network:network:
Failure to achieve critical size of the participant baseFailure to achieve critical size of the participant base Too narrow an assortment of goods and services offeredToo narrow an assortment of goods and services offered Failure to attract participants from all levels of the supply chain (production/ Failure to attract participants from all levels of the supply chain (production/
distribution circuit), and distribution circuit), and Failure to gain wide acceptance among the mainstream business Failure to gain wide acceptance among the mainstream business
community.community.
Internet expands scopeInternet expands scope
Larger groups complicate community buildingLarger groups complicate community building Transactors do not know each otherTransactors do not know each other Long distances to travel between traders & to markets.Long distances to travel between traders & to markets.
CTTE sub-areasCTTE sub-areas Aim to encourage more Aim to encourage more locallocal focus focus Have not reached sufficient size to function independently as offerings within Have not reached sufficient size to function independently as offerings within
sub-areas are limited.sub-areas are limited.
Building communityBuilding community
OnlineOnline
Group & Announcement Group & Announcement featuresfeatures
Social networksSocial networks
OfflineOffline
MarketsMarkets
ShopsShops
SlipsSlips
Across the Digital Divide…Across the Digital Divide…
Groups & AnnouncementsGroups & Announcements
Online social networksOnline social networks
FacebookFacebook
Community Exchange Network group Community Exchange Network group created in 2007created in 2007
Current membership 836Current membership 836
NingNing
http://communityexchange.ning.com/http://communityexchange.ning.com/ created in 2008created in 2008
Current membership 347 Current membership 347
Membership globalMembership global
Forum for general discussion/ Forum for general discussion/ ideas exchangeideas exchange
Limited Limited locallocal networking networking
Interface between FB/ Ning & Interface between FB/ Ning & CES site proposed in discussionsCES site proposed in discussions
Offline links Offline links MarketsMarkets
Talent markets held ~monthlyTalent markets held ~monthly
Trade & new registrations Trade & new registrations notably increase during notably increase during marketsmarkets
Members to take initiative to Members to take initiative to organise own marketsorganise own markets
ShopsShops Talent shop opened in Talent shop opened in
October 2005October 2005
SANE premisesSANE premises
Hoped more would open but Hoped more would open but none havenone have
Shop closed after split with Shop closed after split with SANE – lost premisesSANE – lost premises
SlipsSlips
Paper based system Paper based system available for those available for those without regular Internet, without regular Internet, and use at markets.and use at markets.
Trades captured by those Trades captured by those with access – ‘mediators’with access – ‘mediators’
Bridging the digital divide Bridging the digital divide
CES aims to reform monetary system to benefit those lacking Internet access CES aims to reform monetary system to benefit those lacking Internet access 90% of SA population – no access90% of SA population – no access
Pilot social outreach programme targeted 3 areasPilot social outreach programme targeted 3 areas Harare in Khayelitsha; Delft; Harare in Khayelitsha; Delft; MasipumaleleMasipumalele
New economics courses heldNew economics courses held
Opened offices & held markets in each communityOpened offices & held markets in each community
Donor funding through SANEDonor funding through SANE
Activities declined after SANE splitActivities declined after SANE split
Mobile platform – potential to increase access, though at present few have suitable Mobile platform – potential to increase access, though at present few have suitable phones/ know how to use itphones/ know how to use it
Still interest in concept Still interest in concept Some with Internet mediate for othersSome with Internet mediate for others
Residents starting a food garden Residents starting a food garden
Obtain inputs through Talent ExchangeObtain inputs through Talent Exchange
Aim to sell produce for TalentsAim to sell produce for Talents
CES likened to ‘Ubuntu’ philosophy of communal support & sharingCES likened to ‘Ubuntu’ philosophy of communal support & sharing
““I want to see somebody set up a barter I want to see somebody set up a barter network where I could trade poetry for network where I could trade poetry for turnips. Or not even poetry--lawn turnips. Or not even poetry--lawn cutting, whatever. I want to see the cutting, whatever. I want to see the Internet used to spread the Ithaca dollar Internet used to spread the Ithaca dollar system around America so that every system around America so that every community could start using alternative community could start using alternative labor dollars. It is not happening. And so labor dollars. It is not happening. And so I wonder, why isn't it happening?” I wonder, why isn't it happening?” (LambornWilson, 2004). (LambornWilson, 2004).
