You're invited to a workshop cohosted by Shareable featuring Wolfgang Hoeschele Ph.D, a geographer and author soon to be released book, The Economics of Abundance: A Political Economy of Freedom, Equity, and Sustainability.
In this workshop, Wolfgang will first introduce participants to his ideas about an economics of abundance; then, participants will break out into groups to discuss how they can realize greater abundance in various different aspects of their lives; finally, these groups will report their ideas back to all participants. The goal is to generate ideas, energy, and momentum that participants can take back to their own life projects.
The “economics of abundance” is based on a critique of our present economic system, which finds value only in scarce commodities – i.e., things which can be sold at a high price because demand exceeds supply. Because this economy depends on demand always outstripping supplies, it also depends on “scarcity-generating institutions” – institutions that either manipulate supply or demand in order to keep us in a constant state of need.
An economy of abundance seeks to dismantle or reform these scarcity-generating institutions in such a way as to affirm our freedom to live life as art (self-expression to others), social equity (so that everyone can live life as art), and sustainability (so that all life can thrive into the future). Among other things, this implies a much greater role for various forms of shared property, individual and community-level self-reliance, and participatory decision-making.
This event is cohosted by Shareable.net, Independent Arts & Media, and Abundance League.
MEETING:
When: Thursday, June 24th, 2010, 6:30-9:30pm
Where: Citizen Space , 425 Second St., #100, San Francisco
AGENDA:
6:30 – 7:00 Arrive - mingle, nosh
7:00 – 7:30 Member announcements, one minute each
7:30 – 8:00 Break - make connections based on announcements, nosh
8:00 – 9:15 Presentation and discussion
9:15 – 9:30 Clean up, take the discussion to the 21st Amendment
BRING
-Willingness to give help and receive help
-Healthy finger food and drink for the potluck
-Yourself, friends
Teaser image courtesy of Gwen Meharg.
Comments
Neal Gorenflo wrote on 05.14.10, 8:44am:
I'm looking for someone to video tape the talk, stay tuned.
Anyone in SF want to volunteer?
Rick Smith wrote on 05.16.10, 4:24pm:
Just as a plug for the overall concept of abundance in general - Small Is Beautiful by E.F. Schumacher is a great resource for the fundamental underlying concepts. Abundance truly is "economics as if people mattered"
Wolfgang Hoeschele wrote on 05.18.10, 6:32pm:
Rick,
"Small is Beautiful" is indeed one of the books that has inspired me! In addition, I recommend the writings of Ivan Illich, especially on the history of needs and on radical monopolies. Frances Moore Lappe I also find important (including how she writes about freedom; she goes way beyond food in Food First!), and, more academically, J. K. Gibson-Graham, showing us how the non-capitalist relationships are there all around us even while we continuously emphasize the capitalist ones.
I hope to get to meet you that evening!
Wolfgang
lucci wrote on 06.24.10, 5:58pm:
i'll check in with you at the event if you still need a videotaper Neal.
I'll be there in spirit :)