What is a gift economy? - Alex Gendler
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Date: 2020-08-22
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Comments and reviews: 10
Tristram
Loved the story of the island people sharing beautiful items and staying close. After living in two gift economy communities, I can say that the feeling of support was very tangible. In the context of things we needed and used daily, like cooking, cleaning, repairing and building, seeing things taken care of without any worry for return felt great. When we share resources, then we all get to enjoy greater variety of experiences and products.
I'm still unsure how this could work in a larger sense though. With such a huge community in a given city or nation, how does, for example, a coffee shop manage to keep afloat with hundreds of people visiting every day. Is there a sharing infrastructure going on under the surface? Perhaps it could be a universal income? I'd like to hear from someone who has any ideas.
For sure if the work we do reflects what we'd like to contribute to the world, rather than just trying to get some money together, then we'd probably progress well and not destroy our home in the process.
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Loved the story of the island people sharing beautiful items and staying close. After living in two gift economy communities, I can say that the feeling of support was very tangible. In the context of things we needed and used daily, like cooking, cleaning, repairing and building, seeing things taken care of without any worry for return felt great. When we share resources, then we all get to enjoy greater variety of experiences and products.
I'm still unsure how this could work in a larger sense though. With such a huge community in a given city or nation, how does, for example, a coffee shop manage to keep afloat with hundreds of people visiting every day. Is there a sharing infrastructure going on under the surface? Perhaps it could be a universal income? I'd like to hear from someone who has any ideas.
For sure if the work we do reflects what we'd like to contribute to the world, rather than just trying to get some money together, then we'd probably progress well and not destroy our home in the process.
reply
Jeffrey
Lots of people here are missing what a gift economy is all about due to being indoctrinated into the trade economy.
A gift economy works the same as a trade economy except for one major difference; you give without an expectation of something in return.
For example, lets say you are a barber, you cut someone's hair.
That person that received the gift of a hair cut is a truck driver, they deliver goods to the local grocery store.
The local grocery store is stocked by another person, one day, the barber comes in, picks up some groceries and goes home.
There is no trade, barter, exchange at all going on, the barber gives haircuts, but in return, he receives vastly more in return (a comfy home, food, drink, other goods and services provided by others. It works exactly the same as a trade based economy except for the aforementioned no expectation on receiving something in return.
Hope this helps.
reply
Lots of people here are missing what a gift economy is all about due to being indoctrinated into the trade economy.
A gift economy works the same as a trade economy except for one major difference; you give without an expectation of something in return.
For example, lets say you are a barber, you cut someone's hair.
That person that received the gift of a hair cut is a truck driver, they deliver goods to the local grocery store.
The local grocery store is stocked by another person, one day, the barber comes in, picks up some groceries and goes home.
There is no trade, barter, exchange at all going on, the barber gives haircuts, but in return, he receives vastly more in return (a comfy home, food, drink, other goods and services provided by others. It works exactly the same as a trade based economy except for the aforementioned no expectation on receiving something in return.
Hope this helps.
reply
Sarah
gift economy is minor yet present in well off social circles. If i invite you to my party i expect to be invited back. it would be impolite not too. at Christmas we set up Secret Santas and Cris Cringles so no body has to get everyone a gift after all if you have many siblings isn't it better to give and recieve one well thought out gift for one person rather than a tiny cheap thing for Bessie and Nora and Tom and Mike and Jess and Mia and.
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gift economy is minor yet present in well off social circles. If i invite you to my party i expect to be invited back. it would be impolite not too. at Christmas we set up Secret Santas and Cris Cringles so no body has to get everyone a gift after all if you have many siblings isn't it better to give and recieve one well thought out gift for one person rather than a tiny cheap thing for Bessie and Nora and Tom and Mike and Jess and Mia and.
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Awesome
The concept of a free gift, commonly used by many American companies, is truly comical in other parts of the world. A gift is, by definition, free. Ive heard people giggle when they first hear the term. What these companies actually mean is, If you buy x, well throw in y, as an enticement. Try getting the gift without purchasing the product in question and youll see it is not a gift at all, certainly not in the traditional sense.
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The concept of a free gift, commonly used by many American companies, is truly comical in other parts of the world. A gift is, by definition, free. Ive heard people giggle when they first hear the term. What these companies actually mean is, If you buy x, well throw in y, as an enticement. Try getting the gift without purchasing the product in question and youll see it is not a gift at all, certainly not in the traditional sense.
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19:
So basically that epsiode of the Office is like a gift economy. Dwight's trying to collect favors from his co-workers so that he can get Jim fired, but Andy doesn't like to be indebted so he keeps trying to pay Dwight back immediately, which eventually brings Dwight's plan to ruins, as all his co-workers also do him a group favour. That show has so many levels.
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So basically that epsiode of the Office is like a gift economy. Dwight's trying to collect favors from his co-workers so that he can get Jim fired, but Andy doesn't like to be indebted so he keeps trying to pay Dwight back immediately, which eventually brings Dwight's plan to ruins, as all his co-workers also do him a group favour. That show has so many levels.
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Jonathan
We live in a gift that God gave to us. God needs to be in us who gave it. Places where things are found should be the main places where a person should go to ask for whatever a person is looking for. A person goes to a pear tree, to get a pear. Artie Whitefox.
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We live in a gift that God gave to us. God needs to be in us who gave it. Places where things are found should be the main places where a person should go to ask for whatever a person is looking for. A person goes to a pear tree, to get a pear. Artie Whitefox.
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Mduduzi
A gift ceases to be a gift once there is an expectation of a return, it is no-longer out of kindness, it becomes a product of trade. This stands regardless of whether the said gift is a good or a service, or in form of money.
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A gift ceases to be a gift once there is an expectation of a return, it is no-longer out of kindness, it becomes a product of trade. This stands regardless of whether the said gift is a good or a service, or in form of money.
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Compugasm
But in the examples given, like natives exchanging necklaces, it's simply trading a single luxury item for another. This is not the same thing as an economy which serves the needs of sustaining an entire civilization.
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But in the examples given, like natives exchanging necklaces, it's simply trading a single luxury item for another. This is not the same thing as an economy which serves the needs of sustaining an entire civilization.
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Vicnet
FBI: So it seems that you've given the president two 40 million dollar houses and two weeks later you were appointed as vice president.
Me: oh yeah that's just uh. gift economy
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FBI: So it seems that you've given the president two 40 million dollar houses and two weeks later you were appointed as vice president.
Me: oh yeah that's just uh. gift economy
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Abrahem
This is incredibly interesting to learn about but Im skeptical of its application in real life. Maybe in certain market places.
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This is incredibly interesting to learn about but Im skeptical of its application in real life. Maybe in certain market places.
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