The Gift Economy
Since 2012, I have never charged a flat “fee” for any work I have done, and no one has been charged a fee to attend a workshop I have organized and facilitated. This is part of my ongoing experiment ot live into the Gift Economy.
The Gift Economy is a way of sharing and distributing resources an an alternative to our current market-based capitalist system. It is - for me - a system that is grounded in two core beliefs:
Natural ecosystems manage resources in a balanced and sustainable manner, fostering thriving environments for all. Humans have lost our way, but we can return to a relationship with resources that honors the dignity of all life.
The essential nature of humankind is not one of competition, but of cooperation and generosity. We can create systems that harness the best of who we are.
There is no one right way to practice the Gift Economy. These principles - originally taught to me by the East Bay Meditation Center and adapted through years of experimentation - are what is currently guiding my practice.
In addition to the principles, click here to see my commitment to financial transparency.
1: GENEROSITY
Pure generosity means giving without expectation of reward or exchange. The giving that happens is not part of a transaction. Rather, it is part of the transformation of our culture and relationships. We give because the act of giving benefits and brings joy to both the giver and recipient. In this way, everything we offer to each other is offered a gift, regardless of a participant’s ability to pay.
In a market economy, goods and services are typically given out of self-interest. “I am providing this good/service because I want to get paid.” The transactional nature of the exchange diminishes the joy of giving and receiving.
2: ACCESS
Assigning a monetary value to goods and services not only diminishes the true value of our gifts, but also creates a barrier to access. We are committed to practices – financial and otherwise – that allow for the full participation of all people.
In a market economy, the monetary value that is placed on goods and services creates a barrier to access. In a Gift system, all are welcome regardless of their ability to pay.
3: INTERDEPENDENCE
While the market economy encourages independence and self-reliance, the Gift system acknowledges the interdependence of all life. A Gift system functions because we are all giving in support of each other. The responsibility to meet our needs are held collectively, as opposed to each individual being responsible for themselves.
Because the “giving” in a market system is transactional, the exchange only benefits those directly involved. In a Gift system, because giving is voluntary and made out of the desire to support others, that gift will go on to support those you may never meet.
4: SUSTAINABILITY
The constant growth worldview is not sustainable. In the Gift, we make all decisions with intention and awareness around sustainability. As Gandhi once said, the world has enough for “everyone’s needs, not everyone’s greed.” This means discerning what our need is versus what we feel like we deserve, as well as intention about how we raise money and what kind of growth we want.
In a market economy, the constant growth mentality is pervasive. We are all taught to hoard as much as we can, and that bigger is always better. Even in nonprofit work, we always go after the biggest grant we can. In the Gift system, we do not assume that bigger is better. We do not measure success by the size of our budget, and try to be intentional about how much resources we are taking from our ecosystem.
5: ABUNDANCE
As we try to move towards a needs-based economy, we acknowledge that we live in a world of abundant resources – enough for all beings not only to survive but to thrive. The false sense of scarcity has to do with how we define “resources” and how we are taught to measure success and safety. The earth is abundant if we value, honor and respect all the resources that are available to us: water, air, soil, relationships, wisdom.
The current market system teaches us that resources are finite, and we need to battle each other to hoard them so that we feel safe. The more we can remember what resources are actually necessary for us to thrive, the more we will realize that we live in abundance and the less we will rely on a material and financial system made up of falsehoods.
6: EQUITY
We acknowledge that a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all approach to economics can perpetuate disparity and injustice. We work to honor the story, ability and capacity of each person. Acknowledging the generations of inequity that exists in the current market system, the Gift system can be regenerative and healing.
The market economy conditions us to always be on the lookout for the “best bargain” and to pay as little as we can to get the most “bang for the buck.” This approach does not meet the needs of all people. The Gift system takes into account each person’s story and history, and provides an opportunity to bring about equity by inviting those who have the capacity to give more than their “fair market share” to do so.
7: TRANSPARENCY
The Gift system works to counter a culture of security and secrecy with radical transparency. The more transparency there is in the system, the more information people have – which in turn helps them discern how and where they want to move their resources.
Unlike a market economy where personal and organizational finances are held as tightly guarded secrets, a Gift system shares financial information transparently. The vulnerability of such radical transparency can also increase trust and strengthen relationships.
8: FAITH
Rather than relying on fundraising strategies and retirement plans, the Gift system relies on relationships and a faith that if we are on the right path, than our community will come together to sustain us. Rather than living in a scarcity model and pouring resources into fundraising, we try to live into the abundance of our world and focus our resources on our work.