Why we aren’t taking money

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The idea for this tour was inspired in part by the pilgrimages of Satish Kumar, who travelled from India to Washington DC, and then around England with no money. His pilgrimages were acts of trust in people’s hospitality. If you are going to rethink the system it is surely essential to rethink money. We felt that by taking no money we would be challenging a major assumption that drives our society – that you need money to eat, sleep in a bed and move around. Of course we realise that other people will be spending money (directly or indirectly) to provide for us, but at least we will not be bound to our hosts, or them to us, via the current system of economic exchange. We will let you know how it feels to be dependent and without the means to buy a coffee or even take the bus if we are stranded. We will also let you know how it feels to receive hospitality, as we suspect there will be plenty along the way! Certainly so far it has been utterly heart-warming to have received so many offers for accommodation, meals, transport and meetings.

We weren’t quite brave enough to spend no money on the tour however. We were worried people might think it was cheeky of us to live off the generosity of others. So we have donated $4,000 to the organisations below. We deliberately chose these organisations in advance, as we felt it would spoil the spirit of the tour to have money up for grabs. We think these groups are doing great work, bringing attention to important issues and providing avenues for people to become active in social change or their communities. We also think there are numerous other inspiring groups out there; we just went for smaller, newer organisations that we happen to know fairly well.

Orientation Aotearoa, 350 Aotearoa, Generation Zero, Tu Ake Performaning Arts, and a community project run by Ford Block Rotorua (donation still to be finalised).

 

Rethink the system.

11 COMMENTS

  1. My God, I thought she would never show her face again after the last debacle.Next it will be the old fishwife Corkery.

    • Ok . Yes, I get it . I get what you’re trying to exemplify . And reassuringly for me , I’ve been thinking about the role money plays in human society too . Money per se is a neutral device for making complex situations more simple . It’s easier to pass over a hundred dollar note as opposed to swapping a cow and a sack of grains for two weeks plumbing and some electrical work . EAOE .
      It’s the weirdy , money fiddlers who’ve fucked it up for us and they could only do that during times of plenty, such is the good work or efficiency the note of credit … or ‘ money ‘ .
      ‘ Money ‘ can also be a handy tool for the evil bastards out there who get a frisson up their spines when they think they’ve just cheated a whole lot of people out of THIER money .

      Isn’t that an interesting thing ? When there’s already an alternate currency operating built on trust and reputation . That of on-line buying and selling like Trademe and Ebay . Those entities require money of course but there’s another thing that’s a requirement , but admittedly not essential , and that’s a good reputation as a reliable and trustworthy ‘ trader ‘ . So , perhaps there’s an opening for a bi-segmented economy perhaps ? So , yes . I get what you’re doing .

      Irrelevent comment removed. – ScarletMod

    • Oh yes, Twerp? And your great action against National has been…?

      Marvelous, ain’t it. Someone tries to do something to get rid of John Key – one of the most popular political characters in this country’s history – doesn’t succeed; and is pilloried for her efforts.

      As Homer Simpson once remarked to his son,

      “If at first you don’t succeed, give up”

      I gather that’s the message you’re giving us?

    • Harre inveigled herself into the Internet Party , which is a centrist party and virtually rewrote its policy to suit her true extreme left preferences . e.g. writing off all existing student loans . A gifted talker , but her irresponsible popu;lism cost the Internet Party a lot more votes than Kim Dotcom did . Dotcom was holding the pursestrings and could have put his foot down , but he was politically naiive . I don’t think he would be so easily fooled again .

  2. I’m sorry, but I still don’t understand the reasoning behind a well-off woman choosing to rely on the generosity of those in serious poverty. Can you please explain why you are using people in this way? Donations to performing arts classes will not refill the already almost empty fridges & cupboards of those you intend to stay with. I just don’t get it.

  3. @ Twerp . Pam Corckery’s a great gal . She’s got spirit . So …..

    You know what ? I can’t think of anything else to say to you other than get fucked . How agricultural of me ?

  4. “We felt that by taking no money we would be challenging a major assumption that drives our society”

    “Money” as such was invented as a convenient and efficient means of trading goods. For instance, if you do a straight swap, all you are going to end up with is your neighbour’s eggs while they get your silverbeet (hence the failure of the “Green Dollar” movement to get very far). The problems that come with a monetarised society are the result of a variety of other issues than simply a system that uses money.

  5. Love your work Laila, can we have some dates, times and places of your talks. Thanks, and just keep on doing what you do well, letting kiwis know there are alternatives to the present depressing narrative.

  6. Read David graben’s book debt the last 5000 years. Amongst friends and family we don”t keep tally. Other societies run this eay

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