[Noisebridge-discuss] A modest proposal

jim jim at well.com
Thu Oct 25 22:20:25 UTC 2012



    I lived in a big warehouse community (Project 1) that 
required members to perform tasks. At best about 50% 
performed the tasks, at worst the number dropped to (my 
guess) below 20%. At one point none of the toilets on the 
second floor worked. A volunteer took the time to take 
them apart and mate working parts to get four toilets in 
working order. 
    Over time, the system degraded, ultimately to a 
free-market economy state (tragedy of the commons). 

    An idea occurs that volunteering might work in the 
form of earned "chits" (or however you spell the word) 
that are created by a group working together on an ad 
hoc project and who verify each others' efforts and 
submit their group "chit" to the general Noisebridge 
meeting; with enough "chit" credits individual can earn 
membership status (no starving hacker rates for this). 
    The ad hoc work crew would serve as the verifying 
committee for itself, I believe that only a little 
exaggeration would happen and that a bit of useful 
work would be done at the price of letting one or more 
people be able to vote in meetings. 
    I don't like the idea that someone takes on some 
particular chores in exchange for membership rights. 





On Thu, 2012-10-25 at 15:04 -0700, Martin Bogomolni wrote:
> > I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't think there was a point.  Your
> > question is phrased disingenuously but I'll honor its intent.
> 
> You're right.  I actually didn't mean to have that negative a tone.
> The way you took it, is pretty much what I meant to say in the first
> place.  I'm getting a bit more cynical lately.
> 
> > Membership is a social contract giving the member certain rights and
> > obligations within the noisebridge community.  Ability to fully participate
> > in the consensus process. A sense of security against witch hunts and oogle
> > raids. A sense of responsibility to fulfill obligations that have been taken
> > on, including but not limited to a recurring donation.  Social Contract. You
> > know, the power and engine of an anarchist system??
> 
> Indeed.  However, the idea of volunteering time vs/ having a recurring
> donation of time spent doing something requires some kind of feedback
> mechanism.   Money is easy, because you give the money first, and then
> things X, Y, and Z happen.
> 
> Volunteering instead of paying a membership due is an interesting
> proposition.   My next statement does tie into it!   The IRS _does_
> care about value and time given.  So, if someone is expected to
> perform $80/month worth of tasks, it means assigning values to tasks,
> and making sure the task is completed.   Assuming minimum wage, that's
> ~10 hours worth of volunteering.
> 
> > I have worked with lots of people in lots of different settings, and my
> > social science data tells me that creating a structured relationship between
> > a person and an organization increases the persistence of that relationship.
> > The more clearly defined the terms of that relationship are (as well as
> > being well-matched in terms of scale of commitment) the more likely the
> > relationship is to succeed.
> 
> I'm in complete lockstep agreement.
> 
> > I know it's a popular meme to say 'membership doesn't get you anything!' but
> > maybe we want to rewrite this thought.  We should use our meta-linguistic
> > programming to reinforce the algorithms we prefer. If we want our social
> > contract to have strength, we would do well to give it its due.
> 
> That means giving it some hysteresis/feedback mechanism.  Actions
> leading to actual consequences.
> 
> [ snip ]
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