About
In this blog I have gone into a lot of detail about one idea. This idea is divided into many smaller aspects which are represented by the various posts I have made up to this point. All of the posts have one common theme, however. All of the posts on this blog discuss the idea of Love. Generosity is the one aspect of Love on Earth that is the most unbalanced. It expresses itself most strongly in our economy. An economy is simply a set of rules and formulas that govern the flow of resources within a community. Our current economy is an economy of greed. In order to create any true change in our future, we must accept that our current system is broken. Once we are able to accept this, we can begin to work on changing ourselves. The Alternate Economy is first and foremost about personal change.
The following table presents my philosophy in the order it was meant to be read. Please, take the time to investigate my ideas. There are many other posts on this site as well, but I recommend reading these posts first. I hope you enjoy what I have to offer!
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A Quest for Truth
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Outward Expressions
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Inward Expressions
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The Idea of Love is best expressed with Balanced Emotions
But how does that translate to our Economy?
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Tristan, it does not feel right to be setting up a system that feeds off the corrupt system that is already in place. There has to be a better place to start. Joint dialogue, as you suggested on my blog is a good place to start. But there is so much Darkness now, that discernment is of vital importance. It is getting harder and harder to trust anyone. At this point, I am open to discussion but not making commitments to anything prior to serious consideration. On the other hand, we must, must join those in the light and work toward a healthy, loving world. We are so far from that now in almost every aspect. But things are indeed changing so there is great hope as we move into the infamous 2012. Hugs, pat
I agree with you Pat,
I also feel very strongly that the reason we are trapped in a cycle of abuse is due largely to our economy of greed. This economy causes poverty in mass quantities and poverty is the number one cause of abusive behaviour.
I wish there was a way to escape the current economy without first securing massive quantities of resources. I cannot think of any. The only way to secure massive quantities of resources is to buy them. For that we need money. For that we need a bank.
Please, if there is another way, I am all ears. I have yet to think of it. See my newest post on “currency”. Maybe that will help you to see what I am proposing.
I response to your comments i would like to add that Gandhi said “Poverty is the worst form of violence.”
I could not have said it better. If we can eliminate our poverty, we can begin to work on changing ourselves and the world around us.
Hello Tristan, Many thanks for your comments upon my blog post ‘Fitting the Pieces Together’ I can see I will enjoy scouting around your blog site and reading about the Alternative Economy …. and will be looking in on your post Currency you spoke of earlier here..
The Darkside does indeed ‘appear’ to be winning, but that is mainly as the darkside rules the Media, so we get bombarded with negative eggs all the time, Keeping us in Fear.. There are many Good Hearted people out there who as yet are still in slumber land, but people are waking up slowly, if only to realise that we cannot carry on the way we are doing.. ‘Greed’ has indeed taken over, and its the few ‘elite’ let us say who Control the Economy, who have an agenda.. The Euro is set to fail as will I feel the monetary systems collapse into chaos in the not too distant future.. It is not by chance that I read Gold went up $40 an Ounce in a few hours yesterday.. As ships sail into the Straits of Hormuz .. Other factors too are all entwined within the scheme of things in the illusionary world of ours.. I think that for this world to Change something BIG has to happen.. I mean really Big.. That is why many of us like yourself included from what I have just read upon your blog pages are about helping promote Peace and setting the seeds of Unity and Compassion back into the hearts of Mankind.. .. It is always Darkest before the Dawn Light… and the Sun is about to Rise my friend… Keep shining your own true Light… (( I will return )) ~ Sue Dreamwalker
The light always wins out over darkness. The light spreads outwards in every direction, growing upon itself in positive motion. Darkness hides in corners and folds in upon itself in fear. Darkness will always be pushed aside by the light. It is in its nature.
Valerie, thanks for that quote from Gandhi. I will run with that myself. ” Poverty is the worst form of violence” That is a powerful statement. I have my own ideas for how we can address the poverty and greed in the world, you have yours and Tristan has his. It seems to me that what is about to happen will probably surprise us all. No doubt with the current shift of Neptune into Pisces (if you are into that sort of thing) we are about to see a whole lot of stale institutions and forms being swept away much as a tsunami sweeps away many structures that seemed quite stable . . .powerful . . .permanent even. It is often hard to conceive how certain structures could possibly be moved, destroyed, transformed etc. And then along comes the great wave of change and kapow! All gets swept along in “the tidal destruction, the moral melee” to quote an old fave concept album by Jethrow Tull. Thick as a brick. That is often how we are in the luminous mind of God/dess – as it were. Time continually reveals our thoughts and efforts in a new light forcing review, revision, new understanding and inevitably evolution. Blessings be to all.
like your good self i often struggle to see the good in the world at times. We receive daily and detailed reports of corruption, financial greed heaped on mismanagement added to convoluted economic systems and efforts by the ignorant power-brokers and wealthy elites to control the masses whom such powerful elites seem to view as rather pitiful, pathetic and practically beyond hope. Yes one could be forgiven for giving in to despair at times. How refreshing then to see the address by Professor Muhammad Yunus on YouTube in which he talks about how he set up the Grameen (Village) Bank. It certainly rates as one of the more inspiring and uplifting communications I have been privileged to be included in. I think this hints at our collective power and the amazing amount of profoundly good things that are happening. There seems to be a liberating truth in the understanding that every time we focus we create our universe, of which there are undoubtedly very many. Let us therefore be aware of our God(dess)-like creative powers and consciously create some awe inspiring universes such as the ones that Muhammad Yunus seems to have been busy generating. His example has shown me clearly that all of us – simple people included – can be good, trustworthy, responsible and that the system can and indeed must change to empower the vast majority of us. Personal responsibility is the potent paradox in this equation. I needed to hear his story at this time. It’s a good 45 minutes with some boring bits at the start. Totally worth the investment of time to watch http://youtu.be/V2lXpKq_Jqw
Thank you for this video. I love how he says that when he was designing his bank he simply looked at how things currently operate and did the opposite. That is exactly what I have done. If everything is broken, perhaps the opposite will work!
Interesting blog Tristan, Ill visit again to see how things are progressing.
Thank you for your support! I Iook forward to your next visit!
How great that you are up to something new, fresh and wonderful. What I’d like to see is fair pay for output and its effect on the world. Ball players should not get paid millions of dollars for doing just that, playing with their balls! What effect do they have on the world other than entertaining people for an hour? Whereas educators at all levels are creating the next scientist, artist, writer, explorer, historian, governor, president, etc… It just doesn’t make sense. I also think that people should only be allowed to make a certain amount of money before a certain percentage must go to philanthropy, whether it be giving away to a charity or opening one non-profit for every for profit. No one should be the “richest” man in the world when there are so many people without.
One way that I have tried to deal with the idea of “overcompensation” is the idea of a maximum wage. I feel that no one needs to earn more than $1,000,000 a year. Ever. Who could need more than this? I can’t think of anyone. Taxation should be used as a balancing tool. Those who earn less than $1,000,000 a year should not bear the brunt of taxation. In the Alternate Economy, taxation will be applied to every single dollar over and above $1,000,000 per year earned by an individual.
This will work in two ways to help balance the playing field. First of all, there will be no incentive to provide ridiculous salaries and bonuses to proffessions that are deemed “profitable”, since it will all be taxed. Secondly, there will be no incentive to form mega-corporations, since all of the owner’s earnings will be taxed.
Please see my post on Employment for a better description of this idea.
And thank you for helping to create a discussion! Your thoughts are greatly appreciated!
I do appreciate your thoughts. Maybe as I get to know more about you I can share with you the volunteer areas I am working in to help a grass-root process begin one person at a time. Jack
This blog is all about the sharing of ideas. Please, do share your ideas with me. I have presented a large amount of information here, but I am also willing to listen.
Greed is so terrible and so entrenched in our society that I salute you on your crusade to help push it aside for a more thoughtful and caring mindset.
Together we can change the course of history. We are what we have been, but we will be what we do now.
Much of what you speak to as the fault with western society specifically but growing globally, that being an economic structure motivated by serving of self and greed that is in my opinion, only one pillar of institutions that thwarts civil and caring social structures from developing.
Unfortunately these life-sucking institutions being long established, have like any life killing vine, become intertwined, over-grown and, deeply rooted in the soil of human existence demanding much greater energy to uproot and bring down permanently; not impossible but, near so given that all or a substantive many, must fall at the same time.
To anyone who has ever encounter a forest over grown with life-choking vine, the only way to rid of it effectively is to set a match to the lot then seed and cultivate with principles and values that serve fairly and equitably.
This is exactly what I feel.
I am hesitant to say it, because it sounds extreme. But the Alternate Economy, at its core, is about destroying every institution we currently use and rebuilding new institutions, as necessary, that are based only on what we know to be the best way of promoting love. None of our current system works. It must all be rethought and reworked and recreated in love.
Hi, here is an essay I wrote sometime ago and posted on another blog site if you care to read it that offers up an alternate social structure that ironically is not new but one that has since been and continues to be eradicated from living memory and is not perfect but one that I obviously believe has greater merit then our current, failing structure: http://www.evolver.net/user/naykdpoet/blog/fractal_societal_presence_tribalism
A beautiful essay, thank you for sharing. I highly recommend others read it as well!
Just to add to my last comment: The institution of fundamentalist religion must be recognized as the institution within civil societies that has contributed most to hatred and divisiveness amongst all peoples and by this nature, will prove, though essential, the hardest to defeat or at best, reform as the violence and death it is most responsible for afflicting over the centuries and at present, validates.
Religion is like any other institution. The Alternate Economy is not a Religion nor does it belive one doctrine and dogma are necessary to live in love. How could living in love ever lead to violence or hatred or divisiveness. Religions are not true forms of love, or what God would have wanted. God is Love. Religion is bias and ignorance and doctrine and ritual and silly.
We are frequently doing something to change ourselves, and occasionally consciously. . We need a good boost, a catalyst to resume conscious change and this is by targeting what in the political and social structure that place a terrible hurdle to our undertaking. The modern Capitalist system functions on the premise that there is 15% of the population that are practically of no use in the production system or for any development…Until a system decides that the 15% are entitled to a decent job for sustaining their human dignity, it will be hard to figure out any meaningful reform and change.
Depending on the standard of living, I guess we should be able to figure out “how much individual greed” is sustainable for the peaceful relationship among communities…
“how much personal greed” would most likely be none. Generosity implies keeping what we ourselves need, but giving away all of our excess to those who could use it more. Giving away the excess does not imply impoverishing yourself. But it also implies that we are in no way greedy. Keeping what you need is not greedy, it is sensible. Although the Alternate Economy is first about personal change, it is mostly about REAL change which means developing a new system. One that works for the entire community, and the environment too. I would love to hear your opinion as to how we might go about making some of these changes.
Thanks for stumbling over my blog site. You seem to be on a mission and I am with you in your quest for a new economic order. How about doing away with politicians? Influence peddling and pay-back time for the debt of gratitude only make matters worse for the righteous ones.
Trust me, there is little need for politicians in the Alternate Economy. Elected leaders imply we are not able to make decisions for ourselves. Once we are able to live in love, we will no longer need anyone to make decisions for us.
Great idea Tristan!! I couldn’t agree more. Have you read Servant Leadership by Robert K. Greenleaf? If not, I think it is something you would enjoy.
I look forward to reading more!
Mary
I have not read that book, but I will look into it.
Thank you for the support!
I think it would be impossible to make any significant changes without awareness. People are starting to become aware, but there are two many people that are sleep walking their way through life or worse still; ignoring the facts and burying their heads in the sand. Our mission needs to be to awaken people to the state of the world. Once people start to wake up and take notice, change will inevitably happen.
Very good comment. Pleae see my post on Karma for a better understanding of how I see awareness. It is right up the same alley as you are describing it.
I read this post first which prompted me to peruse around your blog 🙂
I think where we can, we should be able to guide people, so where as you speak of a personal journey in your Karma post, I see awareness as a global journey that we should all be taking collectively.
I agree. Global awareness is what I am pushing. Hence the blog. My website is also very much geared at global change and awareness. Please take a look at:
http://www.alternate-economy.com
This may be blatantly obvious, but you seem to be against capitalism. Now, I happen to enjoy capitalism (not because I’m part of that 1% of filthy rich people. I’m actually very far from it.). I find that capitalism is a very “American” economic system. And to change that would be to change America. Considering America is one of the most powerful nations in the world (with or without debt), I don’t agree with changing the system we have.
Then I am afraid we will never agree.
I am not against capitalism. If you take a look at my site I am all for the pursuit of happiness and the ability to work for ones keep. I beleive that capitalism has run wild and is out of control. Hence all that debt you refered to.
I disagree that America is one of the most powerful Nations on the Earth because of Capitalism. America is one of the most powerful nations of earth because of military might and a lot of luck and good timing. Capitalism was the system you used to get to where you are, but the true reason you are powerful is because you have nuclear weapons. That is it. Before your nuclear capabilities you were a nation to be considered, but not really a world power. Hiroshima changed all of that. Being a bully does not make one great, however.
The reason I reject American capitalism is because it is the driving force behind our economy. An economy that is in utter ruin. All due to greed. You can choose to keep your system of greed if that is what you prefer. But I will never support you in this decision.
I admire your mission, good luck with it. As Jimi Hendrix said “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace” x
Thank you, it will take many to bring love to the forefront.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I love your clarity of purpose here. Very interesting. I am trying for generosity in my personal life. Not always sure how to apply it in the bigger picture, especially financially. But that’s okay. I will read more of your posts.
Good luck with your blog and your mission. I am sure you will gather many interested readers.
Thank you for the support. I look forward to hearing more of your comments.
I have much to peruse and read…I love the discussion. I will converse more in the discussion when I get to really study your site. Thanks for interacting with my blog…I will look forward to entering the discussion…be back soon.
I look forward to your contributions!
I’ve been reading a couple of your posts and I’ve found your blog very interesting so far. I like what you’re doing here and I wish you all the best. I’ll be interested to see how this all progresses in the future.
With your help the future can be whatever we want it to be.
Thanks for stopping by my blog tonight, Tristan and liking my newest post. Peace!
I look forward to hearing more from you! I enjoyed your provocative take on things.
Thank you for stopping by my blog and like my post!
I really like your philosophy of the alternative economy! Something that I have been thinking about myself. Especially as I am from Sweden and I see things in a different light, living in the UK that makes things hard. Here in the UK people are, in my eyes, very greedy and don’t do anything unless they get a reward. Just simple things as recycling your rubbish, people won’t do it unless they get paid for it! It makes me very sad. I’ll be checking out your blog some more in the future!
In every community there are people who are incredibly greedy. I am searching for the people like you. The ones that are tired of greed and ready to live in love. They are out there. Together we will find them!
Thanks for stopping by and liking my posts!
Right back at ya!
I would love to hear more from you in the future. I will be stopping by your blog as well!
A thinker who makes others think is a good starting place
Thank you for your input. I hope to hear more from you.
Thank you for your interest in our straw bale hotel.
We will keep following your posts.
Greetings from Switzerland
Louis
Going green is a large part of what we are talking about. My mom looked into building a straw bale house, but was unfortunately too poor to make it happen…
Hi Tristan – Thanks for your recent visit to my blog, Play a Good Knife and Fork (http://blog.pknewby.com). I enjoyed reading about your philosophies here today! You might enjoy a few of my other posts, too – search under Peter J. Gomes, God, and coffee and also the Gift of Soup. Just a suggestion! I absolutely agree that changes to the economy start with personal change but I fear therein lies the problem… my understanding of the science that is that people really don’t want to change their behavior and it often takes regulation and policy to create healthier environments that encourage the “right choices.” (at least, this is true in public health) Certainly, some people do wish to change, which is why I’ve dedicated my blog to helping people eat in a way that is more sustainable for the planet as well as their own life. So, that gives me some hope! 🙂
Cheers,
PKN
Perhaps people need regulation.
Or, perhaps people are simply so used to being regulated they don’t know how to act otherwise. It is our resposibility as those who can make decisions for ourselves to help others to see that they TOO can make decisions for THEMSELVES. We will not do this by regulating the less knowledgeable. We will do this by enlightening the less knowledgeable. We will do this by trusting them to be just as good as we are. They will either prove us right and join us or they will continue to live in woundedness and refuse to join us. Either way, our community will thrive without regulation.
I admire what you work toward. Blessings on your journey.
Together we can accomplish anything. Your blessings are much loved and appreciated.
The next step is to determine how to get people involved.
Thank you very much! I truly appreciate.
http://naesnests.wordpress.com
I have been nominated for “The Versatile Blogger Award” , this will be my second nomination for this award, and i owe a huge thank you to “Dark Zone“, this is a privelege coming from you and thank you again.
For this award i have to do a couple of things as follows:
1. Thank the award-giver and link back to them in your post (done ).
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass this award along to 15 recently discovered blogs you enjoy reading.
4. Contact your chosen bloggers to let them know about the award.
Now a little bit about my self:
1- I am about to have my 4th surgical procedure in 3 years.
2-I love online poker
3-I collect anything frog
4-I have over 200 first cousins
5- “Renee” is my middle name
6-I love to sing
7-I love to cook, especially Italian food
I would like to pass the award to the following blogs
1- bintangzohra
2- Basil Wheel
3- Horror Zealot
4- thethickersense
5- 10eveningflowers
6- Joakim Knudsen
7-Into The Bardo
8-Mike’s Look On Life
9-The Solipsistic Me
10-andrewplacephotography
11-Rick Kirby
12-Pepperbox Couture
13-Maze A Day
14-alternateconomy
15-RoGoodman
Thanks again and congratulations
Does this mean that you are nominating me as well?
Very interesting web site. Thank you for visiting mine.
Ron
I look forward to our interactions in the future.
Very unique view and somewhat complex.
Yes, it is complex. I have tried my best to simplfy, but changing the world is a HUGE idea…
Good attempt and all the best to The Alternate Economy
Thank you!
Very thoughtful, and gives us also a lot to think about.. Thank you of sharing 🙂
Tristan, I wanted to let you know that I have added your site to my blogroll called My Neighbors. I wish you great success with your venture. Blessings, Connie at A Hope for Today, http://ahopefortoday.com.
Thank you so much. I will return the favour.
Tristan, Since you say our mission is much the same, I wanted you to be one of the first that I nominate for the Hope Unites Globally HUG Award. You may find out about the award at http://ahopefortoday.com/2012/01/14/hope-unites-globally-hug-award-guidelines/. I hope you will receive the award and pass it along to others you think are also deserving of the award. Blessings, Connie
Thank you so much for this gift. I truly appreciate it.
Congratulations Tristan on your nomination and acceptance of the Hope Unites Globally HUG Award. Your acceptance of the award has acknowledged who you are and what you do. The HUG Award was not created as a “fluff” award, just something pretty to paste on your blog. It was created as a “tough” award to challenge people to think about boundaries that are detrimental to nurturing hope and respecting the dignity of some of those who need it the most. I am very happy that you feel honored to receive the award, and I hope you will continue to share the award with others who are also deserving of it. Blessings, Connie
Love your website and thanks for visiting and liking my post.
True!
Thanks for following my blog http://jennysserendipity.wordpress.com/ and liking my New York Post. Keep up the good work…
Thanks for the liking my post. Really appreciate it. 🙂
Hi, I feel a lot of affinity with your thoughts and focus – thank you for these posts.
Here’s one of mine which I think is close to yours! http://heroesnotzombies.com/2011/12/08/a-sea-change/
You are correct, this is exactly how I feel. Well presented! I have reblogged your post on my site. Thank you!
Awesome philosophy ! Thanks for sharing and thanks for liking my post !
Hi Tristan,
I like your organization table of all your posts. Great idea!
It is a pleasure to meet you and reading your thoughts you have set down here~
Thank you and abundant love and blessings to you.
More and more of us joining together to bring in this New World! Expanding in joy, in truth and in love 🙂
Hi Tristan! Thank you for liking one of my post on blogging tips.
You have a pretty interesting blog here. 🙂 Hope to visit often.
Hi, Tristan Thank you also for reading & liking my post. Yours is amazing!
It is my pleasure to share my love with all! I will always do my best to support you.
Thanks for liking my blog. will take a proper look at yours when i get some time. cheers
Thank you for reading my post about Baby Anthony. How did you come across it? That is if you don’t mind me asking. Also I have read some of what you have posted, you’ve got a good idea there. Well at minimum a basis for it. I’ll try coming back and reading more of it.
I found your blog through the Newest Posts area of the wordpress main site. I have a few key categories that I like to follow, “Hope, Education, Charity, etc” Assuming you used a tag in your post that I follow, you will show up under the newest posts area.
Hey, Tristan, thanks for stopping by the blog. I am so with you on teaching the journey of love as it is a staple of my coaching and the journey i have taken as well. Thanks again, and i appreciate you.
Thank you for the ‘like’ on my blog post! You have a very interesting blog 😀
Hey, thanks for stopping by my blog. It was my first real attempt at blogging and you were the firs to reply. I have skimmed through your blog and it has grabbed me is a good way. Balance really struck me and the importance of balance. Question, do you think Balance is the same for everyone?
Yes, I do believe that Balance is the same, because I think it is an essential Idea. I think what makes us all unique is our passions. We all have different things to balance, so we are unique. But the way to achieve balance is the same for all.
hi thanks for following! (:
Thanks for the note of appreciation. Looking forward to your writings here.
Thank you for your visit to my blog. While I am not a political person – I do feel I will learn something. So I will be back to take the time, when available to read your insights. Our family volunteers regularly for our community, and while there is always room for improvement we do try to make small repairs to the world in the space that we are given. Sometimes just with a smile, and other times doing what we can to recycle and help the greater environment. Little steps lead to bigger steps.
Perhaps I am fooling myself, but I do not consider this to be a political blog. I consider it to be a blog about love and freedom, but I have no use for politics…
The word “Economy’ just strikes a political cord with me. I will have to take time to read your offerings. No insult was meant. Just where I am coming from. – Got rid of my soda cans, popped an old cell phone for emergency reuse, and ran several errands to conserve gas on the way home from work while in my 18 year old car… Cheers.
I am not insulted in the least. This blog does probably come off as very political. However, it is my hope that you will come to see that an economy is simply a set of rules that governs the flow of resources, sort of like ecology. Our current economy is very political. Does it need to be that way in the future? Do we need leaders at all? Instead of democrat vs republican, I am more along the lines of endebted-government vs self-goverment.
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I agree…. The world has been tainted with greed, lust, materialism…. The world needs healing, to feel mercy, peace, love, humility, kindness, simplicity…. When we forget why we are here on Earth in the first place, its sad. But its never too late to change…. Thanks for the inspiration. Wishing you all the best.
Today is a new day and although it is true that we are a product of the things we have done up until now, it is also true that what we will become is a product of the things we do right now.
Thank you for taking the time to read my recent post, “Picture this: Australia’s green desert” – I’m delighted you liked it! And now I’m off to browse your blog… 🙂
Hi Tristan,
I too am saddened and appalled at how shallow and materialistic the world is getting and about how large the gap is growing between the “haves” and “have nots”.
The world should not be about “more stuff” it should be about the far more equal distribution of the ample amount of stuff we already have.
I look at the problem and know I need to simplify my own life… apart from a few splurges when we travel, (is a tiny amount of excess in very limited amounts morally ok? .. still stewing over that one) we aim to have a very simple lifestyle at home even though we could afford more, and to make our investments in people who have various needs around us.
It’s not about showing off or doing things in a public manner, it’s about working low key to change things for the better around us one need at a time.
It’s also more manageable than attempting to change the whole world when we have full time jobs, kids, elderly parents etc. LOL
Sometimes we laugh that our home is like Grand Central Station, with extra kids and adults and feeding multitudes, but the investment of meeting strangers and leaving friends is a very rewarding one.
Some of my “101 tasks in 1001 days” that I sent myself also are community based ones…
I think you’d be very interested in a “bank” that was set up by a church in Christchurch New Zealand … from memory they select candidates from the local community based on people working permanently full time but in minimum wage jobs. (no church affiliation required).
Members of the church put in investments in increments of $1000 and soon they had enough to buy several simple no frills 3 bedroom houses mortgage free. The families who went into them paid the mortgage back each month exactly as they would to a bank, but without interest, so they were paying off 100% principle each month.
To make the system perpetual, each family (who now had the advantage of being mortgage free in a fraction of the usual time) would agree to pay into the fund for an additional two years more than the house took to pay off… the church would ‘recycle” that money into purchasing other houses and I’m not sure but I think the home-owner was have been paid back that extra two years worth as a lump sum some (ten?) years later, often by then they wanted to upgrade so the lump sum would cover the difference help them to be mortgage free in their next house too, and it freed up the first basic house for a new family.
It certainly helped hard working people who would otherwise struggle with a mortgage or keep up with market rents to become financially independent and to build up a pension etc even though they were only earning the minimum wage.
Yes it was worked out somewhere that the initial investors who provided the start up capital were paid back too.
We have to teach our kids more about the importance of the greater good than just selfish wants.. not an easy task when we are up against the hype of today. We can at least try our best…
I think a new economy starts with individuals doing stuff on a small scale, then local communities and neighbourhoods doing it bigger, then towns and cities expanding it and lastly it going nationwide, worldwide.
Out of a small seed a mighty acorn grows.
I like your story about the Church in New Zealand. I would say that this is exactly what we are looking to do here. Except I am not looking to start small. I would like to do this properly. To ensure our success. To build entire cities, with many frills and bells and whistles. Using the most current green technology, and ultimately raising the standard of living for all within the community, by restoring balance to nature and ourselves.
Great ideas and ideals but does this focus on one’s own spirit abandon the external to the folks that would use it to theri own purposes? Ultimately our exceptionalism as a country depends on the degree to which we are able to keep control and power the closest to the individual level of the people affected. Without a clear concept and a continued, unrelenting focus on returning power to the people, as the founders originally conceived, we will end up faced with only working on spiritual purity while every single external entity is controlled and regulated by the beknighted, self-appointed, who “know best” and are happy to take a percentage of our spent life-hours for their trouble.
Please see the post “checks and balances”, above to see my solution to your concerns. I would never ask for blind trust.
thanks for liking my latest
Curious that the only solution is seen as first destroying all the current institutiuns and THEN rebuilding. Marx said that the revolution had to take p[lace everywhere at once, else people would abandon it for options that furthured better their own self interest. If the alternative economy is so good, why not be able to set it up in parallel with existing institutions? Let people choose freely. Surely the like-minded people can make good enough choices without having to destroy first. Back to that idea that started this country, that people can govern themsleves and the the main function of institutions is to prevent those instituitions from inevitable usurpation of power.
I’m not sure where I say that I am destroying anything… In fact I would appreciate it if you would quote the thing you are refering to, as I have never spoken about destroying anything, that I am aware of… I think as you look deeper into this blog you will see that what I am talking about is definitely in tandem with the current economy and replaces it. If I said destroy somewhere, it was probably only once and probably me being passionate. There will not be any literal destruction. Only creation.
January 1 comment: “I am hesitant to say it, because it sounds extreme. But the Alternate Economy, at its core, is about destroying every institution we currently use and rebuilding new institutions, as necessary, that are based only on what we know to be the best way of promoting love. None of our current system works. It must all be rethought and reworked and recreated in love.”
The inevitable problem with utopian society, every time it has been tried, is that it incentivizes doing a minimum, which is why it inevitably has always failed. Only a system that maximizes a reward for doing more ends up being able to sustain surpluses with which to do good works for other people. Wins everywhere it has ever been tried. Why even the socialist system in China has allowed the growth of (capitalist) companies where people can work for their own self-interest. They did that, not because they believe in it, but because the socialist system that they do believe in was failing and they saw themselves soon overthrown and the country collapsing if they did not do something differently.
Ok, I guess I did use the word destroy once on this blog… I think that if you dig deeper you will see this is an isolated incident and not really what I meant. I said “destroy” but later in the quote I say “It must all be rethought and reworked and recreated in love” which is more along the lines of what I have been pushing repeatedly in this blog. We don’t need to destroy the current systems. They will destroy themsleves. We only need to build our future.
Also, when has a Utopia been tried before? On a grand scale? If you consider communist China a Utopian idea, then we differ very much on the definition of Utopia. Communist China, from its inception, was a system based on leaders and followers and inequality and fear. Hardly a Utopia…
I think what I was trying to say is that at its core, the Alternate Economy is about destroying our beliefs, not our buildings. We will destroy our ego, destroy our fear, destroy our doubt. We will rebuild our world with the understanding that love is good, love is easy, love is beautiful, love is coming, love is given freely and love is everyone’s.
Thank you for liking my latest post… it moved me to visit your blog and I hope to find more time to visit. Are you familiar with Arne Naess’s Deep Ecology? I find WabiSabi also quite useful, but yes kindness has to become the new motor/economy to use certain words that seem to motivate people.
Having taught media most of my life, I am now interested in teaching a “School of No-Media”: http://piermarton.info/NoMedia.html
Best wishes,
Pier
Thank you for sharing. I am not aware of Deep Ecology. I think the first step is learning to live in love. Learning to trust in ourselves again. We can be great, we just need a little confidence…
These short texts of mine may interest you or your readers…
Non-violent media (a short draft): http://piermarton.info/NVMedia.html
Beyond Belief (a tabula rasa text): http://piermarton.info/BeyondBelief.html
It has never been tried on a grand scale. It inevitably starts and works fine on a local scale, and then as it attempts to expand, it seems to acquire more and more folks that are along for the ride and takes more and more force to prevent corruption and ensure compliance. And enforcemnet becomes the primary edict. Better to take it and make it work on multiple small, human scales that could then interrelate. Because then the corrupted cannot hide within the system. I have no doubt of the good intentions of the folks that are operating our current government even now, whether they are doing things ” for the common good” or to ultimately Cloward/piven collapse it, again ultimately then to rebuild it in to their version of a good system. I think that Obama and Hillary view themselves as ultimate rescuers even as they seem to be trying to crash the current system although not too overtly. Even if as one of the local socialist plotter groups inadvertantly published, they might have to kill off 20 million or so folks that are too resistant to the idea. Not an idea that would ever be publically acknwoleged on a national level. Even as thery are figuring out some way of keeping the health care system from imploding by figuring out some politically correct way to restrict health care from old folks. There always ends up being a problem with the “and then something magical happens” step as the system gets bigger.
Ever see the movie “Brazil”?
Even our current corruptable systme would repair itself from the current economic damage if the politicians were to restrict thmesleves from increasing spending to only 2% increases a year. Viola. Balance budget in 10 years and then surpluses.
We do not have and energy crisis. We have energy supplies for the next 4-600 years that exist here in the US. We do not have financial problems. Inflation is created by the goverment and administered by the FED. The 20% inflation rate that we have been experiencing, although not officially reported , since the government doesn’t count food or energy costs in inflation, is created by the intnetional expansion of the numbers of printed dollars., and works as a additional tax on everybody, not just the producers, since everybody eats and uses energy. And is then spent by the politicians to buy votes.
The national government is not going to giive up power voluntarily.
They will not yield except under the real threat of the states taking power back, and then only because of their fear that the states will try to take back to much.
I agree with you completely. At the Alternate Economy we will design a system without the permission of the politicians, that knows no national borders and plays by a new set of rules whether the Government likes it or not. Once we have control of the resources, let them try and stop us when we sever off a portion of land for ourselves and build a community without them.
They will not stop you. THeywill tax you. Unless you can wrest control of the government back to the local level. Without doing the unconstitutional things that the current government is doing, there would be no need for a federal income tax and they would hold no power over you. Without that, their gendarmes the IRS will continue to extract their pound of flesh and don’t care what you do. Best spend some time defanging the beast if you ever hope to be left alone.
They already tax me… how will that stop us from taking over?
The same way that they have been doing it for the past 100 years to each generation, even the ones that came before that envisioned a more ideal way. Ultimately the only thing that is in place that can undo the beast is the structure that the founders set up to try to keep power and control at the local level. If you just hang around until the current system “collapses” you are not going to like the result. They will devalue your assets and continue to regulate more and more control to perpetuate themselves. If you try to unhook from the current system, they already have in place a structure to tax half of anything that you try to leave with.
Non-compliance. Someone has to stand up to them at some point…
All of the founding fathers were slave owners and masons. How long was England evicted for?
This blog is dedicated to solutions… no offense, but if the constitution was so iron clad, why then has it been so easily and thouroughly corrupted? If my ideas are not going to work, what then do you propose that we do instead?
I think the most important thing to remember about past attempts is that they were using a system of educated leaders and ignorant followers. I can’t help but notice that we are still on the about page with our comment thread. If you have not already, please explore the other posts on this blog. They are very important to my message. My message is that once we begin to live in love, we see that nothing is impossible. We see that we need no leaders. We see that we are capable of governing ourselves with no constitution or even laws. We see that money is a joke and totally uneccesary. We see that equality is not a word but an actual truth. A system with no loopholes is the only way to win this thing. And the constitution has loopholes. It must have, or it would not have been corrupted. All laws contain loopholes. If everyone is held to their own moral compass, the only punishment being non-inclusion in the community, things will begin to change. But this implies the members of this community have free access to all levels of education.
Please, look at my message. It is not communism, or socialism or any form of government. It is true change.
It is serendipitous that as I prepare to teach a class on budgeting, your blog comes into my life. I will definitely be reading more to inspire me to approach the topic with as much love and balance as possible.
I would love to hear how you plan to incorporate these ideas in your teachings. We are all students in the arena of life.
Hi, Tristan! Thanks for coming to my blog, and for the Like. I’ve already hit follow on yours — the idea of an economy based on love is, I think, an absolutely original thought. Whether it is or not, I can’t wait to see what you write next!
I love your thoughts and ideas here….very interesting, and unique. I have never seen another take so much time into something of this nature, and I am impressed. I can sense you are a good person and I wish you the best of luck in all you do. I will return to see more.
Blessings to you
Celeste
If an economist and a safe-cracker had a kid it might be you guy. I liked your ‘About’ description.
lol… I like your analogy!
I enjoy your thoughtful comments. Another appropriate Gandhi quote for your blog: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” If we all followed that, what a wonderful world it would be. Thanks for stopping by my blog.
“You are now what you have been, you will be what you do now!”
Thank you for the nice comment on my blog today. 🙂 I took down the post with another post, bad karma… Anyways, I’m fine 🙂
I am glad you are fine, but you do not need to edit your thoughts. We all have bad days, and it helps to write it down and share it. You never know who you might meet.
Hello dear another award awaits you 🙂 Congratulations! I have nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award, check it out here: http://allaboutlemon.com/2012/02/06/whew-more-versatile-blogger-awards/
Enjoy and have fun You deserved it!
Dolly
Thank you Dolly! I appreciate this confirmation of my work! Together we will design the future we have chosen.
Tristan, I got to know about your blog only because you liked one of my posts. I have, subsequently, been spending a lot of time with your writing – and though you claim no experience in this regard, your words do touch, compel and move. I began my blog some years ago with similar intentions as you: I’m so happy to know that your experience with the initiative has been so much more remarkable. Being from India, your mention of your ability to empathise with ease with Gautama Buddha naturally strikes a chord… I look forward to visiting your blog often and learning more about your thoughts and successes. Thank you for taking on so much on behalf of humanity. It’s an endeavour that the world sorely needs.
Thank you for your encouraging words. I feel one of the reasons that this blog has been succeesful is because of the timing. I think the words flow so easily because they need to be heard. Humanity has reached a point where we are finally ready for these ideas. The time is now.
Hi Tristan. I love what you’re doing and totally agree with where we need to be heading – I like the way Paul Hawken puts it in “Blessed Unrest”. I’d love to see you on twitter so I we can continue the conversation there and start to really spread the word!
To be honest I don’t know much about twitter. I should look into it.
Thank you for liking my blog post about school and education. I just check out your blog and read your story and it’s inspiring! Thank you for your resources, I definitely look forward to more blog posts and enlightening writing. Take care!
I hope you will take part in our community. We are always looking for love-oriented individuals looking to contribute ideas.
Many thanks for visiting our blog and for your click. Looking forward to catching up with your posts and your ideas. The whole issue of ’emotions’ is especially interesting to 3Di, and particularly what the Dalai Lama and others describe as ‘destructive emotions’. Our societies have so much work to do on understanding and developing ’emotional intelligence’.
Hello Tristan,
I’m glad you liked a couple of my posts. I came to your blog out of curiosity, of course. I have to admit I’m unsure what there is to like about my blogs – particularly since none are complete. Hey, don’t want you to spend time explaining why.
I like what you have to say about economy and your in-depth “analysis” about it. A coincidence: I am considering writing a blog about “Loving One’s Self”. I am of an opinion that “greed”, as you put it, comes from individuals with some self concept of “I’m not good enough”. And go after “values” in an attempt to “fix that”.
I won’t type your head off. But since I’m on the subject: The word “greed”, to me, is somewhat harsh and critical. And triggers associated concepts of “evil” and “bad”. When, I suspect, it’s really just people trying to love themselves. If I’m trying to make any point at all it’s this: As people come to love themselves and be content with themselves perhaps “greed” will discontinue.
I was unable to find a “like” button here. But I shared this page on my facebook.
Thanks again for taking the time to read my blah blah blahhhh-g
~Ray
Thank you for your comments.
I will be honest with you, sometimes I like a blog based on the topic or the intention/message of the post. I am mostly trying to say I like you and the fact you are taking on these challenges, thinking critically and trying to find yourself.
Greed is a harsh word, but we live in a harsh world. Not everyone is greedy, but those who are are infinitely so. And those who are generous usually have a poor understanding of what that truly means as well. Generosity does not imply going without to help others. Generosity implies keeping only what we need and giving everything else to others who need it more.
I follow you. I expect it can be agreed that arguing semantics serves little…. maybe.
Words are important, there is no doubt. But I feel in this case, the meaning is clear enough and I am lazy… lol.
Hi Tristan, thanks for ‘liking’ my blog, pretty surprised but very pleased you did!
Hello. I’m pleased to see that you enjoyed a recent post on my blog about painting and the artworks I create. Thanks for the like. If you’d like to see more of my work take a look at http://www.jacqueline-hammond.com Stay posted! I’m going read some of your blog now. Jacqueline Hammond
hey Tristan. I LOVE IT MAN! Keep up the good fight and I would love to help you farm this summer as my schedule allows. Mabey in EXchange for a couple of fresh tomatoes??
Ryan! thanks for stopping by! I would love to see you by the farm for a day or two! The more the merrier!
Namaste….I commend you for desiring to create a better life experience.
We have but two choices of Mind however.
Follow the false Mind we created; or follow Love, the voice of God, the Universe, Jesus or whatever you feel comfortable calling it.
Following Love puts us in a new world. Following the Ego keeps us in the same broken world.
No matter how much better we try to make it is and always be a broken false world.
So don’t fix the world follow the light into a new world of Truth.
A Course in Miracles is a start to finding that new world.
Steve Monahan http://www.IdeasInstitute.wordpress.com
By changing ourselves, the world around us changes. This is basically exactly what I am saying!
Hi Tristan,
I write to thank you for visiting and ‘liking’ my blog today. It is good to be introduced to your work. The conversation is stimulating – I will enjoy returning.
In peace,
Carrie
Thanks for following my blog, “A Bibliotaphe’s Closet”: http://www.zaraalexis.wordpress.com more than a month ago. I apologize for not dropping by to say “hello” sooner. Will take my time to look through your page…keep up the good work!
first of all, thank you for “liking” my blog post. I have just opened your blog and I will be coming back to investigate. This seems to contain an enormous amount of well thought out material and ideas. Hats off to you. I will definitely be doing further reading here.
with love light and JOY
Jane