Democratic money

Alternative currency organization Fourth Corner Exchange is planning to expand worldwide. A move which I expect will make alternative currency exponentially more useful.

President Francis Ayley:

"We are putting together a 'Community Coordinator' package that will have
all the necessary info on how to start a local chapter of the 'Life
Dollar Community', which is what we are calling ourselves now. I am
selling this as 'Democratic Money', as opposed to Bank Issued Money,
which is economic slavery. If an individual, group or local community
want to take back their economic power from the banks, this is how to do
it! Until we have a democratic monetary system we will continue to be
slaves to the banking system.

We are also connecting with the Transition Movement people. We are the
economic part of their equation for transitioning to a new world. So we
fit right into their economic agenda, although they do not know it yet."

If you are interested in joining or starting an alternative currency system please contact francis at openaccess.org (replace the word "at" with the at sign and remove the spaces.)

Transition movement can be found here.

Our family have been members of Fourth Corner Exchange for 2 years. Alternative currency is the most useful and gratifying "alternative" I have ever experienced.

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I need examples

Why useful and gratifying?

"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." -- Mahatma Gandhi

Examples

Useful - there are currently 1000 users locally exchanging goods and services with each other within our organization. We have traded computers, computer related equipment, DVD's, CD's firewood, freerange eggs, excess garden produce, computer repair, knitted items, unneeded clothing, garage sales finds, crafts and much more for massages, healthcare, a trailer for the farm, food, needed clothing, video games & systems, toys for the kids, music lessons, wilderness/nature schooling and much more.

Gratifying because no USD and especially no banks, credit, credit cards, nor corporations were in any way involved. Gratifying because these exchanges mostly involve face to face meetings and enhanced social connections with those we trade with. Gratifying because it simply feels right. Open source money.

Rototillaphiliac

Could one do this online?

If so, how?

"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." -- Mahatma Gandhi

Online

The database for facilitating the exchange of the alternative currency, called "life dollars" along with contact/balance/feedback info for all users and a classified ad database interface for listing needed and available goods and services are all currently online. I would think the online aspect is an essential element contributing to the growth of the system due to increased ease and efficiency of the transactions.

Rototillaphiliac

Hotpeach...

... I'm super busy for the next few days, and I hope you will keep this issue warm with a few posts so I don't space out.

I would VERY MUCH like Corrente to enable this sort of transaction, but I'm concerned about the face to face element online. More posts on this, please.

"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." -- Mahatma Gandhi

Hotpeach...

... I'm super busy for the next few days, and I hope you will keep this issue warm with a few posts so I don't space out.

I would VERY MUCH like Corrente to enable this sort of transaction, but I'm concerned about the face to face element online. More posts on this, please.

"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." -- Mahatma Gandhi

Face to face

My take is that the face to face element is a benefit for most people but is not essential. My wife handles all the meeting with folks because she loves it. I handle all the online interaction because I'm a geek AND a hermit. I have traded quite a few DVD's and CD's for Life Dollars and shipped them via postal mail with no contact with the folks other than email... I prefer it that way actually.

I think once the number of chapters increases it will become more and more possible to function in this space on a global basis doing online only and carrier shipped transactions as opposed to a local basis bias. The more folks that join, the more items and services available, and the more people who are interested in those items and services... There are items that can be shipped and many services traded via the online world... (programming, site development, consultation, etc.)

Contact Francis and see if there is a chapter you or Corrente could join? Shoot a bunch of questions his way. He has been at this for a long time... If it looks like it is feasible I'd be happy to donate 10 LD to the Corrente Hamsters. Each life dollar is approx. equal to 10USD for mental calculation of the value of trade purposes...

Rototillaphiliac

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