Black markets serve all kinds of purposes, some valuable, some detrimental. A common question I get about Copiosis is, “Do black markets exist in Copiosis? What happens if a black market pops up?”
I like getting such questions because they allow us to refine our innovation as we go. We don’t have to resolve every issue right away because Copiosis offers strong incentives to eliminate them when they show up. Some of those issues, such as black markets, will simply be allowed to exist just to see what happens.
Why? Because they don’t have that big an impact.
In a society where everyone gets what they need at no cost to them, where everything one might want is easily obtainable by doing things you love to do that serve others and the planet, why would a black market be necessary? Because someone might not want to help others in order to get what they want? That seems crazy to me.
Basic human nature is to want to be of service. Take me, for example. I don’t spend much of my leisure time around people. I enjoy my solitude and spend an inordinate amount of time alone. Just ask my partner, who would love it if I weren’t the way I am. I don’t enjoy giving gifts during the holidays or celebrating birthdays, and I don’t really like children that much.
Yet, I am leading an effort that will dramatically change for the better every single human being it touches. That’s not all. I also spend a lot of my time as an entrepreneur creating things I hope will make people’s lives better.
I don’t do these things for the money. I do them because it’s fun. Because the things I do have never been done before, and because they’re interesting.
Freed from societal limitations, I believe everyone would do similar things. The endless variety of things done to serve others would guarantee there were an endless number of pathways to Copiosis rewards. Nearly everything anyone did would merit some level of reward. Getting luxuries would be relatively easy. So why and how would a black market thrive?
I would love an engaged conversation about this.
