New York Times Op-Ed columnist David Brooks waxed poetically about a movement diminishing the role of government and introducing yet another phenomena that inches towards Copiosis: The peer-to-peer economy.
Using examples Uber and AirBnB, Brooks acknowledges how people have lost trust in big institutions and what they offer. Instead, they’re increasingly relying on each other for commerce, trust signals and building relationships one-to-one rather than through big organizations:
Economically, there are many more people working as freelancers. These people are more individualistic in how they earn money. They often don’t go to an office. They have traded dependence on big organizational systems for dependence on people they can talk to and negotiate arrangements with directly. They become accustomed to flexible ad-hoc arrangements.
Sounds like stigmergy.
So not only have they relented to the reality that big organizations aren’t reliable for trusted relationships, they also acknowledge that they’re unreliable for employment either.
Peer-to-peer economics is the basis by which Copiosis functions.
Through a framework based on simple axioms, Copiosis societies allow individuals to work together in abundant communities where high-quality basic necessities (food, clothing, shelter, education and healthcare) are provided to all at no cost and luxuries are affordable to anyone willing to make people and the planet better off.
Copiosis is based on a reward system where rewards allow access to luxuries and necessities are provided to all. Such societies will offer levels of freedom – to individuals and organizations – impossible in any current or past economic system while at the same time providing incentives for people and organizations to be stellar stewards of the planet and our environment, of the commons, all while spurring levels of innovation never seen before.
Copiosis economic systems have no government, no political systems and no currency (fiat or otherwise). As such they free humanity from artificial scarcity, horrible “externalities” created by systems based on debt and money, and large imbalances in wealth and power seen in all political systems today.
Brooks’ Op-Ed lays out more positive signs that our societies are moving towards a Copiosis economy. While predicting the future can be tough, it’s interesting to note trends such as the ones Brooks highlights. Tiny movements in these directions are the basis which will eventually make real a Copiosis future.
If you think Copiosis is impossible, you’re not paying attention to evidence all around you.