Difference between revisions of "BootKarma"

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The BootKarma (BK) system allows Bootstrap members to trade time with each other (1BK = 1hour). When you do a BK transaction with another bootstrap member, their account is debited and yours is credited by the number of BKs. We are also using BK to compensate [[Contributor]]s for the time spent creating their initiative. As a [[Participant]] at a Bootstrap event/meeting, your BK account will be debited in lieu of charging you $. This allows us to continue to keep the Bootstrap community free to its members and also scale our activities. You may elect not to accept the debit or alter the number of hours debited - if you do so, you will be asked to provide a reason.
 
The BootKarma (BK) system allows Bootstrap members to trade time with each other (1BK = 1hour). When you do a BK transaction with another bootstrap member, their account is debited and yours is credited by the number of BKs. We are also using BK to compensate [[Contributor]]s for the time spent creating their initiative. As a [[Participant]] at a Bootstrap event/meeting, your BK account will be debited in lieu of charging you $. This allows us to continue to keep the Bootstrap community free to its members and also scale our activities. You may elect not to accept the debit or alter the number of hours debited - if you do so, you will be asked to provide a reason.
  
==Activate your BootKarma Account==
+
==How to Join==
  
 
# Create an [http://openid.net OpenID] account at [http://www.myopenid.com MyOpenID] or an OpenID provider of your choice.
 
# Create an [http://openid.net OpenID] account at [http://www.myopenid.com MyOpenID] or an OpenID provider of your choice.
 
# Give your name and email address IN PERSON to Bijoy or to the organizer of a Bootstrap Event you attend.  
 
# Give your name and email address IN PERSON to Bijoy or to the organizer of a Bootstrap Event you attend.  
#You will receive an email from bootkarma@interaction.net. Follow the instructions to connect your OpenID with your name/email.   
+
# You will receive an email from bootkarma@interaction.net. Follow the instructions to connect your OpenID with your name and email address.   
 
# Login to the [http://karma.bootstrapaustin.org BootKarma] site and setup your profile
 
# Login to the [http://karma.bootstrapaustin.org BootKarma] site and setup your profile
 +
# Approve any outstanding transactions and start trading!
  
 
==Background==
 
==Background==

Revision as of 13:04, 10 May 2007

(used to be Bootstrap Bucks)

BootKarma Site

Contributor

David Bluestien

What is it?

The BootKarma (BK) system allows Bootstrap members to trade time with each other (1BK = 1hour). When you do a BK transaction with another bootstrap member, their account is debited and yours is credited by the number of BKs. We are also using BK to compensate Contributors for the time spent creating their initiative. As a Participant at a Bootstrap event/meeting, your BK account will be debited in lieu of charging you $. This allows us to continue to keep the Bootstrap community free to its members and also scale our activities. You may elect not to accept the debit or alter the number of hours debited - if you do so, you will be asked to provide a reason.

How to Join

  1. Create an OpenID account at MyOpenID or an OpenID provider of your choice.
  2. Give your name and email address IN PERSON to Bijoy or to the organizer of a Bootstrap Event you attend.
  3. You will receive an email from bootkarma@interaction.net. Follow the instructions to connect your OpenID with your name and email address.
  4. Login to the BootKarma site and setup your profile
  5. Approve any outstanding transactions and start trading!

Background

In Hoover's Vision, Gary Hoover reveals "the answer is almost never where you expect it to be or where you are looking for it." (p. 57) Similarly, he suggests a question to ask: "What's not in the headlines? Headlines...direct your attention to what everybody else is thinking about." (p. 63)

However, ocassionally an answer does briefly surface into the headlines. We have a moment of cognitive dissonance and then forget about it. For instance, here is a video of Peter Jennings talking about Ithaca Hours. It is revealed that community and small business are served by this local currency.

This news story is the exception. In general, the headlines are missing a major emerging trend of complementary currency.

Why is this relevant to Bootstrappers? All complementary currencies have one thing in common. They match unmet needs with unused resources. In particular, Bootstrap Austin has a wealth and variety of resources. Because of the nature of bootstrapping in the valley of death, needs are often unmet because of a lack of money.

Why should there be a lack of money? What is money? Bernard Lietaer defines money as an agreement, within a community, to use something as a means of payment. Secondary functions of money include a unit of account, a store of value, and a tool for speculation. Currencies do not necessarily perform these secondary roles.

Here are four assumptions about money that we have inherited:

  • Money is geographically tied to a nation-state or union of nation-states.
  • Money is created by fiat bank debt.
  • Money is value-neutral.
  • Money earns interest over time.

What are the undesirable consequences of these four assumptions?

  • A monopoly controls the extent to which communities can pay for work.
  • Since money is created out of thin air, a central authority is required to keep it artificially scarce. Even if there is work to be done and workers willing to do it, work often remains undone and the workers remain unemployed.
  • Conventional money generally degrades quality of service and subverts trust. For instance, participants in Fureai kippu prefer the service over traditional service. 100% of economic theory (words) depends on this assumption that money is value-neutral, but consider what matters (action): We produce what we get paid for. If you still think it is value-neutral, try giving your spouse (or significant other) money as a gift and see what happens.
  • Interest biases the system toward competition. People are required to compete with each other just for the means to perform exchanges. Interest fuels the need for endless unsustainable growth.

Conventional money is well designed for competition, expansion and war. Innovation in the valley of death is a time of play 12 and requires a different currency design. Complementary currency applied to bootstrapping is discussed in this article at WorldChanging.

The amount and variety of currency design innovation is staggering and although a lot has been learned about design choices, the development of these currencies are still experimental.

Taxes

IRS rulings consistently single out the absence of a legal right to enforce a Time Dollar obligation as the basis for the tax-exempt rulings that Time Dollar programs have secured. - Edgar Cahn (No More Throw-Away People, p. 76)

Whitepaper

Although each complementary currency is designed to meet a particular objective and will not necessarily work in a different domain or region, this whitepaper shows how the Internet can make transparent trust and reputation. Trust, not money, is really the bottom line and the key is not incentives but identity and transparency.


Robin Upton's Altruistic Economics & The Internet Gift Economy (pdf)

Here's the FAQ answering more of your questions.

Links

News Story - Local Currencies in the EU

News Story - Berkshires in New England

EF Schumacher Society

International Journal of Community Currency Research

Complementary Currency Resource Center

How Currency Systems Work

Austin Time Exchange

Top Shelf Reading

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0712699910.01._SCTHUMBZZZ_.jpg The Future of Money

http://www.stuffopolis.com/c_images/image_13492s.jpg Of Human Wealth

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1893520021.01._SCTHUMBZZZ_.jpg No More Throw-Away People: The Co-Production Imperative

--Tbbrown 19:30, 24 July 2006 (CDT)

--Tbbrown 18:22, 28 July 2006 (CDT)