[p2p-research] Fwd: Launch of Abundance: The Journal of Post-Scarcity Studies, preliminary plans

Mon Feb 2 08:27:34 CET 2009

a great and timely, sorely needed initiative,

Michel

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Joseph Jackson <joseph.jackson at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Feb 2, 2009 at 11:35 AM
Subject: Launch of Abundance: The Journal of Post-Scarcity Studies,
preliminary plans

http://groups.google.com/group/post-scarcity-agalmics-journal-launch

Dear all, you are receiving this because of the important thinking and
writing you are already doing on the critical challenge of our time, the
transition from scarcity based economics to a new Abundance paradigm.

As the pace of technological change continues to accelerate and old
institutions crumble seemingly over night, I think we all share the
conviction that a radically better world is not only possible, but necessary
(although it is hardly inevitable).

The idea of "post-scarcity," "resource-based," or "thermoeconomics," has
been around since at least the 1960s (with some references in the
1920s).  Additionally,
heterodox economics such as the views of Henry George, GK Chesterton, or the
anarchist/mutualist/decentralist tradition ( Proudhon, Kropotkin, Benjamin
Tucker, Schumacher, Illich) has an even longer history and is very relevant
to the challenges facing us in the early 21st century.  The most significant
development of recent times has been the rise of Free and Open Source
Software, followed by infant attempts to extend this model into other realms
beyond IT.  Michel Bauwens, the most prolific observer of these trends, has
dubbed the phenomenon P2P, and argues convincingly that P2P organization
constitutes the next phase of human evolution.

My friends, it is time to establish Abundance as a field of study.  I had
been thinking along these lines for quite some time before the 2008 collapse
and as it has unfolded, I've monitored a surge of activity on the web,
including this call to action by Roberto Verzola:
http://rverzola.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/studying-abundance-1.pdf

Our task is dauntingly difficult, as most of humanity has slumbered in a
scarcity stupor for so long they cannot be easily awakened.  The goal is
ambitious:  From 2009-2010 to lay out the central concepts and theoretical
foundations of Abundance Studies.

Establishing a journal is a way to focus our intellectual efforts, build a
"brand" and create a home for this new field.  So many of you are already
writing on this topic, wouldn't it be nice to have to have an outlet for
your "finished" product?  To explain, this will not be a typical journal,
which imposes artificial scarcity through editorial decisions.  If you want
to be published—you will get published (eventually).

The journal is intended to function in conjunction with a community
site/portal/carnival blog/clearinghouse for Post Scarcity Theory.

There will be  3 components; a wiki founded by Charles Collis in 2005 and
which he has graciously volunteered.  2) the Community Site (details to be
decided)  3) The actual journal.

During the first year, the main site is intended to host discussion around
the specific topics covered in the forthcoming issue of the journal.  We
will announce the topic along with a deadline for submission.  As a
participant, you will hone your ideas with your peers and when you feel you
have a complete article (8-30 pages); submit it before the deadline and look
forward to it being published in the issue.  If you don't finish in time
(maybe you procrastinate like me)—it is no big deal.  The journal functions
mainly as a pacing device.  You can always submit later for another issue
(storage space is basically infinite)!

The idea is that we create an "event" for ourselves; boosting motivation by
giving ourselves something to look forward to.  It also keeps us moving
toward the goal of laying out at least a first draft overview of the
Post-Scarcity field during this first year.

There will be less structure imposed after the year is up, and ideally, the
journal and site will acquire momentum and issues can proceed on perhaps a
quarterly basis.

For those who are interested, I think a next step might be a Post Scarcity
Text Book, building on the content generated in the Journal's first
year.  Another
offshoot might be an intensive RoadMap to Post Scarcity.  Various Roadmaps
(for Nanotech, Open Manufacturing) have already been done, so this might
serve as a meta-map.  Other projects are bound to be generated.  For
example, I've been thinking about a board game based on Anti-Monopoly (look
up this fantastic story) to teach the concepts of the Commons, Peer
Production, and Abundance.  http://freedomofscience.org/?page_id=21

Marc Fawzi, who is working on an energy-backed currency model, also wants to
make a game to simulate his concept.  I've contacted some folks with game
design experience in this email and hopefully we will attract more.

To clarify:  there are lots of groups already working peripherally on Post
Scarcity.  The topic is kicking around the P2P Ning group, the DIY biology
google group and the Open Manufacturing google group.

I am not trying to poach everyone from these groups (though there will be
overlap).  Nor is the site/journal intended to duplicate the work that is
already being done.  I am trying to focus "meta-level" discussion to
construct the theoretical framework within which these more applied and
(often highly technical) efforts will proceed.

Although I am inviting you all to a google group, it is temporary and only
for discussion of the launch of the main site.  I'm already on too many
mailing lists and we need a site where everything is publicly visible so you
don't have to join or for that matter go searching through tons of threads.
Email updates from a list soon become annoying also.  Many details are to be
decided about what will work best.

During the first year, your core, founding team is

Bryan Bishop, coder at large, builder/maintainer of community portal

Charles Collis (wiki)

Joseph Jackson (lead coordinator of journal topics/troubleshooting)

Edward Miller, helping Bryan with miscellaneous maintenance of community
site, etc

You are all expected to self-select and participate as much or as little as
you like.  I hope that a sufficient number of you will register with the
main site as contributing bloggers and post or even just cross post on a
semi-regular basis.  I already have in mind article contributions from a
number of you for particular issues of the journal.

Usually, I'm all for Democracy, but we can't debate everything.  So, as a
dictatorial decision, I considered Agalmics:  the Journal of Post-Scarcity
Economics, but the Agalmics term is a bit tricky for the tongue.  Thus, the
title is

Abundance:  The Journal of Post-Scarcity Studies

The domain name for the main site is abundanceorannihilation.org  I think
this encapsulates the options nicely and besides I'm already working a book
by that title so if for some reason you all object, I'll use it
anyway.     Post-Scarcity.org
redirects to Charle's Wiki. http://www.adciv.org/Main_Page

Here is a list of initial interested parties I have identified.  Undoubtedly,
I've left out many so pass this on to anyone else you know of.  I've spoken
to most of you about this project but I've indicated where I lack contact
info.

Shay David, founder  Kaltura

Roberto Verzola
http://rverzola.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/studying-abundance-1.pdf

 Matt Pearson  zenbullets.com <website at zenbullets.com>

Matt Arnold, organizer, Penguicon,

Michel Bauwens P2P foundation

Bryan Burns

Michael H. Goldhaber       Attention Economy

Douglas Rushkoff

 Paul Hartzog  contact via P2P foundation

James Hughes

Eric Hunting  contact via Michel Bauwens

Paul Fernhout

Michael Silverton
http://michael.silverton.palo-alto.ca.us/packets/?paged=2

RU Sirius  contact needed

 Bruce Sterling

Vernor Vinge        Not sure of current contact, use FOO camp
Christopher J. Fearnley   Buckminster Fuller FAQ

Charles Eisenstein Ascent of Humanity, Reality Sandwich.

Chris Anderson

Melanie Swan

Kevin Kelley

James Albus  People's Capitalism

Wade Frazier   no contact but maintains the interesting site
http://www.ahealedplanet.net/abund.htm

Marc Fawzi

Phil Bowermaster  the Speculist

Marshall Brain

Kevin Carson  Mutualist.org

Neil Gershenfeld

 Robert Grudin

Pat Kane  Play Ethic

Steve Burgess, Center for Responsible Nanotechnology
<steve at burgessforensics.com>

Bob Black, Abolition of Work, no contact details

Paul Pilzer, no direct contact info, interesting perspective although not
sure if he is a good fit.

Christopher Travis
cktravis at sentientarchitecture....<cktravis at sentientarchitecture.com>

Umair Haque  Unsure of updated email contact

Eric Hunting     Contact via Michel

Corey Doctorow

Charles Stross

Neal Stephenson  don't have direct contact, using FOO camp mailing list

Iain M Banks      no direct contact

Nathan Cravens

Jonathan Walther,  Reactor-Core.org

Rodney Shakespeare  BinaryEconomics.net     no direct contact

Robert Ashford   <rhashford at aol.com>

Peter Barnes Capitalism 3.0  contact needed

Adam Ardverson Ethical Economy contact via Michel Bauwens

Mike Masnik     Tech Dirt
http://techliberation.com/2007/01/19/masnick-on-post-scarcity-economics/
contact needed

Fleming Funch contact needed

http://www.newciv.org/

Bart klein Ikink  NaturalMoney.org    contact needed

 Steve Omohundra

Alvin Toffler  contact via Kurzweil about contribution to special issue.

Hans Moravec

Patrick Anderson **

Chris Cook    contact needed, use P2P foundation/group

Ron Long

Below is a speculative list of topics.  Also some rambling half baked
thoughts

Abundance  Vol I, Issue 1

Historical overview of post scarcity thought and notable initiatives.  Thoughts
on why the early 21st century offers a realistic shot because of cheap,
networked technology.  Personal stories and testimonial from our
contributors on how they became interested in Post Scarcity.

Vol I  Issue 2

The Theory of Value

Economics has no coherent Theory of Value and we must solve this problem if
we are to establish the field of Abundance.  The Labor Theory of Value has
advantages in that it is objective and normative—it states that price should
tend toward the cost of production; it also allows us to determine what
constitutes equitable exchange.  Unfortunately, the LTV does not acknowledge
that the amount of labor embodied in products is constantly diminishing with
the advance of automation and improvements in capital.  Marginal Utility
Theory was held to be the replacement for the Labor Theory of Value but this
type of utilitarianism is ultimately subjective and can't provide a sane
basis for economics.  In this approach, all that matters is satisfying an
agent's subjective preference.  But people might prefer anything at all ( in
the case of preference adaptation a person who is used to being abused or
deprived—starving—actually adjusts to this condition).  Preference
satisfaction alone can't serve as the basis for well-being—an agent can
easily prefer things that are objectively bad for him. See Amartya Sen-the
Capabilities approach to measure agent's welfare in terms of the
intrinsically valuable doings/beings he has the capability to achieve.

Binary Economics (Kelso/Adler) put forth after the great depression,
advocated a new concept of "productiveness" in which Capital was
conceptualized as autonomously doing work.

I propose a theory tentatively dubbed the Automation/Technological Theory of
Value.  All economic value starts with a Gift, the sun, thus there really is
such a thing as a free lunch, provided we intelligently use technology to
satisfy needs.  Man simply uses his mind to harness energy to do work.  Rather
than a labor theory of value, a "play" theory is more appropriate, as all
advances in standard of living come from using technology to always do more
with less.

Vol I  Issue 3

Property

Since the theory of value is such a mess, it is no wonder the notion of
property is confused as well.  Proudhon famously declared that property is
theft, distinguishing the concept of possession (occupancy and use of
land/means of production but no absentee ownership).   Following this line,
I think the phrase Property is Use gets at the core idea behind property
rights—these rights to use a resource come with a responsibility to act as a
steward and to use the resource in *actual production*.  Seen in this light,
the idea of Intellectual Property (a term that collapses distinct legal
regimes of copyright, trademark, and patent, and should never have been
adopted) is revealed to be rubbish.  So called, "IP" is not property at all,
but merely a negative right to exclude.  At least with copyright, the author
nominally owns his own words/expression, but even here artists have been
sued for copying themselves!!  See the case of John Fogerty—being sued by
his record company for being too similar to himself in the song *Run Through
the Jungle*! Even more harmful than copyright, today's patent system is a
total failure as a property system—it benefits neither the public, nor
inventors—serving only lawyers and corporations who can amass the largest
portfolio.  A patent is not a right to do anything—2 parties may find
themselves at a standoff with neither able to practice an invention because
of overlapping blocking claims.  Boundaries are impossible to determine,
leading to endless, costly litigation.  Worst of all, independent invention
is no defense, so I might happen upon my own solution to a problem only to
be blocked by an existing patent owner or a troll who never had any
intention of practicing the invention.  Even if my approach is different,
the doctrine of equivalents still allows the existing patent to block me.

A unified theory of property for both physical and intellectual resources is
possible if we return to the central idea of use.

Patrick Anderson's User-Owner Theory  is ideal for this issue.  Also see
Chris Cook's Open Capitalist Project, which promotes the idea of trusts (see
Islamic finance) as a solution to a debt-based system of mortgage-slavery.

The Commons is also a critical idea*.  Space as Commons* is a theme worth
exploring, perhaps in its own issue.  Space is the ultimate Commons, and
following the frontier gold rush model by staking claims on the moon, etc,
might not be in humanity's best interests, no matter how rich it makes the
lucky first mover entrepreneurs.  Today, the baby field of private space
entrepreneurship is an exclusive billionaire's club.  Leading advocates
espouse a sort of hyper-capitalist rhetoric that seems grossly out of touch
with the most recent events.  Our property system on earth can hardly be
said to have been a success; transposing it to the heavens will surely have
a hellish result.  It might be time to rethink that Asteroid Mining business
plan you just submitted at the last invite only Space Cadet Summit.

Vol II  Issue 1

Money

Money is a tool, a technology, nothing less, nothing more.  Today, it is a
very poorly designed and implemented technology.  The Social Currency or
"Open Source Currency" movement is slowly gathering steam as groups
worldwide implement LETS and other local or complementary currency systems.
This topic is enormous so the issue will feature summaries of the history of
money as it has been implemented and an introduction to notable emerging
alternatives.

Vol II  Issue 2

Attention/Reputation

The field of Attention and Reputation Economics is likely to become its own
sub-discipline within Post Scarcity.  This issue will consider the key
difference between attention/reputation and other forms of currency.  Is
attention truly scarce?   Today's crude reputation metrics and attention
filters (Digg, Amazon, Ebay) are primitive and there are many very technical
aspects to consider.  We urgently need to get started if we are to have any
hope of coping with the information overload that will accompany LifeLogging
and ubiquitous embedded computing.  LifeLogging is potentially the most
socially disruptive technology imaginable, and unlike Drexlerian
Nanotech—all the enabling technologies are already here.  Once lifelogging
begins, I anticipate a hard takeoff to a "Sociological Singularity" within a
decade as "omniveillance" is the only stable endpoint.  A Bill of LifeLogger
User Rights and a new Social Compact are required if we are to use
lifelogging's potential to enhance sociability rather than degenerate
further into a "reality TV" based society.  See Doctorow's, Whuffie, DotMK.

Vol II Issue 3

Robotics/Basic Income

Revisiting the theme of Automation from our issue on the theory of value,
this issue anticipates the robotics revolution.  James Albus' People's
Capitalism,  Marshall Brain's various scenarios, Moravec—let's check in on
these ideas that have been floating around for several decades and see where
we stand.  The Basic Income may fit here also.

Vol III Issue 1

Nanotechnology/FAB manufacturing/Open Manufacturing/Energy

Lot of overlapping themes here and we can splice these into separate issues.

The overall theme here is the transition to radically decentralized
production.  See Carson's new book, Mutualist Theory of Organization.

Rather than technical considerations (though obviously the tech details
matter) the focus is on the structural aspects—how to avoid a Microsoft of
Molecular Manufacturing, discussion of relevant fiction, eg, *The Diamond
Age*.

Vol III Issue 2

Ethics and Economics of AI

If we don't implement Post Scarcity Values before the birth of GAI, we may
be in big trouble.

Vol III  Issue 3

Economics of Virtual Worlds

Science Fiction:  we might do a "best of" issue summarizing post scarcity
fiction.  Obviously, Sci Fi is a vast source of post-scarcity speculation
and any of the above issues could feature one or more "lit reviews" of sci
fi relevant to the topic of that issue.

VR is obviously poised to become an ever greater part of the economy.  Are
we doomed to repeat past mistakes in this new setting or can we avoid
imposing artificial scarcity?  Discussion of contemporary examples, business
models, and property regimes.

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