No Return to Normal - it's Payback Time | 51 comments (51 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Ok Chris. If you're going to sell this idea... (4.00 / 4)

you're going to need to repackage your presentation because I haven't a clue what you're talking about. I'm not saying it's you, I have some game but no head for business other than how this-or-that concern works with a given customer base or fails.

As for Jerome, thanks for the ArthurMag link. I really didn't see why you brought it up either until I back-clicked twice and found HACK MONEY, HACK BANKING. I used to read cyberpunk, you see. I already see signs of people going in the direction of the single-proprietor based businesses. My sister's thinking of starting a knitwear-for-babies business on the side for instance. Another sister talks about opening a bridal shop (the markups are enormous and the market's captive).

We're all going to need to sharpen our creative and entrepreneurship skills, evidently.

"It Can't Be Just About Us"
--Frank Schnittger, ETian Extraordinaire

by papicek (papi_cek_at_hotmail_dot_com) on Sat Mar 21st, 2009 at 04:51:23 PM EST

Re: Ok Chris. If you're going to sell this idea... (4.00 / 2)

This Diary wasn't a sales pitch, but I could do one that is.

Dunno if you saw this

I'd be interested in your feedback.

It was the first YouTube clip of three that make up the second half of this lecture

"The future is already here -- it's just not very evenly distributed" William Gibson

by ChrisCook (cojockathotmaildotcom) on Sat Mar 21st, 2009 at 05:08:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

well that sailed over my head too... (4.00 / 5)

I'll tell you what I do know, and at work (a big bookstore) I'm held to be a superior salesman, but it doesn't matter, I've done the same at a home improvement store, a marketing firm, and several printing outfits. I'm good with customers.

You need to illustrate (power point slide shows really doesn't do this very well, I'm afraid). My first decent writing teacher used to say, "show, don't tell." So put names to people (could be imaginary people) and tell them a story (Maxwell & Dickman, The Elements of Persuasion - excellent book about story creation), show them by illustration how the capital partnership works and how your audience benefits. How the renter benefits, how the investors benefit, how the property owner benefits, etc. What does everyone get out of this?

Don't dwell on the mistakes of the current banking system, or why it's irrelevant. those are negatives. Always be positive, and you can because your system offers benefits, right? Insulation from global banking crises? Flexibility and freedom? A stable domestic economic situation? Strengthened communities? Better healthcare? She gets the house, I got the equity? Whatever. That's up to you.

You already know how to have fun with this. I saw. :)

"It Can't Be Just About Us"
--Frank Schnittger, ETian Extraordinaire

by papicek (papi_cek_at_hotmail_dot_com) on Sat Mar 21st, 2009 at 07:29:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: well that sailed over my head too... (4.00 / 4)

well that sailed over my head too...

If it is any comfort, it took me a good while and several readings over several months to get such understanding as I have of CC's ideas. The problem is that, while the idea is simple, the implementations can be amazingly varied. We are not used to such organizations so we have no "feel" for how they should function. Plus, of course, the fact that the principles of such organizations are totally different from those we have come to expect in "the business world."

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Sun Mar 22nd, 2009 at 02:10:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: well that sailed over my head too... (4.00 / 2)

I really have no head for organizational nuance.

The gist I get from all this is that you get a small community of interests together, each with a stake in the proposed enterprise, and it's self-financing (ie: participation in the enterprise earns the investor, developer, renter, etc an equity position). The profits from the enterprise are withdrawn in marketable commodities (which is how the community interfaces with the greater world) which are generated (or purchased?) by the enterprise. Modern barter?

"It Can't Be Just About Us"
--Frank Schnittger, ETian Extraordinaire

by papicek (papi_cek_at_hotmail_dot_com) on Sun Mar 22nd, 2009 at 11:02:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: well that sailed over my head too... (4.00 / 2)

papicek:

Modern barter?

I thought you said you didn't get it....? ;-)

Barter plus time to pay = Money

"The future is already here -- it's just not very evenly distributed" William Gibson

by ChrisCook (cojockathotmaildotcom) on Sun Mar 22nd, 2009 at 11:13:19 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: well that sailed over my head too... (4.00 / 2)

AHA!

"It Can't Be Just About Us"
--Frank Schnittger, ETian Extraordinaire

by papicek (papi_cek_at_hotmail_dot_com) on Sun Mar 22nd, 2009 at 11:15:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

agree with you on the little business idea (4.00 / 2)

I see it happening here, too. Seems everyone is trying to figure out something they can sell at the farmers market.

by jjellin on Sun Mar 22nd, 2009 at 10:37:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: agree with you on the little business idea (none / 1)

And it's a good thing. That same sister already has a barter agreement with her hairdresser to keep her books in exchange for services.

I went in the other direction. I rent, have no subscriptions, no phone (but obviously an internet connection), no car bill, loans, etc. I work 30 hours per week for abysmally low pay, but I survive with enough free time to pursue a serious blogging career. :)

"It Can't Be Just About Us"
--Frank Schnittger, ETian Extraordinaire

by papicek (papi_cek_at_hotmail_dot_com) on Sun Mar 22nd, 2009 at 11:14:56 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: agree with you on the little business idea (none / 1)

Are you seing a governmental backlash, as barter undermines the tax-base?

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Sun Mar 22nd, 2009 at 11:19:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: agree with you on the little business idea (4.00 / 2)

Straight barter undermines tax takes.

The WIR/Bartercard style complementary currencies consist of barter plus bilateral "Peer to Peer" credit, and what they are is actually an accounting system, plus a fiat currency "look alike" pricing reference.

ie as a WIR member you don't exchange goods and services FOR Swiss Francs, you exchange them BY REFERENCE TO Swiss Francs while creating and discharging credit obligations.

And you must account to the tax man from both sets of books.....

"The future is already here -- it's just not very evenly distributed" William Gibson

by ChrisCook (cojockathotmaildotcom) on Sun Mar 22nd, 2009 at 11:33:26 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: agree with you on the little business idea (none / 0)

My brother has a front end alignment and chassis business in Tucson. He does quite a lot of his business through BX, a business exchange. He will align and balance the tires for a used car dealer or a resturanter and accept payment in BX credits that he uses to pay for anything other BX participating companies offer. This includes meals in resturants, used cars, hotel rooms, etc., etc. BX participants do pay sales tax on their transactions, but at about one half of the nominal value of said goods or services. How they worked that out I do not know, but he has been doing this for years.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Sun Mar 22nd, 2009 at 04:15:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: agree with you on the little business idea (none / 1)

I wonder about this too--the tax obligations of bartering. It does seem like a sensible direction to go in, but if the govt. is going to be there demanding cash, that will undermine the whole effort. Unless, the government will be willing to take services in kind . . .

That is no so far-fectched. There was a time when local towns (New England) would require, say, a certain amount of road maintenance work from male residents as a tax. Of course, eventually, those with more cash than back muscles could pay their way out of it. Which works, too.

by jjellin on Sun Mar 22nd, 2009 at 12:00:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: agree with you on the little business idea (none / 0)

It's the thing that usually causes the collapse of local barter based economy systems. A fraction of the People get involved because they can avoid tax, and sooner or later thegovernment turns up with a tax bill. The other problem is that people tend to be too choosy about what they want to do. local economies can only support so many potters and artists.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Sun Mar 22nd, 2009 at 12:07:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: agree with you on the little business idea (none / 0)

ceebs:

The other problem is that people tend to be too choosy about what they want to do. local economies can only support so many potters and artists.

Which is why we need Units of "Money's Worth" which people are prepared to accept...

I reckon that land rental value is one of them, and energy value another.

"The future is already here -- it's just not very evenly distributed" William Gibson

by ChrisCook (cojockathotmaildotcom) on Sun Mar 22nd, 2009 at 01:19:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

No Return to Normal - it's Payback Time | 51 comments (51 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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