Aganju
6 March 2008 at 1:02pm
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I went on a school study trip to Hong Kong and Beijing,China some months ago. While there, I was moved by the actions of the people. Although sometimes exploitive (as is with any culture) but the core concept was that, be it a market hocker or a cluster of people gathered around a city office, the people are just trying to survive and better their experience.
In Hong Kong, I was introduced to an astonishing system of community reciprocity. In a system set up within said community, one could do services that aided the community's survival and growth, as well as the well-being of the people involved. These services were then translated into a kind of credit system they could redeem for items or services they needed. For example, repairing a fence in a particular area if the neighborhood and using the credits earned for food, clothing, or any number of other benefits. Now, please note, these were not people that needed gas in their $50K SUVs, these were people worried about the survival of their community and its people. Owning a car in China is a sure sign of success, not many people other than an elite class own them.
After seeing this and the many benefits it can and does provide, I want to migrate the reciprocal template to aid people in other communities. By setting up a method in which people, regardless of class, financial standing, race, gender , or birth, can benefit the community and benefit themselves. So many people see the problems plaguing them and their communities, yet hardly anyone stops to remedy or resolve the problem. With this reciprocal system, anyone can help to gain any number of the basic needs they require, as well as growing and strengthening the community itself. The beauty is that is benefits the individual as well as the collective.
Many of the items are donations from people, which people can earn through the system. I am sure that with a strong rock on which to build upon, as well as small help from businesses and individuals, the system is simple to transfer to almost any area. The astonishing fact about this reciprocal system is that it grows stronger exponentially. The single person helped the local community, that local community being strong helps a larger community, and the stronger each gets, the better the situation gets for people on a global scale.
If anyone knows of how I can begin a system like this, please help me by giving some details. I have seen charities, yet I believe it equally important for people to correct and maintain their communities themselves. By seeing a positive outcome, as well as the return given to them, the system is urged forward as a whole.
Synnie
8 March 2008 at 6:18pm
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well, we had an according exchange systemhere in Germany, Berlin, for a while, almost similar. But. . .the political system was annoyed, because it got no tax out of this and even went against it!
Thats the mean reality here, people have to do such things underground furtherhin.