The as-of-yet-unnamed Peace and Permaculture University at the Possibility Alliance offered its first class to 24 students: a gift-economy, 15-day Permaculture Design Certification course (Sept
24 - Oct 8).
The Possibility Alliance is an intentional community in NE Missouri near Kirksville. Ethan Hughes began the homestead 4 years ago, and since has hosted thousands of visitors, always using the gift economy.
What is the "Gift Economy"?
The goal of the gift economy is to transform short, anonymous, impersonal relationships with direct, transparent, long-term relationships. Currently, we live in a culture of placelessness with very few social contracts: we don't owe anything to anyone because we can work to earn a living so we can pay with money for anything we need (earning far more than would be internationally sustainable and paying far less than the real cost of the good or service).
However, when money stands in to replace our actual needs, it often coops our needs, and commodification takes us further away from meeting our real needs. when we are given a "gift", something is often moved inside of us to pay it forward in some way, out of joy and not out of obligation. When we recognize our co-dependence and simply trade serving the needs of others and receiving gifts, our needs are met in a more humane, efficient way. The "gift" is a currency of appreciation and reciprocity. Some obligation is involved, but there is no expectation for immediate or direct repayment (I will probably not continue cooking my brother breakfast if he never offers me a thank you and a smile in return, and I'll probably stop offering my neighbors extra tomatoes from my garden if they never reciprocate my generosity by getting my mail when I'm away). The currency of exchange has no value; it is only valuable to the person receiving the gift (often sentimental value). And unlike any purchase in the market economy that quickly depreciates in value, the "gift"'s value continues to increase.
So why offer a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) in the "Gift Economy"?
A PDC teaches the foundation and principals of sustainable design. There are over a million people certified with a PDC around the world, but the PA is the first (known) group to offer it on the gift economy. The PDC often costs in the range of $1,500. Yet such an high price tag on such useful knowledge may fall into what inspiring West Coast activist Van Jones coined in the term "eco-apartheid". PA founder Ethan Hughes explains, "Middle-upper-class environmentalists are demanding that low-income folks “green” themselves, yet all the information comes with a price tag. Seeing that gap really inspired me to create a free educational center, so nobody would be excluded."
Everything at the PA is part of the gift economy, which allows anyone to participate. The 1,200 people who come through every year (for short and long-term visits) are given knowledge — permaculture, organic gardening, orchard care, animal care and appropriate technologies--in order to share the ecological movement rather than charge to be part of it.
More about the Possibility Alliance
The vision of the PA is to "live so all life can thrive". Doing so, we may all reach our highest potential as human beings. Members of the PA have found that five practices have been most valuable to our well-being and to the planet’s well-being: radical simplicity, service, social activism, inner work and gratitude.
Read a great article about Ethan Hughes and the Possibility Alliance, and see an example of a normal season of classes at the PA.
The Possibility Alliance is an intentional community in NE Missouri near Kirksville. Ethan Hughes began the homestead 4 years ago, and since has hosted thousands of visitors, always using the gift economy.
What is the "Gift Economy"?
The goal of the gift economy is to transform short, anonymous, impersonal relationships with direct, transparent, long-term relationships. Currently, we live in a culture of placelessness with very few social contracts: we don't owe anything to anyone because we can work to earn a living so we can pay with money for anything we need (earning far more than would be internationally sustainable and paying far less than the real cost of the good or service).
However, when money stands in to replace our actual needs, it often coops our needs, and commodification takes us further away from meeting our real needs. when we are given a "gift", something is often moved inside of us to pay it forward in some way, out of joy and not out of obligation. When we recognize our co-dependence and simply trade serving the needs of others and receiving gifts, our needs are met in a more humane, efficient way. The "gift" is a currency of appreciation and reciprocity. Some obligation is involved, but there is no expectation for immediate or direct repayment (I will probably not continue cooking my brother breakfast if he never offers me a thank you and a smile in return, and I'll probably stop offering my neighbors extra tomatoes from my garden if they never reciprocate my generosity by getting my mail when I'm away). The currency of exchange has no value; it is only valuable to the person receiving the gift (often sentimental value). And unlike any purchase in the market economy that quickly depreciates in value, the "gift"'s value continues to increase.
So why offer a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) in the "Gift Economy"?
A PDC teaches the foundation and principals of sustainable design. There are over a million people certified with a PDC around the world, but the PA is the first (known) group to offer it on the gift economy. The PDC often costs in the range of $1,500. Yet such an high price tag on such useful knowledge may fall into what inspiring West Coast activist Van Jones coined in the term "eco-apartheid". PA founder Ethan Hughes explains, "Middle-upper-class environmentalists are demanding that low-income folks “green” themselves, yet all the information comes with a price tag. Seeing that gap really inspired me to create a free educational center, so nobody would be excluded."
Everything at the PA is part of the gift economy, which allows anyone to participate. The 1,200 people who come through every year (for short and long-term visits) are given knowledge — permaculture, organic gardening, orchard care, animal care and appropriate technologies--in order to share the ecological movement rather than charge to be part of it.
More about the Possibility Alliance
The vision of the PA is to "live so all life can thrive". Doing so, we may all reach our highest potential as human beings. Members of the PA have found that five practices have been most valuable to our well-being and to the planet’s well-being: radical simplicity, service, social activism, inner work and gratitude.
Read a great article about Ethan Hughes and the Possibility Alliance, and see an example of a normal season of classes at the PA.
Listen to a fantastic podcast with Ethan; http://www.thepermaculturepodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Episode1523-EthanHughes.mp3
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