Everything is an Exchange

It is.

Everything.

How we breathe the air the plants release, the energy we spend to be given the money to trade for the things we need (or want), the back and forth of a conversation (or a fight) - it's all an exchange.

One of the tenets I live by is "Omnes Mundum Facimus," we all co-create the world. The world is the way it is now because of all the actions and interactions that every being, living or dead, has ever made. It is both a great responsibility and a wonderful possibility. I want us all to claim our own agency.

What is the quality of your offerings to the world? How do you show up? You can't take on responsibility for the whole world, but you can take responsibility for yourself. It is a tremendous source of power. I want all of us to recognize our power.

I find capitalism problematic. The focus is always on the extraction of resources - how can the "customer" be convinced (or coerced) to trade maximal resources for minimal return in order to extract "capital" to be hoarded by a limited few. That's no good. Look where that approach has gotten us.

Yet here we are. In many possible futures, we all have access to food, shelter, healthcare, healthy environments, stimulating activities and education so the need to seek money for such things would be nonsensical. In the present, just seeking resources for food, shelter and healthcare consume a great deal of most people's time and energy. Including mine.

So here's my ask of you - let's be conscious about our exchange.

I make every effort to include options at every cash exchange level while still respecting the amount of energy and cost my offering requires of me and the people who support this work with their own skills and offerings. (I don't do my own taxes and I hire people to teach me or just flat out do things I am not skilled at or do not have enough energy for myself.) What I can make available for free (as in beer), I do. My work is typically licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 so it is free in that way (as in thought).

For your part of the exchange, I suggest you have options. Cash exchange (a paid subscription, becoming a client, signing up for a workshop) is very helpful as cash is a proxy for many, many exchanges. But don't limit your agency there - you are more than how much money you have!

Other forms of exchange you might provide:

Forwarding the newsletter or sharing the podcast.

Commenting thoughtfully on posts or sending me your thoughts to share with the community.

Telling people about what is unfolding in this space and encouraging them to check it out.

Attending open sessions online and inviting friends to come with you.

Showing up with your whole self ready to take chances, keep an open mind and bring your best to the group.

Something else! What haven't I thought of?