ACommunityCommons/GivingCenter

A Vision of a Commons Very simply, a commons is an open, inclusive shared space that is owned, governed and operated by its participants and partners.

To personalize this concept, think of how your human body functions as a commons. Individual cells organized into communities of organs, functions and systems. Each cell is interdependent upon each other, collectively working together for the purpose of being human.

A commons is the organic infrastructure that arises from participants and partnerships that organize to support a shared purpose. As human beings evolve we organically form communities, networks and systems (link to Sprials chart). Each human form (biological or organizational)develops a set of organzing principles and social codes that transcend and include earlier stages of development. Ultimately, evolving themselves with nature into smaller and larger commons. We have some idea of what this looks like in terms of different governmental forms, but what might a global commons, that truely serves all of humanity look like?

PhilCubeta describes the human nature of a commons in his recent Giving Space post (www.givingspace.org):

The commons is owned by all, rather than a few. Folklore as opposed to Disney, air as opposed to bottled water, the town green as opposed to a mall. My genes as opposed to the intellectual property of Monsanto. Theorists of the commons include, of course, Larry Lessig, and also David Bollier at http://www.bollier.org.

Some of us see civil society as carving out a space, an open space, for community, for giving, and for a commons, distinct from business. We see it as the most direct and rooted level of democracy and as the staging area for a more genuinely democratic America, one whose politicians of both parties are less enthrall to corporations and the wealthy. When business preempts the commons and privatizes it to create a branded surrogate it makes us nervous. (The Bill Gates Pacific Ocean LLC.)

At some point we have to ask about the limits of private ownership as a model for organizing society, community, government, and civic exchange. Your question is symptomatic of the way the discussion and legislation has been going - towards more ownership, fewer public goods. You see it on www.omydiar.net, not just in the set up, but in the vocabulary of the best posts. Many brilliant MBAs and entrepreneurs. No poets. Few if any theologians. The language of value, the language of love, has been reduced to the language of commerce, ownership. HeatherWoodIon? is an exception. LenoreEaly is trying valiantly to combine Hayek and the Bible. TedErnst talks from his experience as an organizer. But the bulk of posts are in the high dry style of the MBA, the manager, the venture.

To hold out for the commons is to hold out for traditions, including literary, philosophical, religious, and democratic traditions, of giving and "being in the world". We forget the commons at our peril. That amnesia is lethal. The soul (or what was meant by that) is what is lost. The holy spirit is owned by no one. May that wind rise. Let us say "we" and "ours" rather than mine and thine, and join as brothers and sisters, or as citizens, in spaces that are open and public, our shared patrimony.

’’’The ‘PUrpose’ of a Universal Commons’’’, that serves the good of all - might be rooted in the word philanthropy, which means “the love of humanity”. And, how we connect and govern as a Commons might be related to how we use our generosity and contributions (time, intention, resources) around what gives life to being human.

The Giving Center is an individual and center of resources that supports and links to other individuals, organizations and networks committed to increasing the quality and quantity of donor investments by engaging community members of all ages in the act of generosity, giving and contributions.

Philanthropy: A love of human-kind; Contributions: Commitments of intention, time, resources, space, tools, funding; A Giving Center: A person, a physical place and connecting space(s).

Our vision is to engage, nurture and support local people, at all levels of scale in wisdom-based philanthropy, leadership development and community organizing, networking and giving. We envision a powerful network of individuals, sectors, and centers that unite around principles of “giving for the love of human-kind”. Our friends and partners work for and with local people for a just and inclusive society of children, youth, adults and families, who work together for vibrant communities, effective institutions, and a healthy democracy.

Growing organically: http://www.fpmt.org/organization/advice.asp