This week we have explored alternatives to capitalist, for-profit economic models that may skew and constrain the ways we create and use digital tools. In sum, they constrain our design possibilities to a narrow, increasingly harmful and obsolete paradigm leading to overshoot and climate dangers.
In order to thrive during a time of transition, we need to be open to a wide range of generative possibilities. Many of these alternative economic practices exist all around us: co-ops, commons (Boston Commons, Parks and public beaches), libraries, pantries, etc.
Your task is to find examples of these alternative economic activities or practices that involve mutual benefit, sharing, solidarity, abundance for all, etc. Do not use examples from the class schedule, like Wikipedia. However , you may use the Shareable List to come up with ideas for some of these closer to home. Try to find some in your community, town or region if possible, or activities you might consider joining if they were in your area.
Create a simple, annotated slideshow, listing and describing 4-5 sharing, co-op, commons or solidarity practices, organizations or events. For each the 4-5 slides, you should find an image (or two) that shows the practice, organization or event, then use 1-2 paragraphs to describe what it is, how it works, and how it supports its members. It might be interesting to cite at least one digital commons practice (ie that depends on code, media, or internet ) in your list.
You can use and amend (colors/fonts) of the slide deck uploaded to Slack #great-simplification, or create a similar one of your own.
You can upload the slide to the “Text” tab in your post, using the embed option in Canva (if you upload the .ppt file and work in Canvas), or from Google Slides if you edited there.
Be sure to also add a featured image–like one you used in your slideshow.
