Check out TwoShirts.org.
It’s an interesting, generous idea, and a positive step towards a sharing community. Its named is derived from Luke 3:11—“Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none.”
The website is based on the idea that someone might need your stuff that you don’t use. If you have a way to find the person in need of your excess, than we can save resources and help the community.
Instead of throwing things out or piling them up in your basement, you can directly find a person who could put your old things to good use.
They’ve got a really nice looking site, and it’s fairly easy to use. It could definitely benefit from a larger network.
Although it’s a great example and a positive step, I still think it has a few drawbacks.
It’s still based on a consumer mentality. Although there is an emphasis on generoisty and frugality, the end goal is to find a better way to accumulate stuff.
The system is also open to abuse. This was started by the church we used to be involved in before we left Columbus, and we posted a number of things on the site as we were trying to get rid of things.
The problem was that the same three people responded to everything we posted. I suppose it was possible that they needed everything, but it seemed more like these some people were prone to hoard things because they were free.
The listings are often dominated by more “need” items than “give” items.
This is compounded by the fact that the system is open to people outside of the “Christian community”. Although there is lots of merit to helping others, the system only works when all of the members share the same ideals.
I love TwoShirts.org.
The idea uses technology to encourage giving and generosity, that’s pretty awesome. But in the end it seems to still be about having, not necessarily sharing.
The beautiful part of TwoShirts is that it’s shaped by the people who use it. So please, check it out. Give it a try.
The network becomes a product of the people who are involved. That alone is pretty cool.
Good thoughts Brad. I appreciate the thoughtful critique (and the link!).
I would disagree pretty strongly that, “the end goal is to find a better way to accumulate stuff.” My end goal is nothing short of the creation of an alternative economy based on gift-giving. The point is not strictly accumulation, but rather the free and open sharing of resources.
Of course, for some members the goal will be merely accumulation, and such a system will always be open to abuse. All systems are. Capitalism is wide open to all kinds of abuse, but that doesn’t keep us from sticking to it. ; )
Ultimately, what you’ve said at the end is dead-on: the community is shaped by those who use it. Although there are some basic systems in place to discourage abuse (and there has been remarkably little abuse in my opinion), I’ve chosen to design it to be as free and organic as possible because I genuinely want the community to reflect the virtues (or vices) of its members.
That’s why we need as many virtuous people involved as possible. Come to think of it, that’s why we need as many virtuous people in the world as possible. Don’t you think?