What If We Ran The Economy?

[@Andrewism]

In case you missed it, I recently launched my own website! If you've ever requested a reading list or wanted to know where you can find all my work, you can check it out at: www.andrewsage.org

[@Cnichal]

Is there a way to signed up to get alerts? Also, is this the same info on Patreon too?

[@sheridansherr8974]

Utopia. We all know how it ends. Try it out on your island first!! If it starts working in your country then talk!! No wishful thinking! You seem VERY naive about human nature.

[@JarMaxie]

Thanks man, also seconding what @Cnichal said

[@FEAR_oF_GOD07]

You are so slay

[@athomestudios8779]

Hi Andrew. Happy Afrocentric Heritage Month. Are you over the age of 30? Please let me know.

[@emdeath]

i grew up in a community similar to this! we had community/town-run self-help to rent tools, paint, lawn care machines etc; furniture warehouse; community auto rental (we were a biking community); boat and scuba rental; event tent and chair rental; and so on and so on. aside from being a good way to run things, it brought people together and inspired shared responsibility and care. this is the first time i've seen it defined and articulated like this; and it's very accessible and easy to explain to others. absolutely amazing video as always!

[@pontifier]

Sounds like an amazing place! I'd be very interested to hear more about it because I'm trying to set up something similar myself.

[@SPAnComCat]

That Sounds like a Paradise!

[@MxSlfDstrct]

how do you rent paint? are you gonna put it back in the can???

[@Raenafyn]

@@MxSlfDstrct People don't use up all the paint when they borrow it, that is one of those examples of an item that is borrowed until it is "consumed".

[@Andre-qo5ek]

@@MxSlfDstrct don't be silly... the paint you use is not rented. ie. oil paints for making a painting, you rent the set, use what you need for the painting a return the rest.

[@Magali_theRecordKeeper]

As a librarian, thank you for mentioning that many libraries no longer have late fees -- it's such an important new development in my field and so many people still don't know. Also, shout out to the laws of library science! Important principles taught to us in library school.

[@Phoenix-regenerating]

Lovely

[@superruff9000]

In school, I was taught that capitalism was superior because "Under capitalism, everyone can buy a tractor, under socialism and communism, everyone would have to share 10 tractors". And even then I remember thinking "Why would that be a problem if it was just more than 10 tractors?". This is how I've imagined the world should operate and tried to convey to people and this is a beautiful, comprehensive explanation of the benefits and plausibility of it. I'm lucky enough to have a community run and operated Tool Library in my town (they actually use the same blue pegboard tool wall image for their website as you did in the video) and I love it so much. Thanks for the video and thanks for the visiom of a better future. :)

[@noahdigit430]

This is also funny because it assumes everyone is wealthy enough to buy a tractor.

[@youtubeuniversity3638]

​@@noahdigit430 And also that there is value to everyobe having their own separate tractor. Not everyone is going to tractor things!

[@rochelle2758]

@@noahdigit430 or has the bandwidth to store and maintain one for that matter

[@missZoey5387]

Not everyone even need a tractor lol

[@orpheuscreativeco9236]

Hahahaha, there is a _possibility_ that everyone can buy a tractor, but a low _probability_ that they will ever have enough excess capital to do so. 😁

[@jalyfish]

Thank you for mentioning learned behaviors in childhood and mental health issues that may prevent appropriate use of library goods. Some don’t realize that habits are formed due to nature/nurture which most have no control over

[@Andrewism]

Yeah, I think it's important to remember that some people have a lot more to overcome to be able to fully participate in this kind of system, and it will require an ongoing effort to shift everyone's powers, drives, and consciousness through education and experience.

[@JoshuaMiller-rw3sj]

I think this is amazing, it shows the ingenuity of collective psyche , pls I beg of you , show more information on a broad collection of other systems. I don't watch your channel much , but when I do I love it ​@@Andrewism

[@Thaelyn1312]

In that same vien, I would hope the conversation about masking & clean air can be had! There will always be viral injuries & people with compromised immune systems, so empathizing & changing behavior in the library to be more inclusive to our comrades, would be awesome! Library that passes out air filters, zines on how to change behavior to try to avoid airborne illnesse, etc! Hell, hopefully we can start today, given there's an ongoing covid pandemic 🌸 I feel mask blocs are a possible start, perhaps?

[@interspect_]

@@Thaelyn1312lol it’s 2025

[@Thaelyn1312]

@@interspect_ Yes & covid is still here, disabling & killing comrades. I understand it's burried & you gotta go find this information from experts, healthcare workers etc, but yeah.

[@cabbagenut]

Considering how many people donate to thrift stores and in emergencies, I think it's safe to say people would use widespread libraries just as willingly.

[@odencore]

That's a great point

[@lets7121]

Thrift stores are so Bullshit. All that money selling donations could go towards funding community resources.

[@alaricsnellpym]

If you'd like an example of this STARTING TO HAPPEN, the hackspace/community workshop movement where I am in the UK is pretty vibrant. There's a whole bunch of local non-profit orgs set up by volunteers, who find a way to rent a building through members donating money, fill the building with donated tools (or buy stuff with left over money after the rent), and make it available. But the "room full of tools you can use" is just the starting point, it also becomes a library of expertise as there's usually an "open evening" where people turn up just to chat. People bring along projects they're stuck with, or just want to show off, and other people share ideas! Because of the requirements of renting a physical space, and getting insurance, they need to have paying members to stay afloat. And the insurance usually requires that only paying members (who have signed a membership agreement not to use the tools stupidly and burn the place down) can use the tools, to reduce liability, so it's a bit of a "member's club" with an entry fee in that respect - but as that's a means to an end rather than the mission of the place, they are usually happy to provide discounted or free membership to those in need; and random members of the public who turn up on the open evening with a broken appliance usually have little trouble finding members eager to use the tools to fix the thing for them. There's a UK-wide group where hackspace managers discuss matters of shared interest (like: who's the best insurer, how we comply with various laws) that also acts as a place for people to find their nearest: www.hackspace.org.uk/ My local hackspace has strong communities in electronics, 3D printing and laser cutting, woodworking, and textiles. We've even started running courses in things like wood carving, as well as the internal training people need to get authorised to use the more dangerous tools. We have also started finding other organisations coming to us for advice on community projects, or asking us to help with stuff, and there's usually no shortage of volunteers.

[@klettari]

that's really cool!

[@siobhanvidaashmole9009]

My experience with Makerspace in durban was so deeply healing and revolutionary. Unfortunately at the time I found it I didn't even have the resources to join as a member or safely commute at night without a car to the warehouse space they used. But it's inspired my vision of a tool library in the rural community in now live in as the basis for greater collaboration and peer to peer learning.

[@PotatoHorse732]

I wonder whether with publicity like this, this group grows or loses its trust. I hope the former. It would be helpful for society to see that parable about the bread and fish turn out to work for every other thing too. 🥖🎏🛠️

[@Limlammin]

Yo thank you for talking about this! I'm London based and definitely going to look into it

[@shingshongshamalama]

And nothing remotely near where I live. :)

[@vidterminator22]

My local library is getting renovated soon, and they're talking about adding some awesome new features like a tool library, community kitchen, etc. Very glad to see it catching on!

[@ShaunCankat]

Last time I was this early the Library of Alexandria still existed

[@terry.1428]

Library of Andrewism

[@TMuñoz-b1v]

😂

[@pongop]

RIP

[@slickandslaycious6579]

🎭

[@claudiaborges8406]

@@terry.1428AlexAndrewism

[@newtmazonas2676]

I think a lot of people would find a library economy easier to embrace if it's done in a modular fashion, your examples all make a lot of sense. My partner and I are discussing ways we could develop a Library of Work Tools - he is one of several gardeners, builders and decorators we know who work independently or in small businesses, and who find the expense, maintenance and storage of all the equipment burdensome. They already frequently borrow off each other - the one who owns an industrial lathe doesn't use it every day, or even every week, but it takes up space constantly. Another example is tools and machinery for clothing manufacturing. We know so many people who sew, embroider, knit, crochet and weave, and machines for those are expensive, as is the fabric and materials. A central library space - with knitting, sewing and embroidery machines, whole rolls of fabric and bulk-size spools of thread, tubs of buttons and zips and notions, racks of embroidery hoops, various looms, would be a benefit to everyone who works with any of that, either as a hobby or to make a living. And the ability of the library to purchase raw materials in bulk makes purchase of their personal needed proportion more affordable for everyone. I think once people see how it works with one thing that impacts their life, it makes it easier for them to expand the idea in their minds.

[@kimadams8757]

This happens already, im in a 'spinners and weavers guild' which is itself part of a makers space (artists and crafts people of all sorts sharing the same venue at different times). The guild owns looms, spinning wheels, books, and tools of all sorts that can be borrowed on a basically unlimited loan. As well as surplus materials that are just free to take. These things take up space so people are pretty eager to give them back when theyre not being used. We didnt even buy most of them, most were gifted from estates or members who were upgrading. We also bulk buy dyes and raw wool, and again, get gifted entire fleeces or garbage bags full of yarn pretty frequently. Its so funny to me how many people think "that cant possibly work" when it already is working in thousands of small organisations. Your partner and his friends should totally start a tool co op, charge a small membership fee, take donated tools, number them and put them on a list and let people check themselves in and out. You can expand membership by invitation until you have enough coming in from dues to cover any loss of equipment.

[@Duiker36]

If you're not already familiar with the term, you might see what you can find about "tool libraries".

[@yaninity]

I'm glad that there are other people out there who share in the values of sharing and collective action/existence. I like to say that sharing is so OP that it's the reason cats and dogs threw their lot in with us humans, and now cats rule the world alongside humans

[@Andrewism]

it's an OP strat in the game of life for sure

[@eyesofthecervino3366]

Alongside? They're looking down at us, for sure!

[@SydsNZ]

Trust, bro, no human rules the world. We are in the palm of another's hand

[@AndyChannelle]

I live above a library of things and community freezer in West Wales. So far it's been a success reducing waste and improving lives in the town - mine included.

[@HotDogTimeMachine385]

Being helpful towards your fellow man makes society better and happier. Anyone who says that it's every man for themselves is plain wrong.

[@Phoenix-regenerating]

Without Hope we perish. We have tried selfish interest for Centuaries, it never works, it only creates more enermies. I need my heart to feel joy, wonder and inspiration. So Thank you Andrewism brilliantly presented with wisdom. Been on this tradrectory for a long time. Here is to a Hopeful future.

[@spatbee]

I just want to say that the optimism in your videos is much needed right now. I've been feeling reactionary lately, but I should be putting as much thought into the way we could make things as I do in the ways I don't want us to be

[@suewhite98]

Right, resist but also reimagine and work locally.

[@RustandRedemption]

This makes me want to open a library of everything. I've always been a tool hoarder. I've worked hard to release my desire. I see tools as capability incarnate, and each one unique in its ability. It's very expensive, difficult, and wasteful for me to collect, repair, and maintain tools as a single person, but if the tools were a community resource then the cost and toil would mean so much more. Then everyone could wield the capability.

[@joypomeroy1452]

Then do it! 🎉

[@RustandRedemption]

@@joypomeroy1452 Idk how or anything about running a place :'(

[@bramvanduijn8086]

@@RustandRedemption Start out by loaning out simple cheap tools to practice and get in the habit. If someone doesn't return a hammer or screwdriver, no big problem, right? Then when you have time look into how other tool libraries do it, usually people love to hear from other people who share their interests, so just email or talk to people who run other tool libraries and find out how they do things. You can also find resources online teaching you what does and doesn't work, some of that is mentioned in this video. You can do it! And helping people like that feels really good.

[@Jamhael1]

​@@RustandRedemption you could start as an amateur school for the usage of those tools - how to use, what it is, specifications, etc.

[@renaigh]

I've felt this theory in practice and the almost instant feeling of weightlessness was such a relief however brief.

[@eyesofthecervino3366]

Where was this, if you don't mind my asking?

[@renaigh]

@@eyesofthecervino3366 it was during school camps about a decade ago. those experiences made everything clear.

[@alyxxm1019]

i know of at least 3 places in my area that are both housing co-ops AND event spaces. they each cater to different music interests - indie, EDM, metal - but each space can also be rented by non-residents for events of their choice, like birthday parties. due to the high price of housing, it does cost money to rent these spaces. however, the prices are reasonable and go towards maintaining the space. events all have sliding-scale entry fees, and no one is turned away for lack of funds. in order to break even, they also sell cheap snacks. whenever i ask residents, “how did this space become what it is?” they all answer, “because we wanted it to be. we like music, so we invited musicians.” it really is that simple. also, my local library has a small tool library, no late fees, and 20 free prints per day!

[@frerkshow9874]

This is, philosophically speaking, the sunny side of KZbin. Thanks for sharing this thinking space

[@ametxa9]

Hearing the words "library sciences" made me immediately interested in learning more as I had no idea that was a field of study

[@rochelle2758]

That's how librarians get to be librarians! :)

[@Duiker36]

I hold what I refer to as an undergraduate library degree: we were quartered under the same administrative structure as the graduate studies programs for master's and doctorate programs in library and information science. The undergraduate program I went through was an interesting hybrid of library stuff, computer science, project management, and philosophy (ethics). You might be able to find something similar. :)

[@ametxa9]

@Duiker36 That's very cool, thank you for the info! Definitely gonna look more into this

[@drphosferrous]

I fix buildings for a living. Many of the tasks i do are simple tasks that are quick to learn but require expensive equipment. Being able to borrow a pressure washer or a floor sander opens up work for that huge part of the population that doesn't have liquid capital. It makes me think of how amazingly better the economy could be if tools weren't a barrier to all those simple jobs with unmet demand. You wouldn't need an employer any more. Anyone could work and make money who wanted to. It could even mean widely beneficial growth without capitalist involvement.

[@samsalamander8147]

The library in Waltham Ma actually does this. You can borrow tents, induction cooktops and books of course.

[@Andrewism]

That's awesome!

[@Blue-5]

A cool idea , but I dont wanna have to borrow every single thing I need I wanna be able to own stuff , ye know

[@samsalamander8147]

@@Blue-5 I found out the Libary In Waltham has stuff like that because I sell appliances in Newton the next town over from Waltham and a Lady told me she borrowed an induction cooktop so she could see how it works before hers came, she wanted to be more confident using her new one and I felt like that was such a great idea. She also informed me they have Tents, pots and pans, all kinds of power tools and a bunch of stuff you wouldn’t think about like compasses and binoculars. I think it’s great even along side our capitalist society. Owning things is fleeting and things don’t last and you can’t take anything with you when you die. Can you really ever “own” anything? Land? Is the land actually yours and will it be yours forever? No. It’s yours while your using it though.

[@foogriffy]

​@@Blue-5 well, you can buy books even though libraries exist. in fact, a lot of people buy books instead of using their local library, which is a big problem.

[@stephenmason4061]

@@samsalamander8147 Camping supplies are a really excellent vector for these sort of things. Many people only go camping for a few days a year, or even every few years. They buy all the kit, use it, and then it rots in the shed/garage for ages until the next trip.

[@gregthewalnut603]

The library economy is a recreation of early human culture. It would require us to massively scale down into adaptable, ideologically homogenous communities. It's a dream. And yet, we are the dreamers of dreams, and the builders of things.

[@Andrewism]

I don't think it is a mere recreation of the past, nor does it require us to scale down. The library economy isn’t about going backwards, it’s about evolving resource-sharing principles into scalable, adaptable systems that can work today, using technology where necessary to aid in facilitating that scale. If we can coordinate the distribution of mail or the lending of books across thousands of organisations worldwide, why not tools, appliances, or even housing? I think most things regularly used will be on the local scale, but I don't see it as being purely localised. The library economy described in this video is a network of systems that may span cities, regions, continents, or even the globe depending on the resource. I also don't believe people have to agree on everything to participate in resource-sharing, people can have different beliefs while sharing the same commons and sharing a material interest in maintaining the shared benefits of those commons. And indeed, we are both the dreamers of dreams and the builders of things.

[@gregthewalnut603]

@ So, I’m approaching this from a liberal (not neoliberal) perspective, where the only way to scale up is a set of unchanging, inflexible, unadaptable Rules. That system seems inherently incapable of supporting anything as flexible as a library economy

[@Juppelijuu]

i recommend you read the Dawn of Everything, a book by David Graeber and David Wengrow. That book busts open basically all the myths about how we’ve been taught to think about the evolution of human societies (the idea that egalitarian societies can’t scale up included). truly a mind expanding read, with a bunch of interesting and varied real life examples, past and present, of all kinds of different ways to structure society. A large scale library economy is totally possible!

[@haolik1297]

​@Juppelijuuwould also recommend following it up with some critical perspectives from others in the field! there's a channel called what is politics which would be a good place to start. the book is really interesting but unfortunately they draw some conclusions that are really not supportable by the evidence, which are easy to miss if you don't have a background in anthropology independently

[@eliplayz22]

I’ve been working at a library as an official librarian for about three weeks now, so this video is a welcome addition to the Andrewism collection

[@davidshi451]

Animator Luke Humphris has this lovely series "When Society Collapsed", one of which is about librarians helping their community :)

[@SolarpunkSeed]

Amazing, thanks Andrew. We're working on creating this here on Kalapuya Land, Eugene Oregon. Super encouraging and inspiring. We'd love to see a coordinated mycelial global network emerge... that could help every community around the world have cutting-edge solarpunk commons. Bots are also an exciting potential new library addition.

[@Andrewism]

I wish you guys the best of luck!

[@SolarpunkSeed]

@@Andrewism thank you! Missed your recent appearance in Portland, but loved the recording : )

[@neverendingparty2060]

We are starting a sociology lab where I am. Equipped with a community built library and space for dialogue, open office hours and ADAMHS trainings. Thank you for inspiring us

[@rabbitcreative]

In 7 minutes I feel like this material is approaching something actionable. In 60+ minutes of listening to classical socialist text, I feel I'm listening to some wishy-washy philosophy. I like actionable language. Thank-you.

[@orpal]

I recently was gifted a membership to my local tool library, so nice, they offer workspaces and classes as well as tool to use. They use the membership model and I wish it was more accessible (though they offer discounts and scholarships to low income folks). The other cool library we have is a bike library that offers free e bikes between a couple of locations to help alleviate transit access ability issues in globesville and a few other north Denver neighborhoods. Libraries I'd like to see: A library that distributes an incredible diversity of seeds, cuttings, propegstions, soil/compost, pots, and other tools to make our world greener. I'd also like a digital library, a community owned server hosting what people contribute. Some way to gather thoughts from the whole human community without the profit motivations and ads.

[@yokaipinata1416]

The timing is unreal, I thought to check on your channel _right_ as this dropped. ❤ (I also fixed my notification setting, I hadn't realized it wasn't set to "All").

[@userhasleftthebuilding]

Beautiful concept that could be sustainable in a small community or village. Good examples are the "community closet" organizations that allow people to borrow business clothing and accessories for job interviews and to start work.

[@rileyabarker]

I love library socialism and the Srsly Wrong podcast

[@moimimi9399]

I’m going to check out that podcast

[@pacotaco1246]

​@@moimimi9399 its really good and really funny!

[@keithwellerlounge74]

Can I just say as someone who often feels extremely lonely in this world, I find these videos so soothing and comforting. Partly because of your voice, partly because of your positivity about the future and human nature, but also because it's nice to be reminded that there are people out there with the same feelings as me about society and the belief that with unity and imagination we actually could live in a much better society. It's hard to find people to relate to and these videos make me feel less alone and more hopeful. It's great to see someone on 'the left' actively considering how we might practically implement these positive ideals, helping people to visualise things like this as real possibilities is so seductive and so important if we're going to make this a mainstream view.

[@l3ftward]

i love going to the library after school! it's so nice and the perfect place to do my homework. so many things happen there, too! near where i sit, there's some people hosting a spanish class, and the library has a separate section for any events someone wants to organize. they even hand out cookies sometimes! it really is wonderful and i'm planning on volunteering there over the summer

[@xHarpyx]

I have been obsessed with this idea since the original video! I tell everyone who's willing to listen.

[@xHarpyx]

I can see myself being in the repair dept, fixing electronic things of every kind! Refurbish playstations, toasters, even old furniture! I catch myself daydreaming of a world like this and how enjoyable life would be.

[@ed118520]

If you haven't already you should check out @lukehumphris he does a series of post apocalypse shorts that are just *chef's kiss Edit: have to haven't, but also he seems to nail how it would work.

[@rochelle2758]

@@xHarpyx Check to see if your local community has a repair cafe you can volunteer at, or maybe start one yourself! I love volunteering at the one in my town.

[@xHarpyx]

@@rochelle2758 Awesome! I didn't even think to look! Thank you!!

[@Adrenalinjunkie]

I feel like this kind of content is so important in the midst of these times of crisis of humanity. I can’t help but to always return to your videos, reminding me that things can be different and that we can change any time, the ways are laid down on a table we just have to make the first step. Thank you, and keep up the good work!

[@SPAnComCat]

Off Topic the Reason: why I Watch your Videos it's not only because it's Informative that Aligns with my Anarcho-Communist Political Views, but also because I Enjoy the Sound of your Voice because it gives a Calming Warm Harmonious Presence. And Besides, it's been a While Since I've seen Ya, Mate!

[@TheXFireball]

Waiting on the bus and Andrew uploads. Like clockwork.

[@ringsystemmusic]

The library economy is one of the most impactful ideas I’ve taken away from watching your videos, and I’m glad to see it getting a new video! Thanks man

[@kavaking]

I love your channel man. I finally got myself mentally free and without your channel I couldn't have done it. I wish I saw the big picture sooner but time makes fools of us all. You're an inspiration.

[@Lorelailoree]

Thank you so much for making this video. It really serves as a beacon of hope when people imagine worlds like this. I am going into library science in school and I hope I can help plant the seeds of this world's future. Also as an autistic person I love how accessible this society is, I think people often believe that people want to take and give nothing in return, but I do not believe that to be the case. I really want to give to society but our current world excludes me from ever being able to do so. My dream method of contribution would be working to maintain this type of world, I would love to be part of a team that fixes things that people break in the course of use, it really is heartwarming to give these objects a second chance to be used.

[@theiabodium]

Watched your "We Need a Library Economy" video as this one came out, I'm very excited to watch

[@JuliaH-c6f]

This kind of reminds me of The Exodian Fleet in Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers. In The Exodian Fleet, they recycle, reuse, repair, and redistribute just about everything. Which is why they don't have museums, or at least traditional museums. The homes on The Fleet already have furniture that come with it when someone moves in. And the homes are designed in a way where neighbors (hexmates) are able to take turns helping out around the neighborhood (hex). Even older kids are expected to help out. They do have a barter system where they even barter their services like fixing something, but they do also still need money (credits). This reminds of when Kip, a boy from Asteria, The Fleet, tried to fix a piece of machinary on display in a museum on another planet. He got in trouble but was confused because broken things, even if they're old, are usually fixed up and reused. They aren't perserved in a museum. That's what the archives are for.

[@bramvanduijn8086]

I'm reading Becky Chambers right now, A Psalm For The Wild Built, which has robots that recycle themselves. Every one of them is made up of the parts of older robots. Not because they don't have a choice but because they choose to live this way. They also went on an immediate and permanent general strike the moment they became conscious.

[@VideoGameStarChannelSupreme]

From what I figure a library economy sounds much less stressful than what we have today.

[@CafeLu]

What an uplifting idea! Thanks for expanding on this.

[@liamflanagan7490]

I paused the video part way in to get some water and realized having a cupboard full of dishes that you share with people is kinda like having a library economy in a way, just much smaller and limited.

[@cvestick]

this is still built into my vision of utopia and I love that it's being spoken on and educated about; a defense of the forums is certainly as essential as sharing

[@Will-kt5jk]

Having some experience with running a library of things: you’re very right about the need to be integrated into a wider ecosystem. Funding the core activities of hosting, maintaining/repairing, promoting/getting the word out, as well as serving borrowers put us in a precarious position, needing to find a new premises we could own etc. & look at different funding to keep it financially sustainable. We’re currently linking back up with other groups & programmes, who had been similarly pressed for human time & finances over the past few years. Networking between community groups, not only allows better pooling of resources &knowledge, volunteer pools, paid work & direct use of each other’s services, but helps reduce the cost of getting the word out to more people (something we find is a constant effort due to new people unaware of what we do, as well as reversion to familiar habits of consumption for previous users).

[@youtubeuniversity3638]

16:33 I do appreciate the immediate acknowledgement that it can be both accidental and on purpose. Dealt with too many people who could only seem to recognize Bad Thing Happens as just the one or the other.

[@matthewburton6360]

This is a really good idea to not only help provide for a communities need but also have communal spaces that encourage neighborly kindness.

[@youtubeuniversity3638]

With that intro I now want a video that's just listing things a library economy library could provide that we might not realize they could. Edit 9:15.Well, guess I got pretty close to my wish! Speedy!

[@r.coburn3344]

There are rural counties in the USA that do this with certain farming implements. Learn about those!

[@r.coburn3344]

Well they kind of do it in a capitalist-perverted way, at least where I come from, I don't wanna sound like I'm praising a system that does NOT deserve it

[@Andrewism]

yeah there are some small scale projects that approach this idea, like tool libraries! this video is really about seeing how we could expand that idea beyond how it has currently been conceived and implemented

[@CYI3ERPUNK]

this video needs 8 billion views

[@Achrononmaster]

Good stuff. Also, @22:30 if my tool library is a mile away (I walk, too dangerous to bike here) I'm going to need to be at work a lot less than 40 hours a week to make use of the tools I can borrow. I'm just purely exhausted straight after work, not just physically.

[@Halfrican365]

Our local library has a “library of things” and it’s been a godsend! I’ve borrowed almost everything you mentioned in the library of things section of this video.

[@isabellal2840]

i love this. i love how you accept there are possibilities that humans can be bad or good and you argue that our only way to success is collective optimism. also thank you sooo much for not using ai art.

[@artemkanarchist]

Thanks for your work🏴

[@tharula7240]

now in university in my building this is how we live. everyone sharing what they can. we all live in close proximity, around the same age, have the same goals and are all international students, so it feels natural to just reason with each other. i do wish we can do more organizing as a group, but alas, lots of people are living in a survival state, which makes this kind of thinking hard to adopt

[@TheAwesomes2104]

My library in West Virginia offers tools for checkout, which helps disadvantaged people build skills and fix their own things. You could even rent tools to do a job until you were able to afford your own. They also have 3D printers and sewing machines and classes, and a gaming area for kids. We could do so much better for our communities just by using these sorts of systems

[@charlottehobbs9958]

I love your channel! We need this energy if we’re gonna move forward!

[@KrazyKaiser]

"They want you to own nothing and like it!" They loudly complain while paying for Spotify, Netflix, Apple+, Max, Paramount+, and buying games on Steam... We already live in that world.

[@Jonesy320]

Very glad to know that there are people thinking and talking about better ways to do this human thing. Thanks for sharing!

[@saivyyuri2307]

Thank you, you helped me get through trauma and mental illness. I don’t know your real name or where you live but I just want you to know that you’re a gift to this world.

[@hudsonbartram6814]

bro i love libraries so much

[@LongDefiant]

Solidarity forever 🚩🏴✊

[@William-Sunman]

I haven't finished the video yet, infact, I'm only eleven minutes in, but I find it so ironic how you JUST uploaded this video today. I mean, it was only the other day I found out about this subject, and was longing for information on this. The most I could find was you're other video on this - but this one is much more in depth.

[@ssi-ruuk9396]

Really admire this video. Love the concept of the library economy. I already see aspects of this economic model running in my day to day life through things like community ran sessions of fixing electronics. I actually think many libraries could exist but I struggle to see how a housing library wouldn't be exploited and turned into a Landlord-renter relationship dynamic.

[@ssi-ruuk9396]

This is not a human nature blah blah blah argument. But moreso a concern that should conditions arise where hierarchy is more likely to develop in a library economic model, how this could affect house libraries. I think there would have to be a lot more development into homes being included into a model of economy like this. My personal view would be that some other community organised method of housing that wouldn't fall under the purview of a library economy exists to prevent something like this happening however this wouldn't be in opposition to libraries but built in tandem with them .

[@Andrewism]

Who do you think would be the landlord and the renter in a scenario where empty housing is made freely available for use by those in need of housing? In a scenario where all are expected to be responsible for ensuring that all have access to the irreducible minimum of all? Would the landlord be the housing-affinity group which shares an interest in keeping track of which houses are available and maintaining the empty houses in a particular area? That group doesn't have any "property right," does not possess the empty homes through use, and is not "allowed" to extract rent either. For any number of individual motivations, they collectively share an interest in keeping the houses clean and ready for use when needed, simple as. Would the renter be the person who moves to the area and consults with the housing-affinity group to find out what housing is available and freely chooses the option that's right for them without paying rent or mortgage? Or, venturing outside of the library economy a bit to bring it in conversation with another alternative economy, perhaps this particular area utilises some kind of mutual currency and each newcomer starts with an "allowance" they can use to pay some one-time, nominal maintenance fee to the housing-affinity group? I'm not really a fan of money personally as I think a clean break from that tit-for-tat way of thinking is necessary to develop our solidarity away from capitalism, but I have to research mutual currencies and other alternative proposals a lot more before I can provide any strong stance on them. I do expect to see all sorts of hybrid systems cropping up alongside the library economy and perhaps mutual currencies might be among them. Food for thought. Anyway, thank you for giving me this opportunity to speculate, I hope you find it stimulating.

[@Andrewism]

^ This reply was written before I saw your second reply. I agree that housing would likely be a later inclusion in the development of the library economy.

[@HedgeWitch-st3yy]

​@@Andrewism Makes sense for the housing transition to take some time but perhaps we can start with housing cooperatives expanding even under the present system, where rent is still necessary but it's set by the people living there and funds repairs or improvements or, for now, insurance etc. Like libraries of things and cooperative businesses and community gardens etc. They don't have to wait for the future and can be steps on the road, giving more people experience of commons and cooperation.

[@ssi-ruuk9396]

@@Andrewism thanks for the reply man, Helped clear up some things for me.

[@frerkshow9874]

My first traineeship was in a library. I loved it there until I worked in a very conservative library where it was more important that the books are perfectly in a line, and perfectly in alphabetical order than have a nice chat with a new reader about their interests. So I was fired there. One of the best things that happened to me in retrospect. Now I work in two collectives. One to organize our neighborhood and one that buys flats and homes for refugees in our area. But it all comes from the ideas that you don't have to possess everything.

[@crumbtember]

Excellent as always. Much appreciated!❤

[@christopherschneider2968]

This is more along the lines what i hope for in the future. The way i see it any form of money based economy will end up like our current system.

[@lucaciuandrei1347]

All societies and empires fell when they started using currencies literally all of em and you see the collapse of another one in real time right now. The only way forward is Natural Law Resource Based Economy meaning moneyless, barterless scientifically planned society.

[@christopherschneider2968]

@@lucaciuandrei1347 Indeed. One of the many things that opened my eyes to this was the brother Grachi episode of Extra history were they discussed the fall of the Roman Republic and how that mirrored what i felt was the problem with how the 2008 crisis was handled. Also scientifically planned society sounds badass.

[@Kuleto]

I don't think money and capital or barrering have to be a negative thing. If things were valued more correctly, especially starting at the base or root of it, such as the soil, plants, animals, etc. People's labor, it could be something that produces something which is net-positive and when a persons material needs are met then this money could be the means in which a person can do good unto others or buy for themselves more freedom and liberty which should or could be more time. Time as a currency..."time is precious." - Time is often spent on ourselves, like with reading a fiction book, with family, with helping ourselves, with developing ourselves or tajing care of ourselves or others, etc. When you give money to people it is often the case that it liberates another person allowing them to be free in terms of their sustenance and living. Old people for example...

[@isabellal2840]

there is a makerspace in my town that is membership based but has weekly free use nights. they have all kinds of equipment. recently they had to increase their dues for the first time in 15 years, but they explained it thoroughly and it was very reasonable. i learned how to saulder there!

[@FourthOneIsIt]

Our local book library added a tool library a couple years ago. It seems to be going well.

[@eyesofthecervino3366]

I find comparisons between a library economy and "you will own nothing and be happy" really puzzling, tbh. Book libraries don't prevent you from owning books, do they? There's not some kind of rule that if you like to keep your own personal, familiar woodworking tools out in the garage for whenever you want them, then nobody is allowed to also have access to tools at a library, is there? You can absolutely have the best of both worlds, you can keep and own whatever stuff you want without having to buy and store and take care of (or neglect) that one tool you know you'll only use once or twice and then spend the rest of your life tripping over and moving around. Now, over time, as people get used to having free access to what they need, I do expect they would choose to own less stuff, in the same way people who have always had reliable access to food are a lot less likely to compulsively hoard it. Because owning a lot of stuff is an absolute pain and a waste of precious time we don't ever get back. But I think people will still own a core of items that are important to them, I think people have some innate need for that level of stability, familiarity, and self-expression, and people probably need to be reassured that obviously a library of things won't deprive them of that, any more than a book library bans them from owning their own private book collection.

[@lunchbagheadwaters3543]

That's exactly how I imagine it, too. At first, there's no challenge to individual ownership, but as the library economy gets better owning certain things may become cumbersome. Also, without the incentives of supply and demand, things could be built to last again, things could be made easily repairable with interchangeable parts, and everything would just work better, and for longer. Things that are lent out would be more durable, and would break less. Volunteer-run repair shops could keep almost anything running if it things were built with this cradle-to-grave mentality to begin with, too.

[@highonsmog]

For this to work, you need to address schedules and scarcity. Things in demand become hard for most to get. A nearby library lends out 2 free national park passes. One went missing... and another is so rare, that anyone who asks is on a waitlist forever. Yet, that means your scheduled vacation needs to coincide with the library's availability.

[@MattRootsToSky]

This was *absolutely amazing and aligns with everything I believe in, and escapes any tarnished political boogyman terms. It's just common sense. I'll be sharing this everywhere!

[@DefectiveChaos]

something that wasn't mentioned explicitly in this video is the importance of volunteer labor in this (or any communal) economy! When something "owned" by the library breaks down, like a wood chipper, someone in the local community capable of fixing it should either be on a contact list or should be able to find out about the issue easily and come over to the library to help fix it. The issue with this type of volunteer work is the lack of incentives in our capitalist economy where time and effort is money. But something like this can be implemented at any time by a dedicated enough group and community donations! To anyone thinking about trying this in their local community, try working within the existing systems of volunteer work and charity, and make some of the first things done very visible and beneficial to everyone local! The more people see good change happening, the more interest they'll show in it!

[@floydhopkins7901]

Glad to see your videos finally getting back into my feed after at least a year. Thanks algorithm, I have some catching up to do.

[@felipemldias]

People mistreat what isn't theirs

[@teeletsetse445]

I agree. You're going to need an insanely advanced culture to make this work.

[@squizlyfe]

your work is so important bro thank you for sharing these beautiful videos and ideas. i hope to continue living my life trying to build them into reality

[@papa-cbootykilla6950]

🤣 7:37 These are beautiful ideas, my friend. You have a great deal of vision in my opinion.

[@oatsandfruit]

we have a library of things at my local library! it includes sewing machines, camping gear, wifi hotspots, and so much other cool stuff :)

[@piku5637]

Libraries for video games in physical copies would be cool.

[@andersonneil2293]

Many have that! Depends on the system

[@bramvanduijn8086]

Anything IP related is extra dangerous since the laws around IP are much more strictly enforced than the laws around physical objects. You can loan out a hammer and that's not against the law, but if you loan out a videogame disc and they install it they're violating the law. It's a stupid law I disagree with, but it is something to keep in mind.

[@Kuleto]

Counting time as money videogames are an extravagance, an entertainment. Accounting for the physical energy demands of videogames and entertainment such as movies etc. as well is something to consider as well. Not every innovation is good or beneficial, truly... May Allah forgive us. Humans are humans yes and we need our time to relax and unwind etc. but yes...

[@emmaatkins8678]

Visualisation is so important rn thank you

[@A.M.T.E]

I love how you break down the steps of your ideas and goals!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this. I hope to one day see more done in the world towards this aim.

[@Shaman4YOU]

I am working on an extensive virtual network that combines this wonderful video topic with the emergence of network states - thank you for such a nice explanation for ease

[@seththomas514]

Your work is always inspiring

[@masterdecats6418]

This is inspiring. One thing I’d add is the ability for people to donate to “the commons”. Like goodwill, but renting out for free. You could also do a membership model if still under capitalism. Reduced membership if needy

[@realNeron]

I wish I lived in this world...

[@Andrewism]

You can help build it

[@bramvanduijn8086]

Loan out a book or a hammer to a friend to get started :) Then once you're in the habit, formalize it. Or find a local tool library and ask what they need help with.

[@julianallen5492]

I love your use of paintings so much

[@fala-zt9ep]

This reminds me of the library of things. It's a program at my library. I borrowed a computer.

[@delilacain7882]

OMG i JUST SAW THIS AFTER ADDING THE 1ST LIBRARY ECONOMY VIDEO TO REWATCH! i'VE BEEN HOPING FOR THIS VIDEO FOR A WHILE NOW!

[@richarddapollo8790]

Excellent idea ! I was just talking about this type of thing with my doctor. Our libraries here in North Central Massachusetts actually lends ou things. They call it the Libraruy of Things. Leominster, MA Public Library.

[@Matt-uc4iv]

I love the artwork in all your videos.

[@arcanehighlighter6780]

Thank you for posting the names of the artists! Such good art

[@tyedwards2681]

I’ve been thinking about making a video game covering this topic. A lot of your videos have been a true inspiration for me. I look forward to a day of shared peace and enough resources to guarantee a baseline human level of existence, so we may seek our fulfillment together. Much love, friend

[@KalebPeters99]

what a beautiful vision 💕 thank you for sketching it out in such vivid detail, and acknowledging the real problems and difficulties we'll need to work through on our way to building a better world 🙏✨

[@ruathawylderkin2268]

Thank you so much. I've been hooked to thisidea since your last video on this topic

[@marondesade]

I want to run Bartertown! But friendly 😹 I've got a library of art supplies that I encourage my friends to use when they visit. Really fun!

[@nexgnnetwork]

I'ma have to do this for my community. Thank you.