{"type": "project", "title": "Edges", "logoImg": "bafkreibnkxtry5zusrfoafvwi6bxpqompr3fkduwedkeys6vip6alpfbkq", "website": "https://edges.radicalxchange.org", "createdAt": 1721080598812, "userGithub": "alexrandaccio", "credentials": {}, "description": "WHY\nPicture a non-hierarchical group of people hanging out and collaborating. Now picture that group of people paying each other for time and work. In one sense, this will make them better able to collaborate on substantial projects, but in another sense, it will erode their identity as a \u201ccommunity\u201d.\n\nThis, we believe, is because conventional money (fiat, crypto, gold, ETFs, etc) is a \u201cglobal\u201d rather than \u201clocal\u201d measure of value. Precisely because money\u2019s value is easily recognized outside the community, holding money encourages people to think less about the community\u2019s wants and needs. Accumulating money reduces not only individuals\u2019 dependence on community, but also their commitment to it.\n\nThis is a problem for intentional communities that want to take on ambitious projects. They are between a rock and a hard place: If they don\u2019t use money internally, they have trouble scaling collaboration, but if they do use it, they lose their identity as communities.\n\nWe are interested in developing community currency systems that find the optima in this dilemma.\n\n\n\nWHAT\nComplementary currencies that are intentionally more valuable inside a community than outside it mitigate money\u2019s community-eroding, \u201ccentrifugal\u201d quality. That\u2019s what we\u2019re hoping to build.\n\n\u2208dges is a social experiment in creating a non-crypto, trust-based complementary currency system. If it works, it could help the Edge Esmeralda community collaborate and scale without losing coherence and commitment. \u2208dges also might be worth something, although that value will be differentially realizable within the Edge Esmeralda community. We\u2019ve built a simple app and laid out a series of incentives that we hope will create a flywheel of collaboration.\n\nThis only works with a game community \u2013 so we hope you\u2019ll join us!\n\n\nHOW\nA critical ingredient in \u2208dges is trust. Accordingly, the \u201ccentral bank\u201d is a simple trust pool. If you\u2019d like to become a \u201cmember\u201d of the system, you\u2019ll need to (a) have an Edge Esmeralda Zupass ticket, and (b) deposit a token amount of real money in a pool that any other member can unilaterally withdraw from. (Come to one of our events at Edge Esmeralda to get set up.) So from the very beginning, we\u2019re relying on our social ties and counting on each other to act in good faith.\n\nSecond, if you want to send \u2208dges to non-members, you can \u2013 but you have to pay an \u201cexit tax\u201d. This forms a kind of membrane around the currency system, encouraging us to think about how to serve local rather than global needs.\n\nThird, \u2208dges should be used mainly to compensate and/or recognize contributions of time and effort \u2013 not exchanges for durable assets. Durable assets are a kind of \u201cglobal money\u201d since they can be easily resold outside the community; buying them is therefore a kind of \u201cexit\u201d. The purpose of each transaction is recorded in an honor-system ledger that only members can see.\n\nThus, to accept \u2208dges, or to offer services in exchange for \u2208dges, means something. It signals trust in the potential of the community and desire for integration into it. To be rich in \u2208dges means that you\u2019ve done things for others around here; it\u2019s a more meaningful signal than wealth in global money, which easily crosses and punctures social contexts.\n\nTo get onboarded, come to one of our meetings! For more details, see the Rules page.", "logoImgData": {}, "projectGithub": "RadicalxChange", "projectTwitter": "radxchange"}
Edges
WHY
Picture a non-hierarchical group of people hanging out and collaborating. Now picture that group of people paying each other for time and work. In one sense, this will make them better able to collaborate on substantial projects, but in another sense, it will erode their identity as a “community”.

This, we believe, is because conventional money (fiat, crypto, gold, ETFs, etc) is a “global” rather than “local” measure of value. Precisely because money’s value is easily recognized outside the community, holding money encourages people to think less about the community’s wants and needs. Accumulating money reduces not only individuals’ dependence on community, but also their commitment to it.

This is a problem for intentional communities that want to take on ambitious projects. They are between a rock and a hard place: If they don’t use money internally, they have trouble scaling collaboration, but if they do use it, they lose their identity as communities.

We are interested in developing community currency systems that find the optima in this dilemma.



WHAT
Complementary currencies that are intentionally more valuable inside a community than outside it mitigate money’s community-eroding, “centrifugal” quality. That’s what we’re hoping to build.

∈dges is a social experiment in creating a non-crypto, trust-based complementary currency system. If it works, it could help the Edge Esmeralda community collaborate and scale without losing coherence and commitment. ∈dges also might be worth something, although that value will be differentially realizable within the Edge Esmeralda community. We’ve built a simple app and laid out a series of incentives that we hope will create a flywheel of collaboration.

This only works with a game community – so we hope you’ll join us!


HOW
A critical ingredient in ∈dges is trust. Accordingly, the “central bank” is a simple trust pool. If you’d like to become a “member” of the system, you’ll need to (a) have an Edge Esmeralda Zupass ticket, and (b) deposit a token amount of real money in a pool that any other member can unilaterally withdraw from. (Come to one of our events at Edge Esmeralda to get set up.) So from the very beginning, we’re relying on our social ties and counting on each other to act in good faith.

Second, if you want to send ∈dges to non-members, you can – but you have to pay an “exit tax”. This forms a kind of membrane around the currency system, encouraging us to think about how to serve local rather than global needs.

Third, ∈dges should be used mainly to compensate and/or recognize contributions of time and effort – not exchanges for durable assets. Durable assets are a kind of “global money” since they can be easily resold outside the community; buying them is therefore a kind of “exit”. The purpose of each transaction is recorded in an honor-system ledger that only members can see.

Thus, to accept ∈dges, or to offer services in exchange for ∈dges, means something. It signals trust in the potential of the community and desire for integration into it. To be rich in ∈dges means that you’ve done things for others around here; it’s a more meaningful signal than wealth in global money, which easily crosses and punctures social contexts.

To get onboarded, come to one of our meetings! For more details, see the Rules page.
Edges