There is a part of me that rages against the very idea that I am nothing more than a collection of abilities to increase the GDP. I can roast coffee, I have skill on the phone, I know how to develop and execute successful programs, and based on that there is a formula out there that determines my worth to our economy.
And, I'd venture to say, I don't have nearly the same value as a doctor or a corporate executive. An hour of my time is only worth so much - 12-18/hr I'd guess. I am now nothing more than an hourly unit because there is no metric for the things about me that don't contribute to the economy. My hopes and dreams are worthless if they don't involve monetary exchange.
Thankfully, people are thinking outside the paradigm and creating alternatives. One in particular gets me humming: time banks. In a time bank, an hour of my time is worth an hour of time from a CPA, doctor, or masseuse. Think how this throws the hierarchical, capitalist paradigm on its head!
Not to get all revolutionary up in here - I wouldn't have the opportunity to share alternatives with others over the internet if it weren't for our paradigm - but opportunities to see others differently creates the mustard seeds needed to reverse the class system we all contribute to by being consumers.
Maybe time banks and other alternatives may one day fundamentally change the conversation on Capitol Hill from economic growth to more kingdom oriented value structures: relational inclusiveness rather than a free market, or opportunity creation rather than job creation.
Check out the time banks website for yourself and begin to dream: what could this bring to your neighborhood? And then take a look - there may be people already at work in your city, making it happen.
- Andrew
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