Experiment Preview: ∈dges Community Currency
Join us in experimenting with a collaborative local economy
TLDR:
∈dges is a community currency experiment by RadicalxChange happening at Edge City Lanna. By using ∈dges, we can create a local economy and keep value circulating within our community.
You can earn ∈dges by offering goods and services and using them to meet your needs. There will be prizes for using and earning ∈dges, including ticket discounts for Edge City events!
To sign up: go to this site to learn more (scroll down) and click onboard once you’re ready.
This is a continuation of an experiment that ran at Edge Esmeralda. You can read more about it and the philosophy here.
We’re running an experiment at Edge City Lanna, and we’d love for you to participate. ∈dges is a community currency that helps us create and share value within the community without relying on the global market. By using ∈dges, we aim to build a resilient local economy where relationships are strengthened and collaboration is made easier and more meaningful.
Unlike traditional money, which often disconnects us from our communities, ∈dges is designed to enhance collaboration and mutual support. Think of it as a way for our community to share skills, ideas, and services while keeping value circulating within the group. This fosters collaboration, strengthens bonds, and supports each other’s projects, allowing us to build a self-sustaining economy. If you are interested in going deeper into the philosophy and theory, we recommend you read these essays.
How Does It Work?
When you participate in the ∈dges economy, you’re contributing to a system that keeps value circulating within our community. The key to this is the idea of “mutual vulnerability”, which has been shown by sociologists to create deeper ties within communities. Each of us contributes and trusts others to play fair, which builds a stronger community bond.
Community Fund Contribution: We contribute by sending $20 to the Treasurer (Matt Prewitt). This goes into a shared community fund that anyone in the community can draw from. This shared fund represents mutual vulnerability—we all contribute, knowing that anyone could take out more than they put in.
Earn and Spend ∈dges: Once you’re onboarded, you get a batch of ∈dges and you can spend them or start offering goods and services to earn more. This helps create a vibrant local economy where value flows internally rather than being lost to the global market.
The more we all use ∈dges, the stronger our community economy becomes. Getting trading velocity is key for something like this to work.
Steps to Join
Go to the website and click “Onboard”.
Sign in with your email address.
Send $20 to the Treasurer (Matt Prewitt, President of RadicalxChange) by Venmo (@matthew-prewitt-1) or by ETH address (0x10b939BDD4018633709DD243a7412DB581d2E76b). This deposit goes into a community fund—read the rules for more information.
Check the boxes to attest that you have read the rules and submitted your community deposit, then click “Submit”. When the admins approve your account, they will deposit 100 ∈dges into your account.
Earn ∈dges: Offer your skills, goods, or services to other residents. Check the Listings board to see what others need or create your own offering.
Trade and Participate: Use ∈dges to pay for goods and services offered by others at Lanna. The more you use ∈dges, the stronger our internal economy becomes.
Sign up, contribute to the community pool, and post an offering. By the time you get here, you’ll already be part of the ∈dges economy, ready to participate and contribute.
Edges Market, Friday Oct 18th
We’ll host a market where attendees can bring things to offer (e.g. objects they bought in Chiang Mai, skills, or projects) to other members of Lanna, in return for ∈dges! That way, you are helping the local economy AND injecting value into the edges experiment.
More info here: https://edgecitylanna.sola.day/event/edit/10553
Appendix: FAQ
Is ∈dges a cryptocurrency?
No, ∈dges is not a cryptocurrency. It is a community currency used within Edge City Lanna to facilitate local exchanges and collaboration. Unlike cryptocurrencies, ∈dges operates on a simple off-chain ledger to keep things user-friendly and accessible for everyone.
How does ∈dges differ from traditional money?
Unlike traditional money, which allows value to exit communities freely, ∈dges is designed to strengthen community bonds by keeping value circulating within the group. It encourages collaboration, trust, and mutual aid, making it easier to build a supportive local economy.
Can I use ∈dges outside of Edge City Lanna?
No, ∈dges is meant to be used within the Edge City Lanna community. It is a local currency intended to foster exchanges, build relationships, and strengthen our community’s internal economy.
What can I use ∈dges for?
You can use ∈dges to pay for goods and services offered by other residents. Here are some examples:
Help Organizing Events: Pay someone to assist you with event planning or logistics.
Skill Sharing: Take yoga classes, learn to code, or get guitar lessons.
Unique Talents: Hire someone for a singing performance, storytelling, or fortune telling.
Project Assistance: Get help with a creative or technical project.
Homemade Goods: Purchase homemade meals, crafts, or wellness products.
The goal is to create a dynamic local market where value circulates internally and benefits everyone.
Thank you! We look forward to running this experiment together ☀️
Experimentation is very important, but the word suggests something novel going on.
Community currencies like this have been tried hundreds if not thousands of times.
The result is almost always the same. A few people grok something important about the nature and meaning of money. A flurry of interest dies out quickly, regardless of the energy or skills of the organisers. Not much new exchange actually happens as a result.
If you want to experiment and potentially add to human knowledge, you have to build on the work that has already been done. There is academic work on this dating back decades and a vibrant community of practice which would love to support you.
Hello! New here on this platform... I'm curious, why do they use the ∈ symbol? It looks like the Worldcoin icon... I'm just curious!