this post was submitted on 03 Aug 2023
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The memes of the climate
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The climate of the memes of the climate!
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Only just discovered the concept now in this thread but I guess it’d work like any other library. You’d just check out the stuff you need that you choose not to own for what ever reason.
If you want to own a mountain bike because you would use it regularly then that would be fine. But if you need a drill press for a project you can go check one out.
Just guessing here as I’ve done no reading on this subject.
That's exactly right! Library economics are incredibly simple. You own what you want to own, and borrow what you need
How does it handle things that are borrowed more than they're returned?
Assuming you aren't talking about consumable items, then the library would get more from manufacturing them. A library economy doesn't mean we stop all production, we just produce what's needed and distribute them to libraries. This has major advantages, like essentially eliminating waste from overproduction, permanently ending planned obsolescence and the incentive to create more durable items, fosters community cohesion, and a lot more. Here's a more thorough introduction to the topic through the lens of political anarchism, though it could exist in any leftist economy
I'm still skeptical of the idea, but I'll give that a watch when I have time.
I'm really having a hard time differentiating this from the current system... You can already own things and already rent things, and already check things out from libraries. Is it about spreading the cost of having/maintaining those items across everyone instead of just the ones using them like in a rental system?
The reason it's different is because it replaces the other 2 methods serving capital with the 1 option that serves the community. It's more like a store where you don't buy anything, but then give those items to the community when you no longer need them. Buy? Rent? Why do those things when you could borrow from the community, help improve it, and then return it to the community? Having a picnic next to the lake? Borrow a cooler for a day! Need to drive across the country? Borrow an electric car for a year! Need something at all times, like a cellphone or a washing machine? Borrow it indefinitely!
Instead of overproducing items at the expense of killing us all in climate crisis, a library economy produces what's necessary and lets the people decide what's best for the items through direct democracy and electing library stewards to handle the operation of the library. Nothing is commoditized, nothing prevents you from owning things, and nothing prevents you from building your own things. It incentivizes highly durable, repairable items. It creates the foundation for mutualism and helping each other. Most importantly to me, it creates a society where we no longer have to consider money while also enriching our lives.