good idea...time dollars

growing up in a world that has been designed strategically by market interests it is pretty easy to buy into the idea that happiness is looking good (staight white teeth are more important than anything you might have to say) and having all the best stuff (the car, the house, the name brand clothes, the latest technology)

...but everything that is good for the market is not always good for us. which is why i have no faith in the 'invisible' hand of the market and it's theory of trickle down economics. since the 50's, and the advent of children growing up watching the tube, marketing has sharpened it's manipulation tactics. of coarse, they would never call it manipulation to your face...but that is their job...to manipulate us into beleiving we need certain things...on the most primal subconscience level. and they have learned the art of targeting children and youth...

commercials, subversive advertising with product placements in tv and movies, and everything including the layout of stores are all designed to get us to spend money. billions are spent to understand the minds of consumers. I feel it has become a bit of a disease these things called marketing and consumerism. a plague where entitlement to making and spending money takes precidence over basic human rights and the sustainability of our very lives...

good news is that their are many people working on alternatives. capatilism is not the end of history folks.

so one example to share today is the economic model of time dollars. there are many versions of community oriented currencies. I first learned about a system called L.E.T.S. (Local Exchange Trading Systems) after reading about one of the originals, founded in Comox Valley in 1983.

recently I came across www.timedollars.org ...and this site is super informative for anyone who knows nothing about the concept as well as for people who are aware and want to find ways of implementing the idea locally. this movement is one which could really provide healing for all the gaps being created by the market-focus only society.

I am newly inspired to learn more about these local economic models, especially because time dollars reward decency, caring and a passion for justice. I believe we are long overdue for models that reward caring instead of greed. don't you?

"time dollars and co-production are proving that the young, the frail, the elderly, the vulnerable and the socially excluded can contribute their skills, talents and capacities to help build healthy communities."

this is a healthy and holistic way we can achieve positive change at the local level. please visit their site if you want to learn more about time dollars and co-production. stay tuned...as community economic development has always inspired me i'm sure I will have more to offer on this in the future :)