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Chyist Dec 8, 1998 B
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========================================================================= Date: Tue, 8 Dec 1998 10:36:45 -0500
Reply-To: "CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of
Cyberspace" <CYHIST@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU> Sender: "CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of
Cyberspace" <CYHIST@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU> From: "G. L. Sicherman" <gls@ATPSOL.EMSR.LUCENT.COM>
Subject: post-monetary
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Community Memory: Discussion List on the History of Cyberspace ______________________________________________________________________
Date: Sun, 6 Dec 1998 20:35:16 EST
From: "Michael S. Mahoney" <MIKE@PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU> Subject: Re: [CM>] economics of free software
Lest you think the idea of a post-monetary economy new, take a look at the web page (http://www.technocracy.org/index.html) for Technocracy, Inc., a short-lived movement of the early 1930s that proposed to replace money with energy credits. Far from being unthinkable, the notion of abolishing money seems to be characteristic of technological utopianism, whatever the technology current at the time.
Thanks to Mike for mentioning this. I was disappointed that the site's searcher gives no hits for "energy credits." From what I found at other sites, energy credits seem to be meant as a refinement of money. They might be produced and controlled differently, but they would still be a uniform, numerical, impersonal medium of exchange. Somehow, that is what I would expect from a movement called "Technocracy"! If I've got this wrong, please let me know.
A useful test of institutions for post-modernity is: Would it be unsuitable for a society of robots? By this test energy credits are no better than the "galactic credits" of science fiction.
--G. L. Sicherman
sicherman@lucent.com
colonel@monmouth.com
______________________________________________________________________
Reply-To: "CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of
Cyberspace" <CYHIST@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU> Sender: "CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of
Cyberspace" <CYHIST@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU> From: "G. L. Sicherman" <gls@ATPSOL.EMSR.LUCENT.COM>
Subject: post-monetary
______________________________________________________________________
Community Memory: Discussion List on the History of Cyberspace ______________________________________________________________________
Date: Sun, 6 Dec 1998 20:35:16 EST
From: "Michael S. Mahoney" <MIKE@PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU> Subject: Re: [CM>] economics of free software
Lest you think the idea of a post-monetary economy new, take a look at the web page (http://www.technocracy.org/index.html) for Technocracy, Inc., a short-lived movement of the early 1930s that proposed to replace money with energy credits. Far from being unthinkable, the notion of abolishing money seems to be characteristic of technological utopianism, whatever the technology current at the time.
Thanks to Mike for mentioning this. I was disappointed that the site's searcher gives no hits for "energy credits." From what I found at other sites, energy credits seem to be meant as a refinement of money. They might be produced and controlled differently, but they would still be a uniform, numerical, impersonal medium of exchange. Somehow, that is what I would expect from a movement called "Technocracy"! If I've got this wrong, please let me know.
A useful test of institutions for post-modernity is: Would it be unsuitable for a society of robots? By this test energy credits are no better than the "galactic credits" of science fiction.
--G. L. Sicherman
sicherman@lucent.com
colonel@monmouth.com
______________________________________________________________________
