AC: Hi – Simon. My comments/answers are tagged AC:
When I was agreeing with the proposal for a low-cost “camp”-like event, the reason was that I felt it was necessary to be open, without the deterrent of a higher cost, to people who were not sure about the purely financial case, and incentive, for straightforward co-operation and collaboration with the established framework, or under the current dominant assumptions. Isn’t it the case that people who have that mindset (quite understandably and rightly) can still go to Wortley again?
AC: Yes - indeed, this should be a low cost event as far as possible. With my proposal, for the camping element the only (known) costs would be the hire of the toilet facilities and shower, which should have a cost per head of less than £20 (based on 30 attendees). We would need to discuss catering i.e. would people a) want us to provide food and drink - in which case we would source cooking equipment and food/ingredients and the cost per head for the weekend would increase accordingly or b) everbody self- caters with maybe a couple of bbqs to develop the co-operative vibe. I’ve included the ‘luxury’ accommodation option for people who don’t actually want to spend a few nights under canvass and object to peeing in a bucket.
The motive, for me personally, in having a more open event is, primarily, to be open to deeper co-operative thinking; how technology can serve co-operation and the co-operative sector better; how we might collaborate to make our world more co-operative, more equal, etc. Part of this, I imagine, can be done by living the co-operative values, including (and especially) at the event itself. It’s about building a culture, getting a sense of that culture, and reflecting on how technology can help motivate and empower that culture, and (in due course) bring it into the mainstream, for everybody.
My hope would be that we would, at the same time, be building tools that people in the mainstream found useful, and were willing to pay for, because the culture we aspire to should be one that appeals to people’s genuine reflected values, not their shorter-term survival needs.
There is another very respectable and overlapping motive: to try to convince existing tech co-op businesses about how to collaborate for everyone’s financial advantage, when they can’t see that quite yet. That can still be within the current paradigm. It’s more political with a small ‘p’, more “how do I look after myself / my family / by business next year”. Sure, you have to have this in the meanwhile. But there are alternative ways of doing that. “There Is No Alternative” is a lie, whether conscious or unconscious.
AC: It’s really not for me to set the agenda/format/content of the gathering. I would expect that to be set by the group through Loomio/discourse/whatever – prior to the event. I’m just trying to set up a field/woods for people to sit in to discuss I know-not-what (or a barn if it chucks it down).
So I guess I’m looking for who is willing to share this rather deeper approach, that is engaged with the current state and direction of the world, and willing to do things differently, but not only for ourselves. If we don’t have sufficient people to do this during this year, that’s OK with me; but the kind of event I wish to help organise is one where there is definitely room for this kind of deeper thinking and sharing, and also where the financial burden is a low as practical. So we could have “digital nomads” on board, should they care to participate.
AC: As I say, I’m not looking set the agenda/format for the gathering. As you now know I have a pretty specific ambition for Co-Tech, which I know not everybody shares. If you and others want to position the event as an opportunity for what you’ve outlined above, and the group is agreeable – that would be excellent. My suspicion and experience suggests that there are many in the group who would support you.
AC: Can I suggest that you and others (@marcd @eduardo @mattparsons ) have a think about alternative potential venues and dates to provide an alternative to my proposal.
AC: My hope and expectation is that we can do something this summer, in which case we’d need to get a wiggle on. But again if people would prefer to take longer to work out what the group wants/can attend and by necessity we look to holding the first event next summer, so be it.
I hope that helps. Again anybody and everybody please get back to me with comments, etc.
Cheers
Andy Croft