apcampbell

The intense discussions we’ve been having behind the scenes over at Dekita.org in the last few months have got me thinking more about P2P as a way of being. As Michel Bauwens argues in P2P and Human Evolution, P2P has always existed as a relational dynamic in human societies, especially in the more egalitarian tribal era, before feudal authoritarianism and subsequent class-based civilizations kept P2P it in check. Now, however, technology is enabling P2P interaction to flourish on a mass scale - an unprecedented occurrence in human history. And Bauwens reminds us:

…it is not technology that causes P2P. Rather, as technology, it is itself an expression of a deep shift in the epistemology and ontology occurring in our culture. But nevertheless, this technology, once created, becomes an extraordinary amplifier of the existing shift.

Are we taking part in the mass rebirth of way of being in the world that emphasizes sharing, partnership, cooperation, and exchange amongst peers? To what extent might this shift continue to amplify and how drastically will it affect the structure of our institutions? Will this movement be suppressed by authorities in power? If so, how will it come about?

I don’t know much about economics and sociology, but I have always believed that free market capitalism is the ideal soil in which a truly communist society can grow. How can you impose of system of wealth distribution on selfish people and expect it to work? Only when the motivation to share resources comes from within the people and those people have the means of acting upon these motivations can a truly egalitarian and democratic society arise. This of course, necessitates unmediated dialogue and cooperation, something P2P technologies like weblogs, wikis, and social networking tools are beginning to provide with greater sophistication.