A Dialogue on the Commons

15 November 2015–13 March 2016 / Casco HQ

What do you mean when you say “the commons”? Or by “commoning”  – it seems just as abstract?!

Think of a piece of land (anywhere!) before individuals, corporate bodies, or governments owned it. The land was once shared. It was a commons.

Think also of knowledge! We all have knowledge. We share it with those around us, and learn both on our own and from each other. Knowledge is a commons too.

Further, there are no commons without community: commons are always maintained and managed by a community.

I don’t like managers.

What if management didn’t mean being told what you do? 

Self-management is demanding.

The commons are about taking time to do things together, relate to each other, and care for each other (however different we are) too!

Commoning! It’s the act, the practice of building commons and keeping them alive (in the looooonnnnnnng term).

We must assert “No commons without economy” too!

What economy?

The capitalist economy aims only to maximize private interests!

Doesn’t the government seem to support capitalist economy?

Let’s start commoning economy! Commoning the government! Commoning our daily lives!

How about art, and the art organization? Why are we discussing the commons here?

We also operate in this capitalist economy, within its relations and mode of production.

Can we also help to unlearn these, and build the commons? 

How?

Colophon:

Casco’s program is made possible with financial support from City Council of Utrecht, Mondriaan Fund, DOEN Foundation, and European Union Culture Programme. We Are the Time Machines: Time and Tools for Commoning is also supported by K.F. Hein Fund.

This activity is part of:

An exhibition and study program to generate “tools” for practicing the commons.

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