The 2010 Generation Europe Youth Summit is employing an interesting complementary currency to their common European currency, the Euro. The new currency is meant to quantify the contributions volunteers make to this year’s projects, mostly in the form of blog posts and comments.
We want you to experience and learn about different kinds of currencies. To measure everything we value in Euros doesn’t do justice to many aspects of our interactions: who would want to sell his/her friendship? How can you put a price-tag on a wild flower? Let’s not compare apples with oranges.
You will find two different currencies on our platform: Ants and Owls.
Basically you will earn Ants by posting blogs and comments on our website.
The Ants represent your quANTitative contributions: things that are easily seen, counted and shared. Diligence is what counts here. Many hard workers are needed to build a community from little bits and pieces. You will receive 5 Ants for every blog-post and comment you write.Owls will be given to you by readers who like your input. Every time somebody rates your blog-posts or comments, your Owl-account increases respectively.
The Owls represent your qualitative (or quOWLitative) contributions. Traditionally these animals stand for wisdom. But wisdom in nothing that can be attributed automatically. Even a degree in philosophy cannot guarantee that you have something to offer to others. This is why the quality of your contributions needs to be measured by the community. This will happen, when your blogs and comments contain information that helps others to develop their ideas, when they resonate with others´ sentiments and thoughts, when they inspire or entertain: all qualities a community needs to prosper.The two different currencies will compliment each other, like different species in any ecosystem do.
The more valuable ideas and information you share, the more wealth you will accumulate here.
Have a look at your profile to find the respective “wallets” for Owls and Ants. And watch them fill up as you become active on the website!
Get more info at http://www.generation-europe.eu/summit2010/complementary-currency/
