Upstairs at the Lewes Arms was humming on Tuesday 8 July 2008 as the Transition Town Lewes currency group presented a series of short films called Money, Money, Money!
The evening kicked off with a 18 minute extract from the fabulous film, Money As Debt. A discussion afterwards revealed that most of the audience had had no idea that our monetary system is based on debt and that economic growth is based on increasing levels of debt. We moved on to other kinds of monetary systems – from the shell money that still continues in Papua New Guinea to the sophisticated WIR system that is used by 15% of Swiss businesses. After more discussion about the nature of money and the economy, we moved on to the third section, about complementary currencies such as Berkshares and the proposed Lewes Pound. Further conversation, skilfully facilitated by Oliver Dudok van Heel, followed around this and other wide ranging issues. The evening ended with those present signing up to the Lewes Pound Hundred Club of supporters.
The films are listed below for anyone else to watch, share and copy this idea. It seemed a good way to start the conversation going about the complex nature of money.
John Maynard Keynes, the British economist, is supposed to have said, ’Only four people understand money, and I am not one of them!’
Money Money Money! A series of films about money, the local economy and all that jazz
Money as debt extracts to 18.17 min http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9050474362583451279&q=money+as+debt
Music Money Makes the world go around (song) (2min 55) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vffQGl6Vo3I
Bernard Laieter interview (1 min 52) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjYDhuLWUnE&feature=user
The Double Face of Money (2min) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1tcL8YLONw&feature=related
Shell Money in Papua New Guinea – 5min 25 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xK_L2ICzW8
Gesell and Free Money in Switzerland (4min31) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxdPIOUTd2k&feature=related
Mexican Tlaloc with Anita Roddick (3min 58) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPVl_AQBKwk
Berkshares on ABC news http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTvsfpAnDzE&feature=related
Transition Town Lewes on BC2’s Working Lunch http://www.lovelewes.com/Currency/lewes_pound.html
Get involved: contact one of the Group contacts on the Groups page
