I had a short introduction on Discord and @Danibelle referred me to this forum, so here we go. While sending in my project for my blog and being able to receive donation for this, I interacted with your questions, both for the project presentation as well as the verification process. I understand that you only would like to display projects which are in integrity and are benefiting the world. Though perhaps there are some cases in which I’d like to add some things I encountered just by interacting briefly with the verification process.
Especially the question about personal gain, which can be explained positively as well. Something which is benefiting the public includes the person who is benefiting the public as well. So personal gain and collective benefit are not mutually exclusive. In fact, when something is inspiring, everyone benefits. I understand of course your questions which aim to shine light on anything and anywhere projects are gaining on the back of others, or where gain means suffering or doing harm to others. Which is of course undesirable and unacceptable even.
So just wanted to add this to the discussion and perhaps broaden the perspective of what it means to benefit the collective and include others.
So to make it a bit more specific even. With my blog for instance; it’s inspiring for me to share. Others can support me, if they wish to. And we all benefit. I gain, they gain, we all gain and share with each other.
Well, I guess you get the point.
Just wanted to share this and perhaps help in the process of verification and deciding what kind of projects to include in your Giveconomy.
I’m seeing a difference in having a personal project listed on Giveth and wanting that personal project to become verified and eligible for GIVbacks. That’s something we may want to differentiate?
Right now I’m seeing some personal projects listed on Giveth and personally, I don’t mind having them if those are for a good cause. Example, this is a personal project that I’d be glad to support because I believe it will benefit this person’s life https://giveth.io/project/Fundraising-for-My-study-in-Canada-0
There are couple more examples of projects that can be classified as Personal (all valid IMHO):
Hey Ewoud! I really appreciate your feedback on this subject. We are constantly honing the project verification process to ensure that it aligns with our values as a community while also maintaining the resilience of the economy.
I think you’re totally right when you say that personal gain and public benefit are not mutually exclusive. I think that we can change our dialogue here to represent this better. The idea is that the project is funding public goods rather than excludable goods.
I will use this project that Marko highlighted as an example: https://giveth.io/project/lyme-disease-is-life-on-hard-mode. I too would personally be glad to support this project to help this person have a better life. However, the GIVbacks program is geared toward rewarding people for funding public goods - things that have a benefit to the public, to society and to the world as a whole. So for instance if someone created a project that was collecting funds to help all people with lyme disease and anyone who is confronting this diagnosis could receive support from the project - that would be a non-excludable service and would be eligible to participate in the GIVbacks program. It is acceptable for donations to be used for salaries and other internal expenses of the project. The idea is that the funds are being used to support the project and that the project, as a whole, is benefiting society.
I think the key to verification for projects like yours where there could be a gray area is to provide a clear outline for donors where the funds will be spent as well as update with evidence regularly that the funds are indeed being spent on those things. What seems to keep projects such as yours from getting verified is that as an individual who is not part of an organization, you will need to have a considerable amount of reputation at stake to ensure that you will not be participating in fraudulent or unscrupulous activity. That being said, I have looked at your project and your verification application and would be happy to talk with you to help shine some light on things you can do to become eligible to participate in the GIVbacks program and receive a verified project badge. You can reach out to me on Discord WhyldWanderer#7002.
Well, here comes the contradiction or seeming contradiction. Because I believe one needs full freedom to choose, in order to generate the highest public good. So this is the question about trust, freedom to choose and generating something new and exciting. One can not tell where the funds will be spend (sometimes) on forehand. For instance, when I generate a new blogpost or simply when I wake up, I don’t know what I will do during the day. I may have some idea, but what happens during the day is both a conscious choice as well as something which spontaneously arises. For instance, I didn’t think of communicating with you today, but here I am, feeling excitement to share this with you. So this is something which can be put delicately during the verification process. Much like your own process of Giveth I suppose, the general and overall picture may be clear, yet it changes all the time and what comes up, where funds will be spend, will be different than we know or think on forehand. Even though it all comes about creating something which enables people to collaborate, support each other, give to each other and create something more beautiful.
The process is what will generate trust, a bit like you mention. The process of giving, and generating new blogposts for instance, or new features to the Giveth platform, is what generates trust and where it’s obvious that something beautiful is created.
But I have to be a bit careful (or at least clear about this), because actually I developed a plan for a giving society/ platform and a world of care as well. Which is very similar to what you’re doing. So let’s see, because you’re on a track of building something, and I as well am at least exploring this venue again.