Why cash free matters

When festival organizers look at their events, one of the things which they must consider is “do we have vendors on site?” Almost all events these days answer this question with a “yes”.  Vendors often provide valuable services, dispensing food or selling memorabilia, providing entertainment and engagements for the festival participants, adding personalities and color to the event as well as something to do when other aspects quiet on not to the festival goers liking.  Vendors also often provide valuable income to the event organizers.


Rainbow gathering - year unknown

Recently event organizers started to ask “How does taking the money out of this event effect the culture?”  “What if the expectation is that many of these services, this color and entertainment is provided for free?” “What if the expectation is we will take care of each others needs or desires without the expectation that there will be money involved?”  And something amazing happened.  People started connecting in a way that they had not before, people started feeling better about the event in a way that was more important than a few more bucks for the organizers and a mass produced t-shirt.

Funologist look at festivals and parties as a model of the world we want to create.   It turns out that many people are excited about a world in which money does not determine what is available to you.  Many people want a starting assumption that we all have equal access to the benefits and services and experience of these events.  Money has poisoned so much of our lives, that it turns out that taking it out of our celebrations has a tremendous healing effect.  And perhaps more importantly, helps remind us of where we want to be going.