Michel Bauwens

Michel Bauwens, founder of the P2P Foundation and research director of CommonsTransition.org, dives into the fascinating shift from traditional societal structures to commons-based peer production. He discusses the historical cycles of extraction and regeneration, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices in response to capitalism's challenges. The conversation touches on local and global connections, innovative governance models, and the role of emerging technologies in fostering community resilience. Bauwens advocates for gradual change, highlighting the importance of personal transformation in this transition.

Michel Bauwens, founder of the P2P Foundation, dives into the transformative potential of peer-to-peer dynamics, describing it as both a social relationship and technological framework. He reflects on the evolution of the internet, contrasting its early openness with today's fragmentation. Bauwens shares his personal journey through deplatforming and identity politics, linking them to historical cycles since 1968. He introduces cosmolocalism as a compelling alternative to traditional state and market models, advocating for regenerative villages and pragmatic localist alliances.

Michel Bauwens, founder of the P2P Foundation, dives into the intersection of community and technology. He discusses how Web3 can empower local initiatives while merging them with global resources. The conversation explores Bitcoin's role as a global reserve asset and its impact on wealth distribution, particularly for marginalized groups. Bauwens also tackles grassroots economics, emphasizing collaboration, and explains how communities can navigate societal collapse through resilience and innovation amidst the rise of AI.

Join civilisational theorist Michel Bauwens, regenerative entrepreneur Ferananda Ibarra, tech philosopher Josh Field, and host Tim Adalin as they delve into the future of decentralized technology. They discuss how collaboration and deeper understanding of systems can pave the way for societal change. With intriguing analogies, they explore the balance between flow and rigidity in communities and the role of Web3 in addressing class disparities. Personal stories of grief intermingle with hopes for a better internet, highlighting the importance of trust and authentic connections.

In this episode, Ashley and Jason talk with Michel Bauwens about his work developing ideas for a ‘cosmo-local’ society through the power of horizontal P2P networks, a reimagining of the commons, and crypto. They discuss descending civilizations, reinvigorating local societies, superlinear collaboration networks, combining traditional commons with new knowledge technology, the demise of organic intellectuals, the potential of crypto for collaboration, and transitioning to a new energy system.