Wealth Information Network's NET Program
Dave Buck
Ofer Erez
Dan Franco
Ofer Erez
Dan Franco
OVERVIEW
Buckminster Fuller asserts that humanity possesses sufficient information, technology, and awareness of planetary resources so every human can sustainably enjoy a desirable quality of life. WIN intends to spread this message widely.
Can we inform humanity in time? WIN has stewardship of a “body of information” that will do the job: designing strategies, programs, systems, tools, resources access, and offering support to NETs, autonomous community action
groups.
WIN concurs that universe is complete: interconnected, interdependent, interrelated. We feel solutions to our cultures’ most vexing problems must start with a view of the whole, leading to major paradigm shifts. Much of humanity is asking for inspired leadership and solutions right now, we know which “Operating Systems” to point them to, and how to empower them via comprehensive Educational and Action components.
Like the wonderful precedent of Las Gaviotas in Columbia, we understand that tackling one problem in isolation is dubious—it’s better to offer multiple complimentary solutions. We don’t claim to have the solution, instead we’re building the framework for many solutions to be engendered. There is no one right way, but by raising awareness of options, we can move society in a better direction.
WIN is led by Dave Buck, a book publisher, organic farmer, and new-former; Ofer Erez, founder of a Sudbury alternative school; and Dan Franco, past-CFO of a business training firm. We are advised by Dr. Ellis Jones, author of the Better World Handbook, and Jody Bol, a corporate consultant. Judges may also wish to review our member website, (http://dbl.projectpath.com) (login= Guest, password= dbl4567) which facilitates participation in WIN’s system of projects. History, Biographies, and Philosophy of the group may be found at this link (http://groups.google.com/design-for-better-living).
EDUCATION
Our Educational aspect will be carried out through “Most Convenient Truth/Design for Better Living” workshops and our web presence; facilitating designs for comprehensive new strategies, tools, resource access, and support systems. A series of two-hour workshops will be offered in rotation, weekly. Each workshop will include review, new material, and practical portions. Workshops will use a 360º evaluation process for refinements.
WIN recognizes that to realize a better future, it must first be described and designed. We’ll empower substantially different lifestyle choices, raising awareness that humanities’ seemingly flawed major systems (education, economics, government, religion) are working perfectly as designed. Our workshops and discussions will mix conceptual and hands-on practical exercises addressing the “awareness gap,” leading to specific personal action.
Workshop topics will focus on our essential nature, inherent relationships, and consider these seven paradigm shifts:
• Always operate from INTEGRITY
• Generate TRUE WEALTH
• Recognize ABUNDANCE
• Focus on You-AND-Me
• Do MORE with LESS
• Engage only in SUSTAINABILITY
• Orient to and expect HEALING
Initial workshop topics are:
• INTRODUCTION/BACKDROP/INSPIRATION
• BUCKMINSTER FULLER/DANIEL QUINN teachings
• DESIGN/HEALING
• COSMICALLY ADEQUATE/INTEGRITY
• ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT/MOST CONVENIENT TRUTH
• ECONOMICS/TRUE WEALTH
• EDUCATION/MORE with LESS
• RELIGION/SPIRITUALITY/INTEGRITY
• GOVERNMENT/YOU-and-ME
• COMMUNITY/SUSTAINABILITY
Participants will gain an understanding that humans are born with a full compliment of qualities and characteristics that make us complete—we don’t need to acquire anything “outside” to be more human. We will emphasize that we are all passengers on our magical, spherical home, Spaceship Earth. Participants will begin to understand and experience inherent relationships each of us have with: ourselves, each other, the community of life, and universe. This orientation compels perceptions and actions to change in empowering and satisfying ways.
Our web presence provides access to many educational resources. We’re creating a localized directory of goods and services that members need/offer, plus member profiles, so we can better share talents and support. The member site is both a project management tool and a repository storing project documentation, reading and study guides, prototypes, do-lists, instructive quotes. The public site facilitates meetings and discussions, encourages trade and barter, community supported agriculture, and offers tips on best practices.
WIN is also informed by the thinking of Daniel Quinn, Sissal Waage, Tara Hunt, EF Schumacher, Marvin Harris, Amory Lovins, Gunter Pauli, Paolo Lugari, William McDonough, and Paul Hawken.
ACTION
Upon completing our workshops, individuals will be encouraged to join the WIN/WIN Association, WIN’s Action Oriented component. Fundraising contributions and membership fees will cover overhead.
Our action component has two elements. Personal Action will be encouraged through gaining better information about choices available to us to decrease our ecological footprint while obtaining more basic needs locally, increasingly from each other. Simple and logical tools will be taught to workshop participants, making simplifying their lives easier, gratifying, and fun. Participants will learn a clear understanding of omnipresent, universal, operational Principles/Laws/Truths (PLTs).
Group Action will be centered around participants forming autonomous groups called Network Economic Teams (think “safety NET”) to encourage pooling of resources, shared ownership, collaboration, and looking out for each other. A simple structure is available, sort of a “boiler-plate”, to expedite NET formation, funding, and operation.
NETs are encouraged to be small enough (31 members or less) to be nimble and decisive, yet large enough so that pooled resources give enough leverage to be effective. NETs all over the world may collaborate, leveraging WIN tools to start various enterprises meeting community needs, their variety based on available skills.
Some of the possible NETs being evaluated for the near term are:
• A community owned/operated restaurant
• Store selling only goods produced sustainably via the “cradle to cradle” model
• A Pilates program for inner city athletes
For the long term, we might also:
• Form a credit union once membership exceeds 500
• Implement the Basswood Water Project, using a current member’s ship to bring water well-drilling gear to underserved communities
Workshop enhancement, “teach the teacher,” and mentoring program development are ongoing, and would benefit from an underwriter. We also need an official office/classroom space for both WIN and several local NETs. Imagine a Small Business Incubator (SBI), but without the pressure for each NET having to become the next Google. We’ll use our structure to lower the startup barriers for numbers of useful projects, so good ideas aren’t lost for lack of guidance or resources. Just as in a typical SBI, some NETs may succeed wildly, helping to underwrite others.
STRUCTURE/TIMING
WIN is an Unincorporated Business Organization (UBO) guided by Trustees, a board of Directors, and an Advisory Board. WIN is “owned” by members of the WIN/WIN Association—all members are “share-holders.” The process of becoming a 501c3 organization (such as The Field in NYC) is a distinct possibility. Dan Franco, (highly experienced with nonprofits, startups, and SBIs), will lead creating our facility.
Our mission statement: Join with others to Teach/Inspire/Actualize the comprehensive information, strategies, systems, resources, and sustainable support that will UNIFY all mankind; ELIMINATE all injustice; and ENABLE a desirable quality of life for 100% of humanity.
Here is a rough estimated timeline:
• Solidifying WIN management team Fall ‘07-Winter ‘08
• Workshop development, initial workshop offerings Fall ‘07-Spring ‘08
• Creating NET Incubator Spring ‘08
• Initial local NETs Summer ‘08-Spring ‘09
• Refined workshop offerings Summer ’08-ongoing
• NETs expand outside SF Bay Area Spring ’10
We focus our attention locally now, with a nod to the global citizenry through web presence. Overhead is presently covered by our three leaders, but we lack resources for video recording and editing tools, Instructional Design software (such as Moodle), and publicity. As broadband internet becomes commonplace, we will to use it as fully as possible for “webinars,” needing expertise and tools.
SUMMARY
We understand this is an ambitious project, yet every component is simple, logical, and proven. No portion will be undertaken without group consensus about its readiness and validity.
WIN is a-political, non-religious, non-proprietary, and “open source.” It is like a container in which Bucky’s wonderful discoveries and teachings can be progressively actualized—becoming a massive resource. It includes and respects everyone, all wonderful ideas, and is committed to the ultimate integrity of “cosmically adequate” thinking and acting.
It is the culmination of twenty-plus years of unlearning, rethinking and learning what truth really is. We’re designing an “artifact” to enable all of this to be creatively taught and spread virally. It is powerfully replicable because of its simplicity and specific orientation to universal PLTs. Plus it will give us more of what we really want, more joy, peace, fulfillment, and security.
Rigorous observation and experience indicates that humanity is ready, with a secure foundation, to be led—not by a charismatic individual or individuals, but by the most powerful information available. Properly executed and publicized, initial NET examples will lead to rapid expansion.
Our review process and advisors will help ensure success. We feel that our programs are so “easy, pleasant, and efficient that old ways will simply be abandoned.” Our students will be able to act and teach more effectively than old methods due to comprehensive understanding of “current reality.” This awareness resonates and produces more positive characteristics in society.
We aim to be a trimtab for society by providing space, knowledge, and resources to eager minds, encouraging/supporting projects that lead by inspiration and example.
WIN concurs that universe is complete: interconnected, interdependent, interrelated. We feel solutions to our cultures’ most vexing problems must start with a view of the whole, leading to major paradigm shifts. Much of humanity is asking for inspired leadership and solutions right now, we know which “Operating Systems” to point them to, and how to empower them via comprehensive Educational and Action components.
Like the wonderful precedent of Las Gaviotas in Columbia, we understand that tackling one problem in isolation is dubious—it’s better to offer multiple complimentary solutions. We don’t claim to have the solution, instead we’re building the framework for many solutions to be engendered. There is no one right way, but by raising awareness of options, we can move society in a better direction.
WIN is led by Dave Buck, a book publisher, organic farmer, and new-former; Ofer Erez, founder of a Sudbury alternative school; and Dan Franco, past-CFO of a business training firm. We are advised by Dr. Ellis Jones, author of the Better World Handbook, and Jody Bol, a corporate consultant. Judges may also wish to review our member website, (http://dbl.projectpath.com) (login= Guest, password= dbl4567) which facilitates participation in WIN’s system of projects. History, Biographies, and Philosophy of the group may be found at this link (http://groups.google.com/design-for-better-living).
EDUCATION
Our Educational aspect will be carried out through “Most Convenient Truth/Design for Better Living” workshops and our web presence; facilitating designs for comprehensive new strategies, tools, resource access, and support systems. A series of two-hour workshops will be offered in rotation, weekly. Each workshop will include review, new material, and practical portions. Workshops will use a 360º evaluation process for refinements.
WIN recognizes that to realize a better future, it must first be described and designed. We’ll empower substantially different lifestyle choices, raising awareness that humanities’ seemingly flawed major systems (education, economics, government, religion) are working perfectly as designed. Our workshops and discussions will mix conceptual and hands-on practical exercises addressing the “awareness gap,” leading to specific personal action.
Workshop topics will focus on our essential nature, inherent relationships, and consider these seven paradigm shifts:
• Always operate from INTEGRITY
• Generate TRUE WEALTH
• Recognize ABUNDANCE
• Focus on You-AND-Me
• Do MORE with LESS
• Engage only in SUSTAINABILITY
• Orient to and expect HEALING
Initial workshop topics are:
• INTRODUCTION/BACKDROP/INSPIRATION
• BUCKMINSTER FULLER/DANIEL QUINN teachings
• DESIGN/HEALING
• COSMICALLY ADEQUATE/INTEGRITY
• ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT/MOST CONVENIENT TRUTH
• ECONOMICS/TRUE WEALTH
• EDUCATION/MORE with LESS
• RELIGION/SPIRITUALITY/INTEGRITY
• GOVERNMENT/YOU-and-ME
• COMMUNITY/SUSTAINABILITY
Participants will gain an understanding that humans are born with a full compliment of qualities and characteristics that make us complete—we don’t need to acquire anything “outside” to be more human. We will emphasize that we are all passengers on our magical, spherical home, Spaceship Earth. Participants will begin to understand and experience inherent relationships each of us have with: ourselves, each other, the community of life, and universe. This orientation compels perceptions and actions to change in empowering and satisfying ways.
Our web presence provides access to many educational resources. We’re creating a localized directory of goods and services that members need/offer, plus member profiles, so we can better share talents and support. The member site is both a project management tool and a repository storing project documentation, reading and study guides, prototypes, do-lists, instructive quotes. The public site facilitates meetings and discussions, encourages trade and barter, community supported agriculture, and offers tips on best practices.
WIN is also informed by the thinking of Daniel Quinn, Sissal Waage, Tara Hunt, EF Schumacher, Marvin Harris, Amory Lovins, Gunter Pauli, Paolo Lugari, William McDonough, and Paul Hawken.
ACTION
Upon completing our workshops, individuals will be encouraged to join the WIN/WIN Association, WIN’s Action Oriented component. Fundraising contributions and membership fees will cover overhead.
Our action component has two elements. Personal Action will be encouraged through gaining better information about choices available to us to decrease our ecological footprint while obtaining more basic needs locally, increasingly from each other. Simple and logical tools will be taught to workshop participants, making simplifying their lives easier, gratifying, and fun. Participants will learn a clear understanding of omnipresent, universal, operational Principles/Laws/Truths (PLTs).
Group Action will be centered around participants forming autonomous groups called Network Economic Teams (think “safety NET”) to encourage pooling of resources, shared ownership, collaboration, and looking out for each other. A simple structure is available, sort of a “boiler-plate”, to expedite NET formation, funding, and operation.
NETs are encouraged to be small enough (31 members or less) to be nimble and decisive, yet large enough so that pooled resources give enough leverage to be effective. NETs all over the world may collaborate, leveraging WIN tools to start various enterprises meeting community needs, their variety based on available skills.
Some of the possible NETs being evaluated for the near term are:
• A community owned/operated restaurant
• Store selling only goods produced sustainably via the “cradle to cradle” model
• A Pilates program for inner city athletes
For the long term, we might also:
• Form a credit union once membership exceeds 500
• Implement the Basswood Water Project, using a current member’s ship to bring water well-drilling gear to underserved communities
Workshop enhancement, “teach the teacher,” and mentoring program development are ongoing, and would benefit from an underwriter. We also need an official office/classroom space for both WIN and several local NETs. Imagine a Small Business Incubator (SBI), but without the pressure for each NET having to become the next Google. We’ll use our structure to lower the startup barriers for numbers of useful projects, so good ideas aren’t lost for lack of guidance or resources. Just as in a typical SBI, some NETs may succeed wildly, helping to underwrite others.
STRUCTURE/TIMING
WIN is an Unincorporated Business Organization (UBO) guided by Trustees, a board of Directors, and an Advisory Board. WIN is “owned” by members of the WIN/WIN Association—all members are “share-holders.” The process of becoming a 501c3 organization (such as The Field in NYC) is a distinct possibility. Dan Franco, (highly experienced with nonprofits, startups, and SBIs), will lead creating our facility.
Our mission statement: Join with others to Teach/Inspire/Actualize the comprehensive information, strategies, systems, resources, and sustainable support that will UNIFY all mankind; ELIMINATE all injustice; and ENABLE a desirable quality of life for 100% of humanity.
Here is a rough estimated timeline:
• Solidifying WIN management team Fall ‘07-Winter ‘08
• Workshop development, initial workshop offerings Fall ‘07-Spring ‘08
• Creating NET Incubator Spring ‘08
• Initial local NETs Summer ‘08-Spring ‘09
• Refined workshop offerings Summer ’08-ongoing
• NETs expand outside SF Bay Area Spring ’10
We focus our attention locally now, with a nod to the global citizenry through web presence. Overhead is presently covered by our three leaders, but we lack resources for video recording and editing tools, Instructional Design software (such as Moodle), and publicity. As broadband internet becomes commonplace, we will to use it as fully as possible for “webinars,” needing expertise and tools.
SUMMARY
We understand this is an ambitious project, yet every component is simple, logical, and proven. No portion will be undertaken without group consensus about its readiness and validity.
WIN is a-political, non-religious, non-proprietary, and “open source.” It is like a container in which Bucky’s wonderful discoveries and teachings can be progressively actualized—becoming a massive resource. It includes and respects everyone, all wonderful ideas, and is committed to the ultimate integrity of “cosmically adequate” thinking and acting.
It is the culmination of twenty-plus years of unlearning, rethinking and learning what truth really is. We’re designing an “artifact” to enable all of this to be creatively taught and spread virally. It is powerfully replicable because of its simplicity and specific orientation to universal PLTs. Plus it will give us more of what we really want, more joy, peace, fulfillment, and security.
Rigorous observation and experience indicates that humanity is ready, with a secure foundation, to be led—not by a charismatic individual or individuals, but by the most powerful information available. Properly executed and publicized, initial NET examples will lead to rapid expansion.
Our review process and advisors will help ensure success. We feel that our programs are so “easy, pleasant, and efficient that old ways will simply be abandoned.” Our students will be able to act and teach more effectively than old methods due to comprehensive understanding of “current reality.” This awareness resonates and produces more positive characteristics in society.
We aim to be a trimtab for society by providing space, knowledge, and resources to eager minds, encouraging/supporting projects that lead by inspiration and example.
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