Linux.com

I've heard this philosophy on the "gift economy" and it's a joke. the reason it has worked in certain instances is because there is accountability in small groups. in a large group there is zero incentive to innovate. the academic community is a special situation where the currency is ego (very powerful egos at that), and where innovation is far removed from real-world implementation. As soon as members of the academic community have an idea that can be used to better processes in the real world they patent or copyright it, so that they can "prosper" from their innovation. That is why some professors drive range rovers and some drive bicycles. if you've read more than two anthropology books, you are probably far removed from reality and shouldn't be commenting on "new paradigms" in social order. the gift economy will never happen.

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