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Opensewer Gathering
#7
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This was the first Cleveland Opensewer gathering without the moderation of the original founders. We initially feared lower attendance due to the change in leadership, but were happy to see turnout of 17 people (Cleveland averages around 20) - three of which were brand new faces. Lasting from 7:00 PM to around 11:00 PM, we declare this meeting a success. The discussion started off with acknowledgment that no one present was an economist. Most people didn't feel completely comfortable taking a stance from a quantitative standpoint, but the theoretical and conceptual ideas behind the arguments proved to be a good basis for our discussions. With the exception of a couple of tangents about the current, highly controversial presidential elections and a discussion of the just how the electoral college really works, the group stuck to the topic for the majority of the evening. We discussed the evidence that economics - supply and demand - is the driving force behind most of the things that visibly affect our everyday lives, as well as some of the things that have a notable but not as visible effect. For instance, we talked about the tendency for some drug companies to promote and sell products that counter the side effects of other products that they sell. The group consensus was that it is a little unnerving when a company is making money off the problems they create. What is the unspoken intent of these companies? Are they serving the public's best interest? So, the question of the evening: Do we need a new method of valuation? Well, it seems that we are so entrenched in using our current indicator of "progress," that any other solution would be against human nature (or at least American human nature). The human race is competitive. Originally, it was a means of survival in the wilderness, hunting for food, or being the preeminent tribe in a region. It seems that this instinct has stayed with us and is the subconscious driving force behind many of our daily decisions. It is hard to imagine another way of attaching value. Our conclusion that an alternative method of valuation or measuring progress would be difficult to imagine is by no means an indication that we are all happy with the way American society is progressing. However, we, as a group, were at a loss when charged with the task of coming up with a new solution that would work. PLEASE NOTE! We are looking for volunteers to do something good over the holidays in Cleveland. We have opened discussions with Harvest for Hunger and are investigating the opportunities they have during the next few weeks. If anyone is interested (or has another good idea!), please click here for more information. This is our chance to get out of the discussion room and take action on what we all believe in. We would like to thank Mojo Cafe for allowing us to use their lovely space and enjoy their fantastic food and beverages, and for joining in the discussion. It wouldn't have been the same without them!
At
Mojo Cafe
Jump to: Cleveland | New York City | Ithaca |
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