In order to establish LMC as an accepted alternative currency, we need to take the following steps:
If you are already part of a circle, such as a massage exchange circle, you can talk to your fellow members about Shift and the option of using LMC for payment. Previously, in such circles, you would give a massage and receive one on the same day. However, now you don't have to give a massage in return. Instead, you can simply pay the other person's time with LMC, and on another day, they can pay you for giving a massage.
We can combine different circles and use LMC for various neighborhood services. For example, we can pay a car mechanic for their work in LMC while using fiat money (dollar, euro, etc.) to purchase car parts.
If everyone in a circle agrees to accept LMC instead of fiat money, we can access a wider range of services and goods, even if we have limited financial resources.
It would be beneficial to convince companies to accept LMC as well. Consider a restaurant where customers can pay with fiat money or LMC. If the restaurant earns LMC, they can ask their employees if they would also accept LMC as partial payment. For instance, the employees could receive 3/4 of their salary in fiat money and 1/4 in LMC. Please note that I am not a tax expert, so the tax implications would depend on the regulations in your country.
Personally, I would not pay taxes because I do not have a bilateral contract with the financial department. However, that is a separate matter. Additionally, what if these companies were to close their businesses and form an association where they exclusively serve members of the association?
It may be unrealistic to expect that we can purchase new cars or televisions with LMC since these are products from the traditional capitalist economy. However, we can use LMC to pay for goods and services created by individuals themselves.
Let's reconsider what we truly need on a daily basis:
Shelter
Organic food
Clothing
Bicycles
Musical instruments
We can create all of these things ourselves, without relying on the industrial system. Regarding housing, it is worth contemplating whether we truly need concrete houses, garages for multiple cars, and swimming pools. What if we could acquire inexpensive land in nature and build small wooden houses, yurts, tepees, or geodesic domes?
By the way, most of the profits from earning money with Shift will be invested in Ubuntu villages. In Ubuntu villages, there is no money, no trading, and no bartering. People can live in these villages for free as they are self-sustained, producing their own food. Everyone in an Ubuntu village pursues what they desire and are skilled at, without the need for money. Consequently, these individuals may not even require LMC.
It's a grand vision, but it's already a reality, at least in South Africa.
Spread the word about Shift and familiarize yourself with its benefits to help others understand the advantages of having our own currency.
Here are some benefits of Shift over fiat money:
- No hoarding due to demurrage: LMC loses 0.28% of its value each day, discouraging hoarding and promoting free-flowing liquidity.
- Demurrage enables free-flowing liquidity: The demurrage system ensures that the currency remains in circulation, contributing to a dynamic economy.
- Potential tax advantages: While I personally believe LMC is not considered traditional money, if it is classified as such, then we should explore the possibility of paying taxes with LMC. It's essential for us, as human beings, to advocate for our rights and shape our world.
- No interest rates: Shift does not involve interest rates, which can benefit individuals and businesses by eliminating the burden of interest payments.
- No bank service fees: Shift transactions do not incur bank service fees, reducing costs and increasing accessibility.
- Daily LMC accumulation: People accumulate LMC on a daily basis, enabling them to invest in additional services and opportunities.
- Enhanced privacy: Unlike Bitcoin, our transactions cannot be tracked by authorities, providing an added layer of privacy.
The more people who use Shift, the faster it will emerge as a viable alternative to fiat money and other cryptocurrencies.