I authored last year a manifesto for the “Fuck the VCs” project: a platform committed to challenging the status quo of the venture capital industry by creating the first open source investment community.
The principles outlined in the manifesto resonate deeply with the broader themes that I explore here on my blog, particularly the ideals and ethics of open source. I truly enjoyed writing the Manifesto and figured its principles extend way further than the FTVCs initiative. It’s a call to action for creating a more equitable and sustainable future through collaborative, human-centered innovation. It feels very personal to me and I would read it anytime I am feeling low or need to remember why I do the things I do. I am excited to share it with you all here.
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We stand at the crossroads of a digital revolution.
The path we choose now will shape the future of humanity.
We all have the right to invest in and get returns from technology.
The “Fuck the VCs” movement is blurring the lines between investors, consumers, contributors.
We are redefining the economic system with a new investment model.
Democratizing technology and finance.
Freeing innovation.
We are building the first open source investment community.
Creating an equitable and sustainable future through open innovation
We are Humans. We are workers, peasants, and peoples of the world. We are entrepreneurs, engineers, designers, thinkers, researchers, users, builders, investors. We are socially conscious individuals.
We are believers in the greatest good for the greatest number, measuring value not just in financial profits but in positive societal impact.
We are advocates for our personal freedom and autonomy in the digital era, defending our right to innovate and share without constraints.
We are supporters of a collective approach to innovation, where resources and knowledge are shared for the common good.
We are upholding the principles of democracy, encouraging active participation and equal representation in the innovation process.
We are empowering transformative open technology to solve the most pressing challenges of our time. We only believe in the open, decentralized, and equitable kind of innovation.
We are committed to continuous progress, always pushing the boundaries of technology to drive positive change. Yet, we assert that growth does not equal progress.
We are determined.
Our mission is to free innovation.
Democratizing access to technology and finance.
We are responsible techno-optimists, we are
Human-centric progressivists. We believe in progress, but not just any progress. Ours is a vision where human well-being, equity, and environmental sustainability form the core of technological advancements.
Democratic social technologists. Technology should not be a tool for profit, but a means to empower communities, uphold democratic values, and foster social cohesion. Technology should erase inequalities, not increase them.
Ethical innovation advocates. Every technological stride must be measured not just by its brilliance or profitability, but by its ethical implications and impact on society at large. We recognize our society’s and planet’s fragility and advocate for innovations that not only respect but actively heal our natural world and better our societies.
Inclusive visionaries. Our future is one where diversity is not just accepted but celebrated, where every voice finds a place in shaping our shared destiny. We embrace all identities and leverage the strength of community in empowering them.
We value openness, collaboration, freedom
Freedom. Free workers. Free users. Free knowledge. Free innovation. Free markets.
Openness. Open source. Open science. Open governance. Open communities.
Collaborative meritocracy. Working together is more democratic than voting.
Decentralization. Nothing justifies centralization where decentralization is possible.
We believe in
Humanist techno-optimism. Technology is a potential force for good, but its value lies in serving humanity, not overshadowing it. Our optimism is grounded in the potential of technology to enhance life without compromising human values.
Collective empowerment over individualism. The best of innovation is reached not in isolation but in collaboration, where shared goals triumph over individual agendas.
Uncapped progress, capped growth. Economic prosperity and technological advancements should not come at the expense of our planet or future generations.
We oppose
Blind market dogmatism. Markets are tools, not worshipped deities. They should serve society, not dictate its course. Monetary value is nothing more than a mere exchange of human labor.
Unregulated tech monopolies. Concentrated power in the hands of a few giants destroys innovation and equity.
Technology without conscience. Innovation devoid of ethical consideration is a path to societal decay.
Environmental negligence. Ignoring the ecological impact of technological progress is unacceptable.
The only kind of abundance we can accept is one for all species.
Redefining value creation through open innovation
We aim to redefine value creation.
We prioritize collective innovation and societal impact over private profits.
We stand for an open, decentralized, collaborative economy.
We are committed to building the future of Work.
1. Redefining the economic system
We no longer believe in the current economic system.
Our ‘capitalist’ economy has led to an undemocratic world dictated by finance and controlled by tech monopolies, at the expense of human values.
We are modern serfs, sweating our dignity in exchange for digital dopamine shots. We are trapped in a consumerist illusion, acting as powerless users or buyers. We are passively watching our own extinction, made to believe there’s nothing we can do. We are ironically hoping for random tech ‘geniuses’ billionaires to save us.
“It’s easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism.”
Our short-term profits-led economic system has created irreconcilable issues that turned into global challenges: climate change, loss of biodiversity, depletion of Earth’s resources, wealth and wage inequalities, political polarisation. And we—the workers and younger generations—want to end this system that we did not create. We understand that we won’t overcome these challenges without a drastic change in the way society operates.
Whether ‘Capitalism’ is the problem or not is irrelevant (in fact, Capitalism might have already been replaced with a form of Techno-feudalism, exploiting attention and platform rents, and it is far worse).
Our current economic system is broken and it is our duty to fix it.
We, workers and consumers, hold the power.
Money is worth nothing if we don’t play by the established rules. Our human labor and intellectual contributions have value beyond monetary measures.
We resist alienation. We resist capital accumulation.
We want to contribute great, meaningful work.
The meaning of life. Why do we work?
We work because we are humans.
We work to give meaning to our lives. We work to consciously, intentionally shape our surroundings. We work as a socially organized way to expand.
Individual motives might differ (search for meaning, mission, survival…), but, collectively, our work serves a society-level accomplishment.
We work to create value.
Value is a flowing abstract matter, it’s an exchange of power. Capital, on the other hand, is an accumulation of power.
Value ‘creation’ is trading one good for another, money for service, wage for skilled time. The amount of value ‘created’ conceptually equals the underlying utility of the trade. And utility is defined socially—by us—: through markets, political structures, communities.
We defend our human right to solely work for goals and missions we believe in.
Value vs. Price
Value is what we want it to be.
Value is all around us. Value is theoretical, highly-subjective, latent, speculative and immeasurable. “Value is in the eye of the beholder.”
Value cannot be created. Value can be traded, actioned, and amplified.
Price is what we pay to access traded value.
Price is the instantaneous exchange value.
In theory, free markets should ensure ‘fair’ prices. Meaning that,
- We all pay the same price for the same good or service,
- It’s the optimal (i.e. lowest) price we could have paid.
And, as utilitarians, we aim for the Pareto optimum: an optimal equilibrium situation where better for one would mean worse for others.
We believe in free markets to find the Pareto optimum. Free markets imply that,
- Exchanges of value can happen freely (within the boundaries of human rights),
- Everyone can access and fully comprehend the marketplace,
- By design, no arbitrage (winning without risk) is possible.
Freedom is required to efficiently, democratically value things.
We acknowledge that under constraint or influence, value is meaningless. For value to be, we must be able to freely want it to be.
Money and False promises
Money is nothing more than the promise of an exchange of value.
Throughout our lives, we all unequally collect ‘valuables’ as capital:
- Time
- Influence
- Material and immaterial property
Often, we perceive and want to access value in valuables that are not ours. (Maybe to provide for our material needs, comfort, or belonging.)
In order to access or obtain said desired valuables, a trade has to happen.
Generally, trading valuables for valuables isn’t convenient nor deemed fair. Therefore, money is a convenient proxy-valuable, one we can all price equally: a ‘commodity’.
Money was created as a means to an end: value ‘creation’ (or rather value exchange). And indeed, it now is the most universal way to trade value.
Unfortunately, too often, money has become the end itself.
We refuse to let money define collective value
We won’t falter in finding alternative ways to exchange our value.
We won’t hesitate to refuse exchanging our value for money.
Growth is not progress
We oppose associating growth and progress.
While they are indeed correlated, we reject any form of causality. Progress can happen without growth and growth without progress.
Progress is moving forward towards a destination.
If this destination isn’t an equitable and sustainable future through open innovation for all, then we don’t want it. We claim the right to disagree with the destination and disengage from the journey.
We refuse ill-defined, uninspired, purpose-less growth.
Growth is an increase in size. But the size of what?
- GDP? The amount of money in circulation? For whom?
- Resources used? On a resource-limited planet?
- The number of species going extinct? What for?
- …
Growth isn’t inherently good or bad. Neither is progress.
We deserve a better journey.
Degrowth and progress
We don’t want to work more. We don’t want to consume more. We don’t want to always have more.
We want to innovate faster and bigger. We want to invest more in meaningful progress. We want to explore ourselves, our planet, the universe.
We want to work less. We want to consume less. We want to have less, but better.
We want to live. We want to love. We want to laugh.
2. The role of open innovation
The future of innovation will be open or won’t be.
Open innovation is the only way to have healthy competition: one that benefits us all.
Technology, techno-optimism, won’t save us. Unless we join forces and cooperate now.
Our generation is faced with immense, life-or-death challenges. We blame it on the previous generations. We blame it on the system. Yet, the only way forward is together. Collaborative, collective, cooperative.
For the sake of survival, we will bypass and confront the defenders of closed innovation.
Individualism vs. Collectivism
We are individuals. We live first for ourselves, to survive.
We are communities. We live to belong to social groups.
We are humans. We live to care for others, and be cared for.
We believe in agency, in individualism. And yet, we also believe in collectivism.
The accomplishments of the free software movement and open source communities out there are testaments to the power of collectivism. And they did it despite the system.
We believe that humans are fundamentally good; despite bad events and anecdotes.
We celebrate the uniqueness of each individual, their right to think, create, and innovate independently. We recognize and advocate for the inherent power of personal freedom. We think that the diversity of thought and experience that each individual brings is the foundation for meaningful and deep innovation.
We acknowledge the incredible potential of collective action, where shared goals and mutual support lead to greater achievements than any individual could accomplish alone. We embrace the concept of community, understanding that togetherness is a source of strength and resilience.
We assert that the true essence of innovation lies in the harmony of both individual agency and collective effort.
We strive to create spaces where individuality is not lost in the collective, but rather, where it is celebrated and enabled to contribute to the greater good.
We believe in a world where individual aspirations and communal goals are not at odds but are used in synergies, driving us towards a more inclusive and sustainable future.
Competition vs. Cooperation
Competition can be good; when it’s a race that encourages everyone to run faster. Competition can be bad; when the narrow focus on winning turns into fistfights.
Cooperation can be good; when it pools knowledge and resources for shared goals. Cooperation can be bad; when it suppresses individual initiative.
As techno-optimists, we too believe in competition. Because we too believe in evolution, and we too believe in life. We too believe in the truth.
We too believe rich is better than poor, cheap is better than expensive, and abundant is better than scarce. We too believe in making everyone rich, everything cheap, and everything abundant.
Yet we believe cooperation is a whole part of evolution. In fact, we don’t believe that evolution means letting anyone down.
We believe in cooperation because we believe it to be the reason why the human race evolved so far and so big. “Together we go further.”
Our ability to cooperate, to suppress our primal instincts, is in fact our biggest and most human strength.
We are in the age of stories, the age of knowledge, the age of wisdom.
3. Empowerment through decentralized participation
Let’s push the emperors into the ocean
Don’t need a goon to flirt with devotion
With every hour, our number increases
We’ll smash your institutions to piecesWe need a transformation
One we all can see
We need a revolution
So long as we stay freeWelcome to the desecration, baby
We’ll build you right up and we’ll tear you down
Welcome to the celebration, baby
The judges are jailed and the future is oursFree your sons and unlock your daughters
We’ll throw the baby out with the bathwater
With every second our anger increases
We’re gonna smash your nation to pieces.
Curating identities
Our identities are who we are. Our identities belong to us. Our identities are our values and our value.
Only we can curate our identities. Yet, digital platforms took it away from us; and corporate-exploited Artificial Intelligence (AI) promises to go even further.
As knowledge isn’t scarce anymore, curated knowledge will be. But curated doesn’t mean much in a vacuum or outside of the human eye. Curated only means something because we are alive, conscious, social animals. ‘Curated’ equals (=) identity.
Identity curation gives birth to communities. Communities forge identity and amplify value. Communities rightly blur the borders between work, life, and the third place.
We won’t let AIs curate our identities. We humans will organize. We will build communities to defend our humanity.
We proclaim our humanity.
Resource allocation
The process of curation is the one of resource allocation: where is time, money, and influence being spent.
We believe resource allocation should be here to empower; never to disable. We believe that the exercise of resource allocation should happen freely.
Principle
We claim that knowledge must be freely accessible to all, providing the foundation for informed autonomy and enabling the collective intelligence necessary to address systemic issues and develop collective ambition.
We claim the freedom for communities to self-organize, and that societal structures should facilitate serendipitous innovation and resilience, ensuring that every individual has the same opportunity to contribute to and benefit from the collective effort to solve our biggest problems and achieve their own mission.
“The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones.” —John Maynard Keynes