Housing

Welcome to a new kind of movement—one that reshapes how we think about ownership and cooperation.

by Jay Walljasper

Welcome to the commons. The term may be unfamiliar, but the idea has been around for centuries. The commons is a new use of an old word, meaning "what we share"-and it offers fresh hope for a saner, safer, more enjoyable future. The commons refers to a wealth of valuable assets that belong to everyone. These range from clean air to wildlife preserves; from the judicial system to the Internet. Some are bestowed to us by nature; others are the product of cooperative human creativity. Certain elements of the commons are entirely new [1]-think of Wikipedia. Others are centuries old-like colorful words and phrases from all the world's languages. Anyone can use the commons, so long as there is enough left for everyone else. This is why finite commons, such as natural resources, must be sustainably and equitably managed. But many other forms of the commons can be freely tapped. Today's hip-hop and rock stars, for instance, "appropriate" (quote) the work of soul singers, jazz swingers, blues wailers, gospel shouters, hillbilly pickers, and balladeers going back a long time-and we are all richer for it. That's the greatest strength of the commons. It's an inheritance shared by all humans, which increases in value as people draw upon its riches. [2]