The concept of sharing is central to the WordPress community. In fact, it’s a fundamental principle behind “open-source,” and it has shaped WordPress into what it is today.
But the capabilities of sharing extend far beyond the confines of open-source software development. Sharing your ideas, your house, or even your pen can ignite change. It can cultivate community and build trust. Today, there is a name for this sharing phenomenon. It’s called the sharing economy, and it’s a movement based entirely off the notion of sharing . . . everything.
In a recent article, Nancy Scola highlighted the increasing popularity of the sharing economy:
. . . the “sharing economy” will continue its speedy shift from the economic and cultural fringe to being something grandparents name-drop in conversation and kids imagine always existed.
With a growing number of events and conferences, and a countless number of articles, geared towards strengthening the “sharing economy,” the movement is gaining traction.
This morning, a sharing economy conference (called SHARE: Catalyzing the Sharing Economy) kicked off at San Francisco’s Marines’ Memorial Theatre. The conference is expecting a turnout of 400—most of whom come from diverse backgrounds, and (in some way) support the sharing economy movement.
Quite broadly, this two-day conference gives people an opportunity to come together and (you guessed it) share. More specifically, the conference aims to tackle topics like who’s sharing and why, sharable cities: from concept to action, investing in sharing 101, and more. The conference features a range of different speakers, from a variety of different backgrounds. Scola indicated:
Those slated to participate in panels and plenaries include Airbnb CEOBrian Chesky, Adam Werbach of the online free marketplace Yerdle, thinkers like NYUprofessor and Arun Sundararajan (who’s often quoted as a sharing economy expert) and“the sharing lawyer” Janelle Orsi, high-profile Silicon Valley and Silicon Alley funders like famed angel investor Ron Conway and Union Square Ventures’ Brad Burnham, and civic society leaders like Color of Change’s Rashad Robinson.
SHARE: Catalyzing the Sharing Economy is co-hosted by Peers (an organization supporting the sharing economy movement) and SOCAP (social capital investing).
Tickets for the live stream of selected sessions are available on a pay-what-you-will basis. Additionally, tickets for day two of the conference are still available online, but hurry it’s for a limited time only!
It’s important to keep in mind that whether you’re a core contributor for WordPress or a participant in a car share, you’re in some way participating to the sharing economy. So, check out day 2 of SHARE: Catalyzing the Sharing Economy, or watch some of the live streams, and let us know what you think!
What are your thoughts on the sharing economy? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Marie Dodson is an editorial assistant at Torque. She graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Biology and Society. She enjoys wine, good books, and travel.
No Comments