I've been in Barcelona for 6 weeks now, and I'm just starting to be able to process the masses of inspiration i've been experiencing since I arrived. Every new meeting, conversation and experience generates more questions than answers. Here are some questions i've been mulling over:
- where do I start?!
- Is Catalunya too different from the UK to learn anything directly relevant?
- Will I ever be able to explain crypto-currencies (specifically FairCoin) in a way anyone can understand?
- (How) can co-operatives engage with social currencies and still survive in capitalism?
- Are social currencies even necessary or is local economic power a more useful focus for action?
- How do I use this smartphone anyway?
- Which is riskier? Using capitalism's technologies which everyone understands (but which entrench capitalist/individualistic attitudes and behaviours) or focusing on creating decentralised, non-hierarchical, resilient and appropriate tools which people don't yet know how to use?
- Can radical projects gain significant economic & social traction without compromising their politics?
- How can I add anything useful to the world's knowledge when so many people are working on this stuff?
- what am I doing here?
- Will I ever get a visa or will i be stuck in Barcelona forever?
So, since these and countless others are swirling around in my head, I imagine most of my posts will end up as queries or dilemmas and I invite you to contribute your own thoughts and responses, requests and links