Müştereklerimiz: Paylaştığımız Her Şey

by Jay Walljasper, Eylem Can (Editor), Tuncay Birkan (Translator)

Müştereklerimiz, Paylaştığımız Her Şey dünyaya bakışınızı baştan aşağı değiştirecek, esin verici bir kitap. Müşterekler fikrinin temelinde ne kadar çok şeyin –örneğin suyun, internetin ya da bilginin– aslında hepimize ait olduğu gerçeği yatıyor. Bu ortaklığın kimi zaman farkında değiliz, kimi zaman da değerini bilmiyoruz.

Bu kitapta 21. yüzyılın ekonomik, siyasi ve kültürel çok sayıda meselesine müşterekçi bir anlayışla getirilen çözümler bulacaksınız. Dünyanın dört bir yanından derlenmiş bu başarı öyküleri “yapmak için düşünmek isteyen” herkese esin ve umut veriyor. Müştereklerin felsefesi çok yalın: Paylaştığımız her şey, aynı zamanda dünyayı iyi yönde değiştirebilmek için ihtiyacımız olan her şey demek. Evet, yaratıcılık ve bireysellik. Ama başkalarını hasım olarak görmeyen, kendini başkalarıyla ortaklaşa, topluluk içinde gerçekleştiren ve bundan mutlu olabilen bir bireysellik – yani, bir ağaç gibi tek ve hür, ve bir orman gibi kardeşçesine.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Essays, Economics, Social Justice, Science, Ecology

336 pages, Paperback

First published September 14, 2010

About the author

Jay Walljasper chronicles stories from around the world that point us toward a greener, more equitable, and more enjoyable future. His focus goes beyond what’s in the headlines to chronicle the surprising real life of communities today.

Jay is a Senior Fellow and editor at OntheCommons.org, an organization devoted to restoring an appreciation of the common purpose and common assets to contemporary life. He is also a Senior Fellow at Project for Public Spaces, a New York-based organization that helps citizens enliven their communities by improving public places. He is also a Contributing Editor of National Geographic Traveler, reporting regularly on sustainable tourism initiatives, and as an associate of the Citistates Group, a public affair consortium focusing on metropolitan regions.

Walljasper is the author of The Great Neighborhood Book (2007) and Visionaries: People and Ideas to Change Your Life (2001). His new book, What We Share: A Field Guide to the Commons appears in July 2010. His experience includes being the editorial director and editor of Utne Reader, executive editor of Ode magazine, and travel editor at Better Homes & Gardens.

Reviews

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pivotal book for me. I set out this year with the theme of "sharing", not knowing where that would take me. I happened upon this book, borrowed it from the library, and discovered I've been a frustrated commoner my whole life. Some mind-numbingly-maddening descriptions of how our birthright, what we all co-own and share, has been stolen...privatized...put in the marketplace...and then depleted. (Basically sums up the history of "becoming America"...no?). It wasn't 5 stars for me, because about 3/4 in I got really depressed...like I couldn't take reading anymore tales of tragedy...so personally I would have wanted MORE focus on what folks are doing to reclaim, maintain, rebuild, and establish the commons, and more on what one can do (there was a sweet little list of 51 "things" but...more please?). So a little on the heavy side (and in some ways rightfully so), but overall a really good look, through many essays and several co-authors, at what this is all about.

If you are craving community...as so many of us are...this is one place to start reading that may help you understand that yearning more deeply.

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I was intrigued by the title, and I noticed that the forward was written by Bill McKibben, whose work I have enjoyed in the past. Jay Walljasper has put together a buffet of writings about and examples of "the commons" in our world. I love the concept and have often thought of it before by musing about places where I can go freely without being expected to buy anything. The list is short, but it's also a catalog of places that make my community itself, parks, libraries, community centers, etc. Many of the essays in this book encourage communities to intentionally create more of these common spaces, and a commons-centered society.
Overall, I agreed with the essayists and found the optimistic tone refreshing. What made this book just OK for me was the format. The average essay is about 2 pages long, and the varying styles and topics made it hard for me to get into the book and stay there. I checked it out at the library, so only had a few weeks. Had I the time to pick it up when I felt like it, reading it would have taken longer but likely been more enjoyable.

[Aslihan · Rating 3 out of 5]

İçinde çok fazla örnek barındıran ve gerçekten bu alanda çalışmak isteyenlere ya da aktivistlere ilham kaynağı olabilecek bir kitap, bütün örnekler birkaç sayfalık kısa anlatımlarla sunulmuş. Ayrıca örnekler yalnızca BAtı'dan değil dünyanın farklı bölgelerinden, farklı toplum yapılarından kaynaklanıyor, bu nedenle belli bir temsiliyeti var. Ancak bu tür kitaplarda ya da derlemelerde temel sıkıntı bir soyutlamaya ve analize imkan tanıyacak derinlikten yoksun olmaları. Bir şeyler yapmak isteyenler ve yaşam biçimlerini sorgulayan, değiştirmek isteyenler için yol gösterici bir metin, ama soru soranlar ve soru üreterek araştırma yapmak isteyenler için biraz daha kısıtlı bir katkı sunuyor.

[tripswithbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paylaştığımız her şeye müşterekler denir. Temiz su, yaban hayat gibi doğanın armağanı da olabilirler, parklar, sanatsal gelenekler gibi toplumsal yaratıcılığın ürünleri de. Kuzey kutbunun erimesi, önüne geçilemeyen orman yangınları gibi üzerimize çullanan sorunların üstesinden gelmek için de müştereklerimizi bilmeli ve sahip çıkmalıyız.

Metis’ten çıkan Müştereklerimiz Paylaştığımız Her Şey kitabı, orijinal basımını 2010’da yapmış ve yazarın izniyle eklenen Türkiye Eki ile basılıyor. Her yurttaşın başucunda bulundurması gereken kitaplardan. Çünkü hatalarından ders almayan bilinçsiz tüketiciler olarak insanoğlu, son 10 yılda iyileşme göstermedi. 2010’daki endişelerimiz de katlanarak günümüze geldi. Nedir peki bu endişeler?

Yakında soluduğumuz havaya bile para ödemek zorunda kalacağımız endişesi. Temiz suya paramızla bile erişemeyebileceğimiz endişesi. Altında soluklanacağımız ağaç bulamayacağımız endişesi. Çünkü havamız, suyumuz, toprağımız satılıyor ve karşılığında da para almadığımız gibi para ödüyoruz!

Kitap yazarı sebebiyle Amerika odaklı örnekler içerse de Türkiye ekinde yer alan Gezi Direnişi, Hes direnişleri, Validebağ Korusu Gönüllüleri gibi öne çıkan müşterek mücadelelerini okuduğumuzda konuya yaşadığımız coğrafi ve siyasi koşullar üzerinden yorum getirebilmek mümkün oluyor. İnşaat ve maden firmalarına satılan/kiralanan her ormanlık alan, dere, sahil şeridi, meydan bizim olanın gaspından başka bir şey değil! Müşterekler toplumsal mirasımızdır ve bir ücret karşılığı olmadan kullanabilir olmalıyız. Tabi yıpratmadan, harap etmeden, herkesin olduğunu bilerek.

Paylaştıkça çoğaltabildiğimiz günler umuduyla

[Benjamin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Attempts to create a cooperative vocabulary and idea base for understanding the resources we all share and use without falling into the communist vs capitalist language valley or ideology camps.
In that it is mostly successful and the examples are interesting.
However, I would have preferred if the topics were addressed in more depth owing to the complexity and scope of ideas mentioned. The fact this is mostly a collection of blog posts and short articles (if I'm not mistaken) makes it feel a bit scattered.

[Aspen Junge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Walljasper was a long-time editor of the Utne Reader, and this book is a collection of articles that appeared in Utne over the years addressing the subject of the Commons; that is, property that is held formally or informally as public, rather than private and wholly in private control. The book begins by addressing "The Tragedy of the Commons," that parable that has been used as an object lesson to promote private property because any commons will inevitably be overexploited by greedy users. Walljasper correctly points out that in traditional commons practice, there are actually agreements in place within the community as to the proper use and management of the commons, preserving and improving them for centuries at a time.

The content is a bit of Commons 101, and many of the articles are sidebars written for Utne Reader by Walljasper himself. But it's a great introduction to the concept of the commons, and how it apples not only to real estate, but also to the airwaves and intellectual, biological, and cultural properties as well.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subtitle on the front cover is a bit ambitious: "How to Save the Economy, the Environment, the Internet, Democracy, Our Communities, and Everything Else that Belongs to All of Us." (Don't you love publishers?)

I'm happy to report that, despite the above subtitle, All That We Share is indeed A Field Guide to the Commons. This collage of ideas, of people and places, teaches us to see and think as commoners. Examples range from the origins in English Common Law to a simple water spigot in the park in a small town in Iowa, from the teachings of Muhammad to comprehensive Canadian medical care. I think reviewer Sam PIzzigati describes it best, from the book's back cover: "All That We Share is bubbling with ideas and inspiration for creating neighborhoods and nations where everyone, not just a wealthy few, can enjoy the resources - and opportunities - that by right and reason belong to us all."

[AdultNonFiction Teton County Library]

Teton County Library Call #: 333.2 Walljasper
Adam's rating: 5 stars

For me, this book is life-changing and will be re-read and referenced for a long time. Through lots of real-life examples of sharing and commons-based living, this book gives us a context in which to treat one another so that we all have better lives. It's smarter than socialism, healthier than capitalism and the opposite of totalitarianism. This book shows the reader that the commons is possible and has been successful for hundreds of years but is a fresh and smart alternative for the 21st century. It also communicates the grave danger the commons is in; from the earth's resources to the internet we are loosing the commons to privatization. There is a better solution and it's founded on a commons-based approach. Recommended for everyone.

[Curtis · Rating 3 out of 5]

More than a book this is a mere assemblage of various essay's, articles and other writings by various authors that this author has gathered and stapled all together for publishing into this "field guide to the commons" - as it is subtitled on the cover of the book. It means well. It has a lot of great information and ideas. But I didn't love it. It has no flow or sense of cohesiveness. Chapter after chapter you are just bombarded with new idea after new idea, all of which just seem to come out of nowhere. It lacks backbone too. It seems to not want to offend. Its call for change is broad and flimsy. However, it does touch on a lot of simple ideas that individuals or small communities can engage in that will spark real change in order to protect that which is (or should be) common, and so valuable to us all - past, present, and future.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, this book is life-changing and will be re-read and referenced for a long time. Through lots of real-life examples of sharing and commons-based living, this book gives us a context in which to treat one another so that we all have better lives. It's smarter than socialism, healthier than capitalism and the opposite of totalitarianism. This book shows the reader that the commons is possible and has been successful for hundreds of years. It also communicates the grave danger the commons is in, from the earth's resources to the internet we are loosing the commons to privatization. There is a better solution and it's founded on a commons-based approach. Recommended for everyone.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is filled with wonderful stories and examples of how communities all over the world are returning to the idea of sharing. It sounds simple, and we all learned it in kindergarten, yet our lives have been increasingly separated, compartmentalized, and the idea of the commons has been largely forgotten. The implications of this isolation are enormous.

By returning to this very simple and natural sense of community, humanity can respond to our current challenges in profoundly beautiful ways. Jay Walljasper is a wonderful guide to have for the journey back to community and connection.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I partly agree that this book is pretty boring and I read the same info over and over again. It's good as an index or beginning point to look at some issues we face today. Also, it made me really think about the notion of people making profit off of the commons. I've been telling my friends already that bottled water is such a dumb thing...you already pay taxes for your town to clean the water, then a company bottles that water and sells it back to you. It's eye opening for sure.

[Melissa Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting edited volume and it devotes a whole chapter to public libraries as a "commons." The section on the copyrighting of scientific research/ medical developments alone is worth reading. My only disappointment was in the very last chapter; it wasn't up to the standards of the rest of the book.

[Jen Rombach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Articuluated sooooo much of what we have been thinking and doing for years! Stuff to make you furious and hopeful at the same time about the current economic situation and just general paradigm thinking of the big big world.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wholly endorse the theme and message of this book, but its organization and execution don't make for a great read. Still, I would probably recommend it for someone curious about the commons, as it would make a fine primer.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really illuminating look at the concept of the commons in the 21st century context.

[sara frances]

i quit. i only made it to page 65 or so. everything seemed so repetitive and uninformative. boring boring boring!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really has gotten me thinking.

[Tricia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Little stories. Vignettes. Very short. Perhaps good if hunting for case studies.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great ideas, but not as in depth as I was hoping and repetative. Great for folks brand new to the concepts, probably.

[Emily Mellow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. This is a book that teenagers should read for their first college seminar courses. It's probably chock full of great ideas, but it all kind of seemed like old news to me.

[Nan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting ideas, but probably better to read and discuss with a group.