In the last five years, according to authors Daniele Logue and Markus Hollerer writing on the conversation.com, the sharing economy or "micropreneurs" have been redefining work in a variety of ways. Think Uber, Lyft, AirBnB, and TaskRabbit. Using their skills, time, or assets (a car, spare room, or driveway), enables students, stay-at-home parents, and retirees a chance to tap into the entrepreneurial treasure-trove.

Of course, there is the downside to this freelance work where one moves from gig to gig without guaranteed income, benefits, or traditional safety protections. That is why Logue and Hollerer ask the right questions as the economy shifts from jobs to tasks and projects. One of the most important of these is "Can decentralised [sic] and distributed networks of labor actually contribute to the redistribution of wealth?"

We found this article very interesting, as it raises not only the drawbacks but also the enormous potential of a collaborative economy where suppliers are referred to as hosts, members of a community, or partners. This development underlines the universal spiritual virtues of equality, community building, and sharing. We see it as a viable alternative to cowboy economics, avid consumerism, and over-heated materialism. We call upon spiritual people everywhere to support local efforts of the sharing economy.


Next Post: When Ministry Doesn't Pay