In the capitalist economy we live in, everything still depends on private property. The broader picture still reflects our dependence on large business monopolies, the big corporations. However, it has become clear lately that platforms such as Catarse, Airbnb, Uber, Waze, Cabify, Couchsurfing, and many others are moving toward more conscious consumption. We are depending less and less on centralized institutions to achieve great things or solve complex problems, and that is amazing! The logic is simple: if I have something I’m not using right now, I lend it to you for a certain fee for a certain period of time. Take Airbnb: its business model is technically simple. When you travel somewhere new, instead of being at the mercy of an expensive hotel chain, you rent an apartment from an ordinary person, paying less and communicating directly with the owner. It is the logic of capitalism and private property, but based on exchange rather than excessive consumption, cutting out the middlemen. Why have middlemen taking a slice of the money and adding nothing?
- The collaborative economy creates more personal relationships
When the relationship between consumer and customer is mediated by a large corporation, processes become longer, more bureaucratic, and less personal. When you deal directly with the person who owns the good or service you need, closer relationships form, and it will probably be much easier to sort out any unforeseen problem by talking. 2. The collaborative economy is good for the environment I have a car sitting in the garage all week, because I walk to work and spend the whole day there. While it is parked, I rent my car to you, since you live near me and need a vehicle to get to an office farther away. In the process, one less car needs to be produced, resources are preserved, and pollutants are reduced. This is just one example among thousands of collaborative projects that help the environment.
- Collaborative solutions are cheaper Mobility, finance, hospitality, education, research, production, work. Whatever the sector, the collaborative economy has been offering people cheaper, more accessible, and smarter solutions. When you aren’t dealing with a corporation that has much higher marketing, production, and management costs, prices end up being based on a small profit for whoever offers the service. 4. You can choose what you want, your way
Most of the collaborative projects we see popping up have very specific goals, for a variety of niches. This means you can choose the one that suits you best and get the service you want in a personalized, more human way. 5. You can also be part of collaborative projects Even better than enjoying the benefits of the collaborative economy is being part of it. It is very easy to join support projects like Catarse or to offer the spare couch in your home on Couchsurfing. More than that, enriching experiences arise when you give a little of what you have. With the collaborative economy, “one for all and all for one” has never made so much sense.
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