CHRISTMAS NOTES

One necessary characteristic of a community is reciprocity. Why should we care? Well, for ones thing, Anarchism can not function as a social and political system outside of a community. And I don't like that. And isn't the notion of community buried somewhere in the Christmas spirit? Let us talk about reciprocity, as discussed in Community, Anarchy, and Liberty by Michael Taylor.

Taking from Sahlins, Taylor lays out the spectrum of reciprocity: On one end is generalized reciprocity, in the middle balanced reciprocity, on the other end negative reciprocity. The range in which we are interested as we look for the necessary characteristics of community lies close to the first. In generalized reciprocity. the obligation to reciprocate is vague and diffuse but things like sharing and help fit in. Think of three neighbors: A, B, and C. A helps B fix his mower; B helps C roof his house; C cares for A's dog when he goes on vacation. There is no explicit tit-for-tat. An altruistic spirit pervades that tiny community. In balanced reciprocity there is direct exchange. That is, A will fix the mower if and only if B will care for his dog.

Now, note that this balanced reciprocity is not a condition of community but is what Christmas has become. I believe we need to move along the spectrum towards the generalized reciprocity if we are ever going to reach community. Doesn't that plan seem more in the Christmas spirit?