Volunteerism comes up in 3 chapters across 3 episodes of The Higherside Chats Free Show, from August 2013 to March 2018.
Abolishing Government, Volunteerism, Manufactured Conflict
Egan argues that governments are essentially racketeering operations that manufacture conflicts with other nations to justify their own existence. He promotes a move toward volunteerism and self-governance, suggesting that society would function more efficiently without the overhead of state-mandated laws and taxes.
Targeted Activism, Financial Hardship, Private Support
Susan Clark describes the personal toll of her activism, including being targeted with utility outages and living in financial instability. She explains that she does her work as a volunteer and relies on occasional "angels" for survival. Clark emphasizes her commitment to a non-toxic lifestyle, noting she has never paid a cell phone bill, and offers her private email through the host for those who wish to connect or offer support.
Volunteer Investment, Property Ownership and Time Currency
The financial model for joining One Community is based on "sweat equity" rather than monetary investment, with residents earning ownership of their homes after 18 months of labor. Sable explains that the project is currently 100% volunteer-run to keep the organization's intent pure and focused on the highest good. By using time as the primary currency, the model seeks to create an egalitarian environment where all contributors are valued equally.
