Affective Commoning with David Bollier

David Bollier reflects on a three-year journey of fostering the Commons through a convergence space for commoners to exchange insights, share ideas, and support one another. This initiative has led to strategic and co-learning deep dives, involving participants from multiple countries to make sense of Commons-related developments, primarily through virtual collaboration.

He emphasizes the need for cross-fertilization of ideas and creating spaces for personal and political engagement. At its core, the Commons is built on care, affect, and emotional engagement, which are essential for fostering relational politics. Commons transcend mere "caring and sharing" seen in corporations and bureaucracies, focusing instead on genuine peer governance and collective concerns, resisting transactional individualism.

Bollier critiques the limitations of "openness," distinguishing it from true Commons governance, where resources are collectively curated, maintained, and governed. He stresses the importance of reliable Commons governance in digital spaces, advocating for aesthetic and cultural strategies to create distinct, progressive online spaces beyond the influence of social media giants.

He highlights the narrative power of the Commons as a counterpoint to market regimes, colonialism, racism, libertarianism, and unchecked property rights. Instead, the Commons is rooted in relational commitments and collective care, aiming to emotionally resonate with people.

Data sovereignty is also key, with aspirations to create data Commons on shared platforms. The "Free Our Feeds" initiative exemplifies progressive tech efforts to develop interconnected apps outside the control of billionaires. Bollier calls for ongoing collaboration and communication, urging deeper collective action while rethinking our relationship to commoning practices.