The Transformational Power of Complementary Currencies: Charles Eisenstein on Money (Part One)

In this clip, RS contributor Charles Eisenstein talks about how creating a new story of money opens up possibilities for new kinds of human connections, as money is a symbol of relationships and coordinated activity.  He points to complementary "negative interest" currencies as a way of overcoming the crisis inherent in our current story of money, in which the entire plot is dependent on the hoarding and converting of rapidly depleting natural resources into goods.

This video is from Money & Life, a documentary now in production which I am directing. Inspired by the possibility of generating real transformative social change from the opportunity of the current economic and financial crisis, I have been on a two year odyssey studying the money system and interviewing cutting edge thinkers and leaders on the issue of the day.  

The film proposes that money, like other social technologies, is a reflection of our consciousness as individuals and as a society. If we are indeed in the midst of a planetary evolutionary shift, then money is one of the most important aspects of the postmodern world to grapple with, given its pervasiveness in our lives and throughout the world. The film's basic inquiry is: can our understanding of money and how we relate to it be transformed to serve our highest capacities and values?

The film is scheduled to be completed by early 2011. To date, we have conducted over 30 interviews with luminaries such as Bernard Lietaer, Hazel Henderson, Thomas Greco, Jacob Needleman, Lynne Twist, Charles Eisenstein, Orland Bishop, David Korten, William Grieder, Roshi Joan Halifax, Brother David Steindl-Rast and many more. We plan on making all the interviews available once the film is complete and are already beginning to post many of them.  

Visit www.moneyandlifemovie.com to learn more.