The Gift Circle
A new type of gift economy
A new tool for community building
Twelve people spanning all generations sit in a circle, cross-legged on the floor of a warm room. People look at each other and smile, greeting newcomers as they enter through the front door and join the circle. In the middle of the circle, there is a hot meal that several people have just prepared. The room holds an energy of excitement, as if something very important is about to begin. The meeting facilitator for the night tells everyone to close their eyes and take some deep breaths, centering themselves and beginning to think about what it is they would like to ask for and offer to the group. The facilitator indicates that they should begin with needs, and people in the circle begin speaking as they feel compelled. People state a variety of personal needs, ranging from tangible material items, to a service requiring the time of others, to more spiritual needs. One man says that he is looking for some tools to do house repairs. One young woman holds her toddler in her lap and explains that she could really use some baby-sitting so that she can work a second job at the local grocery store. An older woman states her need for a massage. A man explains his need for someone to teach him how to fix his bicycle. Someone else voices their need for an in-depth conversation about how to maintain a healthy balance between work and personal life. After everyone has had the chance to present at least one need to the group, it is time for people to respond to the needs, as well as voice new offers. Someone offers to give a bike-fixing workshop on the following weekend. Several people offer to help with baby-sitting, and one person agrees to do a short massage at the end of the night. Another man speaks up, offering to give a lesson on using a computer graphics program. A woman offers to give away a couch that she no longer needs. And so the needs and offers continue, sometimes veering off into slightly tangential conversations and laughs. After the facilitator calls the meeting to an end, people talk casually and make specific plans for when gifts and services will be exchanged. They linger in the room, catching up with friends and making plans for upcoming outings and events they will create together…
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This scene of an intimate moneyless marketplace describes the Gift Circle, a recent phenomenon that began a little over a year ago in a small town in Marin County, California. Since then, gift circles have spread to other urban and suburban areas of the United States, such as Ashland, Chicago, Minneapolis, Harrisburg, Berkeley, Oakland, and Palo Alto. Using interviews and participant observation with gift circle organizers and participants, I researched this new phenomenon over a period of several months, and found that a seemingly small and simple activity can hold a variety of significant consequences.
Eva Orbuch, Stanford University
December 8, 2010
