Mailtda's non-commercial use clause, was: Re: [matilda] crisisof consensus

[Joe Morris]

Steve>It would be helpful if you could say why you think that.

Matilda was a space created out of direct opposition to the
[Neo-liberal] agenda of the leaders in the G8. The idea behind
The space was to create an alternative, autonomous and yes
Anti-capitalist, non-hierarchical forum for people to be practical
and creative in developing alternatives. These are not just my words
they are the words taken from a discussion we had weeks ago
about who we were, and words which generally found consensus.

Steve came to the Monday meeting and asked to set up a Market
or "shop" to sell his art so that he could supplement his state benefit.
If Steve feels that he MUST beyond a doubt, supplement his benefit
then fine. I have no problem with that. Hey, people work. What I have
a problem with is the idea that this autonomous, anti-capitalist space
can be used for such a purpose. Matilda should be about creating
ALTERNATIVES and if Steve feels financially under pressure then we should
find OTHER ways to alleviate that problem than falling back on status quo
attitudes the majority of us believe are fundamentally wrong. If we can't
or aren't prepared to find another way, then what's the fucking point?

There are many people within Matilda who have chosen not to work,
including Steve. This is a conscious decision and one I share. But I put 
time
into Matilda working in the Cafe because I choose to do that, and I do not
ask for a wage. I am equally as poor, but I would never ask the Cafe to
supplement my benefit because I choose give time there.

Steve is choosing to be an artist, he is choosing to make art. He is using
his OWN time to do what he wants, just like I am doing that with the cafe.
Matilda breeds that collectively, or at least should. It is the purpose of 
the
space. Collective responsibility. You give what you can. You share
your time and resources collectively. You do NOT suppose that you can
make personal gain from the space, because you're a bit strapped for cash.
We can do that OUTSIDE Matilda. We're all "strapped for cash", but we
should find other ways to ensure our subsistence. If we have the idea's
and the will power, then we have no excuse.

If we go down this road of allowing commercial gain to happen within
the space, then what are we?

There are other alternatives and there are other ways to support each other.
We DO NOT have to sell our labour. Surely that’s our message? That
we do not have to sell our labour to survive? There are alternatives.

Now the really radical, the really out there thing to do would be to set
up a system within Matilda that supported people with no money either
a) to supplement their creativity or b) help them exist if necessary.
That would be the subversive thing to do, to say "we don't want
to be apart of your system". That would show that Matilda is different.
It would present to other people that we desired change
and we're prepared to work as hard and with as complicated a process
as necessary in order to make it happen.

Selling art so you can buy Christmas presents etc is easy to do. But it
isn't the right thing to do!

Why don't we create an alternative?

Joe

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