1.9 Guild
A group of Members involved in a similar pursuit.
Philosophy
Why “Guilds”
The term was chosen to capture two of the key features our in-app organizational structure is meant to offer: accountability & stewardship.-They provide not only an authoritative body to uphold standards & ensure professionalism, but also a point of contact and means of redress for grievances within and without. -They have a responsibility not only for advancing the Art & science of the trade itself, but equally for mentoring the next generation of practitioners in that trade.
But even more than that, in this age of vaunted-individualism they provide a strategy to replace jealousy with admiration. A vector to merge the best interests of each individual with those of the collective and promote prosperity for all. Its connotation is not of sameness but of solidarity, of honor & mutual respect. Its aim is move us beyond the compulsory competition in a zero sum game and allow us to participate in the infinite games of collaboration & discovery.
Academics (mostly economic historians) have argued over the nature and outcome of these associations: about whether they were rent-seeking or cost-sharing, whether they stifled or curated innovations. Some have likened them to unions, others to cartels.
But laments of the Laissez-faire notwithstanding, Guilds only prove a disservice insofar as they are insular. Happily, that potential is all but negated, being that: 1. we live in an information-age (which strongly disfavors isolationism) 2. Our members are free to associate in whatever way they please (which favors equitable treatment) 3. Guilds are very easy to establish (a counter to elitism).
Examples
A guild for sewing
A guild for bookclub
A guild for home renovators
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