What’s the catch?

There are several potential “catches” we’ve identified but we’ll keep this post open for comments so you can point out the ones that we may not have thought of. Our goal is to create maximum transparency for those who want to come here. For full disclosure, this transparency will come in layers. We do not put all the details out on the front page. What we can absolutely promise is that by the time you get to the point where your application will have been approved, and all that is left for you to decide if you want to go along with it, all your questions will be answered, so that you can make a maximally informed decision.

Probably the biggest “catch” is that it’s not enough to think outside the box, if you are to survive in the desert you must also ACT outside the box. It’s not that thinking is not necessary and important, but creating happens as a result of action.

Another “catch” could be that even though we are trying to disclose every aspect of this program, all applicants have a responsibility to ask questions about things that are important to them and had not been disclosed. If you don’t do that, you may walk into a situation that you may not like, and that will be on you. Of course everybody can leave the program whenever they want to, but surely nobody wants to waste their time.

Another “catch” is that you will have to contribute to the work of the community. The minimum work contribution will be 4 hours and the maximum is 8 per day. While the hourly rate of the distributed income will be equal for everyone, there will be the freedom to decide how many hours a person would want to contribute to the overall goals. The minimum is obviously set because we all need to pitch in, if we want to succeed. The maximum is set so that we can keep a healthy balance between work and rest and entertainment. Of course, if your work is more of a fun activity for you, you are welcome to put in more time, but the maximum daily hours considered in the income distribution will be 8.

The fourth “catch” is that there is no guaranteed income. But it’s guaranteed that what comes in is yours to spend. In fact, due to the nature of any “experiment”, only the basics are guaranteed. “13 people, 12 months, 8 principles, 2.5 acres, endless skies, zero bills”. Everything else is dependent on what we will create. Which is the very core of our main principle, SELF-SUSTAINABILITY. It is also guaranteed that if we produce income it will be distributed in accordance with the eight main principles about which you can read here.

If you realize a potential “catch” that wasn’t addressed here, please leave a comment here, and we’ll do our best to address it.