Viral Spiral by David Bollier
“Viral Spiral” represents a tremendous work covering the last 20 years in Digital World under the perspective of commons. This book contains numerous use-cases in domains such as Free Software, Creative Commons and Free Culture, Open Business Models, Science as a Commons, Open Business models and Open Education.
At the heart of Bollier’s work are the commons. Commons is viewed here as a new paradigm for society, economy and citizenship. Based on the scholarship developed in by Elinor Ostrom, David Bollier strengthens this vision with multiple examples and suitable analysis (Bollier collaborated in “Understanding knowledge as a Commons directed by Charlotte Hess and Elinor Ostrom, MIT Press). Bollier explains that ”…A commons arise whenever a given community decides that it wishes to manage a resource in a collective manner, with special regard for equitable access, use and sustainability. The commons is a means by which individuals can band together like-minded souls and express a sovereignty of their own… the commons is one of the most potent forces driving innovation in our time …”. He also highlights how in digital world (it has also been demonstrated by Ostrom in real world such as fishery) the infamous tragedy of commons “is not inevitable; it can be surmounted if certain design principles and social practices are observed, as Ostrom has shown”. It is interesting to notice here that Bollier does not see any conflict between commons and markets. On the contrary they can be beneficial for both of them.
About the tittle of his book, Bollier writes that “The spiral of viral spiral refers to the way in which the innovation of one Internet cohort rapidly becomes a platform used by later generation to build their own follow-on innovations”. David Bollier describes in details all necessary elements for those viral spirals to emerge: software infrastructure, practical expertise, social ethics and legal rights. On this last point, “Viral Spiral” exposes clearly the stakes of copyright reform. It explains in a very balanced and fair manner the main differences of the approaches taken by the key personalities of this copyright reform i.e. Richard Stallman and Lawrence Lessig. And it does not hide or minimize the difficulties undermining the debates and the boundaries of this copyright reform. David Bollier has good news and bad news for us. The good news is that the future is ours. The bad news is: it’s not sure that we will all agree on the actions to be taken.
By the way the genesis of Free Software and Creative Commons is extremely well documented and “Viral Spiral” can be read as a novel where you can feel the thrilling and sometimes depressing moments that Stallman and Lessig had to get through. In Bollier’s book you will also meet with many other famous characters such as John Perry Barlow, Yochai Benkler, Eric Eldred, Eric von Hippel, etc.
Personally I lived these last 20 years mainly focused on FLOSS and its impact on technology, business and society. Thanks to this book, I enjoyed discovering what I intuitively felt but did not formulate clearly: we are evolving in a much broader and richer cyberspace in which all components and stakeholders converge into a world of commons. Today I am happy to know that all together participate to a new endeavor called Digital Republic (cf. Bollier’ speech in Barcelona for Free Culture Forum).
Thanks a lot Mr Bollier: I am contaminated and contagious. Not only did I enjoy your writings but be assured I will re-use “Viral Spiral” quite intensively as food for thoughts for next version of 2020 Floss Roadmap.
Jean-Pierre Laisné.
Note: Viral Spiral is made available under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial license on http://www.viralspiral.cc/. But you can also to get a copy of the hard cover from New Press (a not-for-profit publishing house) and support both publisher and author.
Viral SPiral by David Bollier, 352 pages, published by New Press in January 2009 (ISBN-10: 1595583963 / ISBN-13: 978-1595583963)
