"When you give people freedom, you get chaos, but you also get incredible creativity. Because everyone tries to contribute to the community, you get a great variety of expression - everything from twenty-foot giraffes to seminars on raw food, to free haircuts, to a five-star hotel-tent." (Brafman & Beckstrom, p. 81)
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone that wants to learn more about the power of a decentralized project or business. It really emphasizes the power a community can have when given the chance to maintain an opensource project.
This particular quote is in reference to the Burning Man festival that takes place in Nevada. There are limited rules and people take it upon themselves to upkeep the experience for everyone. They also find ways to contribute to the decentralized system by giving back to the community with gifts or art or any means necessary.
You could argue that this atmosphere resembles true freedom and encompasses a quasi-utopian society. People contribute by any means necessary relative to their profession and expertise for the purpose of making the entire community better.
Beautiful in its own right.
The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations
Originally posted on my LinkedIn.