Tools for Transformation
Social Systems Lab designs, protypes and deploys tools for human thriving. Our ultimate goal is a new Operating System for Human Civilisation allowing us to take the next step as a species.
What that step is? We don't rightly know. But we do know it to be taken take together if taken at all.
We believe in humanity and that if given the chance to fully nurture, explore and express our true nature as a social and collaborative species we could be a pretty decent curator to the living system that is our planet.
What we do
Why we do it
Our vision is a world where all humans have the freedom and resources grow and explore their own potential so that they in turn can contribute to their communities and to humanity.
Our mission is to make this happen.
The Circles Platform
Our flagship project, Circles, is an open-source platform designed with the Changemakers of the world in mind. More than just another social networking tool with an angle, Circles looks at what a beneficial community building tool might actually be like without the constraints the advertising based model invariably leads to.More than being open-source and collaborative by design, Circles is based on a geographical interface, allowing users to find projects, events, people and opportunities both locally and globally. In addition to this, we are integrating a full spectrum of governance tools for bottom up decision making as well as a project management suite to help individuals and communities get the jobs done that they need to get done.
Please reach out if you'd like a sneak preview!
Features:
- Geobased interface.
- End-user controlled experience.
- Open-source and advertising-free.
The Altruistic Wallet
The Altruistic wallet is a wallet that can only be used on someone else. Originally envisioned as a decentralised way of reinvesting the surplus raised on the Circles platform, the concept has grown into a stand alone project.More than monetary funds, the Altruistic Wallet can contain other offers, such as time for volunteering or even physical resources that a person might want to lend or donate. The Altruistic Wallet is designed to integrate with as many systems and platforms as possible to have serious and transformative impact.
In addition, the Altruistic Wallet is probably our best option for establishing a global identity based on local community validation. In an era where trust will be tested like never before, a secure digital identity we control ourselves and is verified by our networks might well be come the passport of tomorrow.
Features:
- Provides continuous crowdfunding of community projects .
- Decentralised identity through contribution and community.
- A viable path towards a custodial capitalism.
The Connectathon
The Connectathon is a biannual gathering curated together with Ecocivilisation and 8One Foundation among other partners. The purpose is to take a step back and explore our past and present from a civilisational perspective in order to explore the future we want and plot a path towards it.During the event we host conversations and explorations while we pass the torch and hold space for 24 hours, a modern version of the ancient fireside stories and rituals that would take place around the Equinox. The goal is to understand ourselves as humans, as social beings, and the tools we use that shape the cultures we live within, so that we might consciously create the tools that will create the culture we need if we are to become a global tribe and a regenerative civilisation in the future.
Features:
- A gathering for 24 hours to connect with ourselves, with each other, with our past and with the world.
- To write the story of who we want to be and where we want to go as a species and a civilisation.
- To take the insights and the new connections we make and create plans of action.
Testimonials
A few words from our partners
The resonance between Circles' ethos and our own mission at Living Cities Earth is unmistakable. Through nested circles and interconnected communities, Circles mirrors our ideals, providing not only a powerful tool but also igniting a fresh wave of inspiration in how we organise our teams and manage our projects. In spearheading a new era of decentralised communication, Circles is paving the way for a more inclusive and connected future. We at Living Cities Earth are thrilled to be part of this journey, eager to leverage Circles' potential to drive positive change and create a better world for generations to come.
A distributed, self-managed, decentralized virtual social environment resembling an endless spider web has long been a dream of mine. As global citizens, we need a non-biased, inclusive, value-based digital platform where each individual, project, and team manages its own node while connecting with others who share common values, visions, and self-imposed rules of interconnection and co-creation. Circles serve as a great example of such a network. The concept of Circles envisions an ever-evolving, self-regulated network built on trust and good intentions, with many additional sub-applications like the altruistic wallet, which make Circles a uniquely innovative and disruptive concept in the virtual world.
Circles is an amazingly innovative and experimental plaform that has very similar ideals through nested circles and communities as ourselves. Their dedication to fostering community and collaboration married well with AfrikaBurn, and not only have they provided us with a powerful tool, but they've sparked inspiration throughout our team. Circles is leading the charge in a new decentralised communications medium, and I am excited to be part of the journey with them.
As changemakers and collaborators, Circles provides us with an opportunity to not just connect, but initiate local as well as global movements. Equipped with AI-assisted networking and interactive community maps, Circles enables a space to innovate and co-create actionable outcomes to make valuable impact. 8one is excited to be a part of this journey and we are committed to the values on which the platform is built.