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The commons is a commitment
The commons is a way of structuring relationships to our resources. Instead of a property mindset, where the only question is: does someone own it? The questions in a commons are: how do we ensure this resource can be shared by all of us? What is our mutual commitment?
Too often, I think the commons has become shorthand for “no one owns it, so no rules apply.” That is not a commons, it is a free-for-all. And in a way, it is the mirror image of the property focus of copyright maximalism because it begins and ends with whether or not the resources are or can be private property.
It is utterly idealistic to believe that we can have spaces with shared rules, where everyone who partakes commits to the common good. Right now, on the public web, it feels like an aspiration more than a reality. It is an open question whether the internet will evolve to support and sustain public spaces that truly operate like a commons, where everyone who contributes has some say, and everyone who benefits plays by the rules.
It is an aspiration worth fighting for.
What’s next? One more Commons Stories, then over to you!
Next, we’ll explore the commons as resistance and the relationships that help it thrive in the final two installments of Commons Stories.
Then we’ll turn from reflection to imagination with “I’m dreaming of an open future …”, a new invitation for you to share your own hopes for what comes next.
Posted 05 November 2026