1-click ordering from Amazon: bad for workers, the planet, and our souls, but damn convenient. Meutch levels the playing field, making it just as easy to borrow the item from someone in your community.
Humans thriving has always come from working together. Now, we're tackling problems small and big, together.
It's short for "mutual aid". That's why it's pronunced "myooch," like the start of "mutual." Peter Kropotkin popularized the term in his essay arguing that humans (and other animals) helping each other has been key to their evolutionary success.
Meutch is for the people, by the people, and will never be commercialized. The code is open-source. Users aren't surveilled, data isn't sold, there are no ads.
Hosting costs are currently paid by Sam out of pocket. If this thing takes off, we'll set up a crowdfunding model.
We have set up trust structures to mitigate this, like using real names and the ability to share only with people you are connected to via circles or friends (if you insist).
But honestly, this attitude is part of the problem we are trying to work through. Despite what TV tells us, humans are generally good and cooperative. The fear of the worst has driven us apart.
Buy Nothing and Freecycle groups were a good start! Meutch aims to improve on those in a few ways: - Structured and searchable. Instead of scrolling through a feed, you can search for what you need. - More privacy. You can share with people you know, or people they know. - Open to anyone, including those who are Facebook-free.
Meutch is a project of Sam Firke.