The Society of the Night

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Concept

The Society of the Night is a form of Situationist "Festivalist" self-organization of people living at night, using the same urban infrastructure as "The Society of the Spectacle" living during the day.

It is a parallel society, with its own festivalist economy.

Sharing
The Society of the Night can optimize the use of existing resources, housing, university buildings, streets, ... by being active at night, and sleeping during the day.

Housing
Agreements can be made with allies still living during the day, as to use their living infrastructure to sleep, while they are at work in the Society of the Spectacle.

Party Space
We can open up our own cafe's, which can accept both mainstream and alternative currencies.

Legislation in different countries regarding alcoholic beverages diverges.

"Office" Space
Make alliances with existing co-working spaces, as to use their space at night, potentially in exchange of alternative currency.

Cycling
As there are less cars at night, it is ideal for cycling.

Public Transportation
As the society of the night grows, it can obtain more political influence, and support the operation of public transportation at night

Energy
Often, the use of electricity at night is half the cost then during the day.

Festivalism
By David Boje at http://cbae.nmsu.edu/%7Edboje/papers/Festivalism_at_Work.html

"Festival is the self-management and self-design of our own leisure time and space, the realization of what we need to live and evolve as a species, with the most minimal harm to any other species. Festival is a way of doing business that respects people, communities, and the ecology. Festival balances stakeholder interests in the future generation (stakeholders include workers, managers, owners, investors, customers, local communities, future generations, and the ecosystem)." (http://cbae.nmsu.edu/%7Edboje/papers/Festivalism_at_Work.html)

Comparison Table
http://p2pfoundation.net/Festivalism#Comparison_Table

Spectacle and Festival: http://cbae.nmsu.edu/%7Edboje/papers/Festivalism_at_Work.html

Spectacle 1. Work 2. Work or play time 3. Imposed patterns of behavior 4. Dead time 5. Religions of consumption 6. Pseudo desires 7. Pseudo needs 8. Loss of Self 9. Colonized spaces 10. Spectator 11. Functionary 12. Survival of the Fittest/Richest

Festival

1. Play 2. Work and play 3. Freely constructed behavior 4. Live time 5. Self 6. Transparent desires 7. Transparent needs 8. Self-Management 9. Free spaces 10. Participant/Co-designer 11. Self-Managed 12. Coevolution and Co-survival

Situationist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situationist_International

Ahimsa, Non-Conflictuality, and Usership
Instead of "taking over" infrastructures, a progressive non-conflictual approach, through mutual agreement with allies active in the society of the day, enables the use of the infrastructures in control of "The Society of the Spectacle" without entering into conflict,

possibly even creating synergies, by "using" these infrastructures at a moment where they are under-used.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahimsa

http://p2pfoundation.net/Usership

=Folklore=

Creation of a Narrative, of a "Made up History", or a "Folklore", setting a context to "The Society of the Night"

Dracula
Rewrite "Dracula" as to include ahimsa values of non-violence, and more liberal approaches

"Literary critics have examined many themes in the novel, such as the role of women in Victorian culture, conventional and conservative sexuality, immigration, colonialism, postcolonialism and folklore."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracula

=Economy=

Night Food Banks
Access to food during the night, through setting up cooperative food banks.

Package Delivery
Local nocturne Package Delivery by bicycle

=Use of technology for collective self-organization=

Currency
Local Alternative "Night Currencies", valid only for use at night.

=Syndicate=

Alliances can be made with other "Night Workers", as to ensure mutual support.

Prostitutes
Prostitutes, or existing syndicates of prostitutes, can get support from the other night workers.

Ideally, their safety conditions would be ensured, a basic quality of life, and a use value insurance.

Furthermore, they can contribute by using "Night Currency".

Ethics
A problem of possible divergence of ethics may arise. Are prostitutes active within a "Festivalist" approach ? Are they ensured of self organization, of non exploitation, of free choice, and of a combination of work and play ?

As market relational dynamics ? What happens when the relational dynamics shift ? Is prostitution the result of a certain type of relational dynamics promoted by a society ?

Private Night Security Guards
Can one imagine creating a partnership with private night security guards ? Enable them to be a little less lonely ?

Or even, make use of existing available office space at night, guarding these buildings, while making use of their space, hence offering a service while having access to space ?

Noise
The use of office space at night, in office neighborhoods, may reduce problems with residents from the day society who sleep at night.

Noise
Laws regarding noise

Laws regarding "paid labor" at night
How do laws apply in case of a gift economy, or in case of the use of alternative currencies ?

Psychological and physiological issues
Living at night and sleeping during the day causes a lack of sunshine, which can lead to psychological and physiological issues, especially during winter in areas further from the equator. See also Wikipedia