Do people exist to serve the economy, or should the economy exist to serve the people? In Fixing the Future, host David Brancaccio, of public radio's Marketplace and NOW on PBS, visits people and organizations across America that are attempting a revolution: the reinvention of the American economy. There are thousands of initiatives around the country - from farmers markets to local business networks - aimed at creating sustainable, local economies. The film highlights effective practices such as: local business alliances, community banking, time banking/hour exchange, worker cooperatives, local currencies and other innovative strategies that people across America have embraced to reinvent the economy on their own terms. By featuring Main Street communities using these innovative approaches to create jobs and build prosperity, Fixing the Future inspires hope and renewal in people struggling with economic adversity. Written by John Siceloff
The future badly needs fixing. And Fixing the Future effectively illustrates that we already have ways to do so. The segment dealing with TimeBanking and Time Dollars was particularly effective. It demonstrated how participating in Time Banking involves more than transactions and exchanges. It is about building relationships and socialnetworks. TimeBanking was portrayed as taking a stand that money does not define value, that there are some things that are priceless, and that we need to build community and strengthen our connectedness with others. The film has triggered the birth of TimeBanks across the United States. For me, it says No More Throw Away People. It says Put First Things First. And every hour given to another is an hour of the most precious things we have: out time on this planet with each other.