[TYPES] online conferences should be free

[Henning Basold]

On 24/08/2020 15:03, Stefan Monnier wrote:
> Henning Basold [2020-08-24 08:48:59] wrote:
>> I use the word "reproduce" purposefully because this kind of reality
>> descends merely from our society and is not an absolute truth.
> 
> I believe the issue here is a bit different: it's the fact that if you
> pay less, you have less of an investment and that influences your
> behavior unconsciously.  It does not just come from society but is much
> more ingrained in humans.  I don't think we can realistically hope to
> avoid that effect on the premise that we're rational beings.
> 
> BTW, the effect doesn't come only from money.  It also comes for example
> from the investment (e.g. in time taken to organize the trip, ...) that
> comes with traveling to the conference.
> 
> 
>         Stefan
> 

I agree with your analysis that any, as you call it, investment binds
and influences us. All I objected to is that this investment has to come
in form of monetary contributions and that this was presented as
unavoidable reality. Instead, an investment can come, as you rightly
say, in the form of time or community ties. The question is then if we
need other incentives for participation, perhaps because conferences
that need them can in fact be dispensed with, and what other incentives
than money we could use in a world where travelling is not feasible on
the same scale?

Best,
Henning