Will Work For Food

KH Jeron

Will Work For Food is a project about labour and barter economy. Let a "will work for food" vehicle do the job. The vehicle is able to draw and whistle "Happy Birthday" and "The Internationale". In return you are asked to send some food instead of money. If you do not need it anymore, just pass it to somebody else or send it back

Will Work For Food Manifesto
The "Will Work For Food" happening deals with the desire to find a new definition for labour and the act of working.

"Will Work For Food" (WWFF) takes a position towards the question what role labour plays in a time, when full employment becomes an unattainable utopian conception. It deals with a re-assessment of labour - its disjunction from covering the cost-of-living of the individual.

An essay by French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, his "Notes in ordinary of the resistance against the neo-liberal invasion" (under the title "Contre-feu" - Backfire) gives some suggestions: "It is high time to create the preconditions for a collective outline of a social utopia." Bourdieu describes a potential social network that actively offers resistance against neo-liberalism. "Contre-feu", backfire, is a term originally coming from fire suppression and denotes a controlled fire, which is set in order to control the spread of a conflagration. Translated into art it means to seize resources that are inherent in the system, re-code them and put them into practise against the status quo. Or more concise: Fight fire with backfire!

With reference to the utopian ideas of the 50s and 60s of the 20th century which yearned for the liberation of humanity from any form of labour WWFF plays with the possibility to fulfil this dream and takes over the role of the precarious subject. The WWFF vehicles are communication catalysts.

They give an occasion and a space for social interaction and discussion.

The WWFF vehicles stand for a guaranteed basic income.

1. I want a "Will Work For Food" vehicle, how do I get one?
Just send some food in advance to this address. In return you will receive the "Will Work For Food" vehicle

2. I already have a "Will Work For Food" vehicle, for what can I use it?
You can use the vehicle for any purpose you like. Have a look at the skills page. You do not have to pay any money for this service, just send some food in return to this address. If you do not need the service anymore, you can pass the vehicle to somebody else or send it back to this address.
3. What do I need to get started?
If not already in place, insert a pencil and batteries.
You can use AA chargeables and non chargeables. I strongly recommend chargeables for better sustainability. Then simply attach the battery clip and the vehicle will start to work.
4. Do you accept beverages?
Yes. Please pack carefully.
5. What happens, if no food is sent in return ?
You will receive very bad kharma.
6. Technical specification
The "Will Work For Food" vehicle carries a flag, which says: "Will Work For Food". A microcontroller creates the "Happy Birthday" melody (goto the skills page for more tunes). It is equiped with two motors, a 40 Ohm loudspeaker and a pencil to make the drawings.
7. What else?
If you like, drop me an email about your experiences with the vehicle.
I also appreciate to receive pictures showing the vehicle at work.
Send your mail to willworkforfood {at} aggies.com.

http://willworkforfood.projektraum.org