Book Club Guide

What’s Mine Is Yours book club discussion points:

General:

• What is your favourite example of Collaborative Consumption covered in the book? Are there anyideas you are thinking of incorporating into your own life?
• Which entrepreneur inspired you in the book?
• Have you recently spotted a cool example of Collaborative Consumption that was not included in thebook?
• Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why did you feel that way?

Part 1: Context

• What is something you have bought and never used? Can you remember why you made thepurchase?
• What bothers you about the current consumer system?
• On Page 23, the authors describe ‘The Diderot Effect’ - name an instance where you have seen thishappening or experienced it for yourself?
• There is a widespread belief that the internet is leaving people disconnected from real life. Otherthought leaders, however, believe “using the internet to get off the internet” is one of its strongestvalues. Can you think of an example when the internet has helped you connect to someone or a groupface-to-face?
• The authors believe that all around us we are seeing the resurgence of the belief in community, both inthe virtual and physical worlds. What communities are you a part of and why are they important to yourlife? (This could be anything from a yoga class to playing Farmville!)

Part 2: Groundswell

• The first Collaborative Consumption system identified is a ‘Product Service System’ (PSS), the idea ofpaying for the benefit or usage of something without needing to own it outright.
• Do you currently use any PSS?
• What are some situations where a PSS might be more efficient and economical than owningsomething? What are some situations where ownership is more convenient?
• ‘Redistribution Markets’ are named as the second Collaborative Consumption system. What itemswould you feel comfortable swapping, sharing or bartering? What items would you not want to shareand why?
• The exchange, swapping or bartering of time, skills, money and space is known as CollaborativeLifestyles, the third Collaborative Consumption system. How could these ideas improve the quality ofyour life?
• What could you barter with in your own life? How would you measure the fair value of the barter?
• The authors list four principles of Collaborative Consumption that are critical to its success. One ofthose is ‘trust between strangers’. Which of the examples featured of organizations building trustbetween strangers interested you the most? What changes/developments have occurred to allow us toform trust between strangers?
• Assets that are unused or underused are known to have ‘idling capacity’ - what assets do you have inyour life (products, skills, time, space etc.) that have idling capacity? How could you make better useof their idling capacity?
• Over the years, it has been contested that society’s belief in ‘the commons’ has deteriorated. Do youthink this is true? Why/why not?
• With the rise of Collaborative Consumption, what traditional businesses do you think should see it asan opportunity to innovate?

Part 3: Impact

• The advertising and brand industries will play an important role in shifting values of consumption. Whatrole would you like to see these industries play? What cool campaign would you create around carsharing or peer-to-peer travel (e.g. Airbnb), for example?
• Products have previously been designed for obsolescence to keep the consumer system moving.What products do you find yourself continually replacing or upgrading? Why?
• Pick a product that is currently designed for individual usage (e.g. a car). How would you redesign it tomake it ideal for sharing?
• In the future, the authors suggest that your ‘online reputation’ will be more important than your credithistory. What are your thoughts on this? Do you think this would be a positive or negative thing?
• Wrap: What excites you most about Collaborative Consumption’s potential to impact the future?

Did your book group cover other questions that led to a good discussion? Please email us tolet us know at contact@collaborativeconsumption.com and we will add to our guide.

Download the What’s Mine Is Yours Book Club Guide (PDF).