## Unlocking the commons

> I call this “unlocking the commons,” and it’s the same approach I’ve taken with my Patreon and newsletter. Fans support the person and the work. But it’s not a transaction, a fee for service. <mark>It’s a contribution that benefits everyone.</mark> Free-riders aren’t just welcome; free-riding is the *point*. This, I think, is key to understanding the psychology of patronage.
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> […]
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> This is one of the weird things about patronage. As a consumer, your first thought is to your own benefit. As a patron, it’s to the good of your beneficiary. Likewise, as an artisan supported by patronage, you tend to think more about what’s best for your patrons and audience than you do yourself.
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> <cite>*[Unlocking the commons](https://www.niemanlab.org/2019/01/unlocking-the-commons/)* ([cache](/david/cache/2020/dfada08049ab34a1200974e7e46cb646/))</cite>

C’est une chose que j’aimerais explorer à un moment de la vie de ces contenus.