We’ve been exploring what happens when you strip price out of an exchange system entirely, when value is defined by attention or effort instead of currency. The results have been surprisingly unpredictable.

How do you measure fairness when there’s no price signal? Some people give more than they get, others act more generously because there’s no transaction history to optimize against. It feels like reputation, not ROI, becomes the governing logic.

We started with a simple idea where people could exchange exposure, participation or experiences instead of money. A café might offer free meals in return for content, a gym might trade sessions for Google reviews, all voluntary, no fixed value.

When you remove money, people negotiate differently. They’re less defensive, but also less predictable. Interactions feel more genuine.

Has anyone else noticed similar behavioral shifts when incentives stop being financial?