OuiShare Fest 14

In this talk, economic historian Alexa Clay brings attention to misfits in the black market, underground and fringe economies that actively pose threats to some of our ideas of progress and champion alternative visions of the good. Clay explores the different spatial orientations of misfit innovations and their relationship with the mainstream economy. She shares stories of insider misfits - transforming our systems from the inside. Runaway misfits who seek to incubate alternative approaches outside the system. Underground misfits, who remain under-the-radar in the black market and informal economies. And lastly, antagonistic misfits that engage in poking and prodding the system from outside. Clay shares reflections on misfits who occupy each of these different stances and exposes their motivations, rationales, and philosophies of systems change.