Thursday, July 31, 2014

New blog

Strangers created a website for me to blog. A graphic designer, IT web developer, and even a webhost company -- offered to create the http://gifteconomy.ca.  You can now follow my latest posts there. Everything I write there is open-source and for the commons, there is no copyright - it's free for anyone to use and share. Enjoy.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

A TV station called

They want to do a story on the gift economy in Vancouver on July 28th. They like that a total stranger gave me their home, and how fast this movement has spread. 

Ian Mckenzie, the award winning filmmaker, will be one of our guests, all the way from Victoria. It'll be nice to meet and make new friends. 


Monday, July 14, 2014

We went viral: "Man's tumour shrinks when he alters environment, shuns cancer treatments in favor of acts of kindness

I woke up the other day with a friend telling me she read about me on natural news, the internet's most-trafficked natural health news website to their 1.2 million subscribers. The founder, Mike Adams, posted it on his Twitter.

I wasn't aware of it. No journalist contacted me. I guess they simply found my story, read my blog, and ran with it.

Thank you Natural News!









"(NaturalNews) While most people are focused on paying their own bills, sorting through their own finances and seeking to generate more income, unemployed Brice Royer has made it his mission to pay others' rent. Such generosity is just one example of the many ways he helps others. Of course, the burning question exists: Why does he do it?
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/045932_tumor_shrinkage_cancer_treatment_acts_of_kindness.html#ixzz37UjUYHtD


We were also on Good News Network the other day, forgot to post that. Too many news stories to post!


It has been less than 2 months, and we now have local "Gift economy groups" in over 8 cities. Three new groups started within a few days!



Saturday, July 12, 2014

My dentist is reducing her fees as a gift


"I got your email but I don't understand, so I was going to call you."  said my holistic dentist's office Megan and Dr. Anderson in North Vancouver. "Let me get this clear. You want to pay other people's dental amalgam removal?"

"Yes." I explained. "It's a poison, and we should get it out. The cost is a barrier for most people, but if they start with that first tooth, it will get the ball rolling."

"That is so very generous of you, Brice... Since you are doing this, we're going to reduce our fees." she said.

She kindly offered the following to anyone I refer to for amalgam removal.

"Normally, we charge $83.60 for the consultation, but we'll give them our reduced fee of 45$." she offered. In addition, she will waive the price of the oxygen during the safe removal -- it'll be free.

As I previously offered, I will contribute $200 out of my own pocket to those I have already committed to so the the consult will cost you $0. 

The next local person in line is "CL." who sent me an email. You know who you are, I'll get in touch with you.

Disclosure: I get nothing ($0) from my dentist by referring others to her except:

1) A happy feeling which will result in healing my cancer.

2) I won't feel like a hypocrite anymore. I believe in "Love your neighbour as yourself" but I never did it. I don't trade, buy or sell with family or friends. If I need anything, my mom and dad gives it to me. If my friends need something, I give it to them. No trade, barter, or exchange. Why treat my neighbour and strangers differently? 

3) I'll remove the cause of disease. Not the mercury, but the reason why the mercury is in your teeth, air, and ocean in the first place. When I remove trade transactions and give you a gift, we are no longer strangers. We are friends. We treat family and friends differently than strangers and clients. We care more. When I give and receive, instead of buying and selling, I am eliminating the harmful psychological side-effects that comes from trade such as separation. I'm also preventing wealth accumulation's side effects such as lack of empathy, greed, and unethical behaviour --  which leads to pollution, the marketing of unsafe or questionable products for economic gain (processed foods w/ preservatives), wealth inequality, deforestation, mineral depletion, drilling oil, etc., which we now know are risk factors leading to cancer and most of our global crises today. 

If we remove the causes of cancer, we won't need "cures".  

The cause of our global crises today is from our separation, the cure is our reconnection. 

(Feel free to share. It's public.)

(All my references for these claims are here: http://gifteconomy.ca )
In particular: Berkeley wealth psychologists Paul Piff and Dacher Keltner. Paul K. Piff, 4086–4091, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1118373109


#gifteconomy #‎givewherewelive

Thursday, July 10, 2014

The stranger who offered me her home


A stranger heard I'm looking for housing and contacted me on Facebook: "Did you find a place to stay? I have a home near UBC. It's a 5 bedrooms." she wrote. 

"How did you hear about me?" I asked.

"On the gift economy group." she answered. "I would normally rent it out, but I'd like to gift it to you. " she said. "What is your name by the way?"

"My name is Brice." I answered.

This person doesn't know me. She has no idea I recently paid a stranger's rent for 1 year. She doesn't know I'm the founder of a non-profit organization, or an entrepreneur, or that I decided to stop buying or selling because I believe our economy is at the root cause of my cancer. All she knows is my health isn't in good condition and I am looking for hospitality.

She genuinely wanted to help me and expected nothing in return.

"Thank you so much Jane. The home may or may not be the right fit," I said, thinking of my many chemical and electromagnetic sensitivities. "but you really touched my heart with your generosity."

Jane Courtney is a registered nurse and alternative healer.

I noticed she charges $100/hr for an individual healing session. But she posted her services on the gift economy group: "Message me if you would like to come and learn release stress from your day." she wrote.

I looked at the price:

$0.

She is gifting her services to 3 people tomorrow. If you're a small business owner, you know it takes a great leap of faith to offer your services as a gift.

Don't take my words for it. Check her post in our group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/307554252727875/

What an incredible person with an amazing heart.

(Feel free to share. It's public. #gifteconomy )

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Public service: I'll pay your dental care.

(Feel free to share) Public service: I'll pay your dental care. If you're sick and have dental amalgams "silver fillings", I will pay your holistic dentist to remove them safely (up to $200 per tooth) and find a safer alternative for you. 
Why am I doing this?
1) Your sickness affects me because you can't contribute your greatest gifts to the world if you're poisoned. The health care burden for chronic illness eventually goes to tax-payers. The world needs you to be healthy too.
2) Around the world, there's a golden rule: "Do onto others.." and "Love your neighbour as yourself". I believe I have cancer because I don't love my neighbour like family. I only believe I do and pay lip-service, but I actually don't. With family and those I love, I never sell, buy, barter, or trade. I only give and receive freely. Why should I treat strangers differently? Am I not a hypocrite? So I decided to love you like family. I will give and receive freely and I don't expect anything back from you in return.
3) Damage control costs you a fortune. If you continue to be poisoned, your brain fog, food allergies, "leaky gut", heart palpitation, and weak immune system won't resolve no matter how many vitamins, diets, and lifestyle changes you make. It's like feeding vitamins to a fish in polluted water. We live in a toxic world and I'd like to remove your toxicity so you can save yourself a fortune on "damage control" and bandaid solutions. If you're poisoned, you'll be busy "fixing" your allergies and leaky gut forever.
(P.S: I was bedridden and in a wheelchair. 80% of my symptoms improved after 6 months of dental amalgam removal. My life's biggest regret is waiting to remove the poison in my mouth. It cost me a fortune on damage control and incalculable life quality losses. Please don't make the same mistake. Let me pay it for you.)

If you're interested:
Leave me a comment below (No Facebook PM please.) and I'll contact you, or email me privately at http://www.gifteconomy.ca Locals preferred but will consider international.

After I confirm, if you can help save me time, please have your holistic dentist's office contact me for payment whenever you're ready. Show them this post, and give them my contact for payment. I can pay via credit card.

If this is the first time you hear about chronic low-dose mercury poisoning, then my friends, dentists, doctors, and health practitioners can share their experience.

Dental amalgams is still a controversial issue, just like GMO foods are today, or when cigarettes were recommended by physicians in the the 1950s.

I invite you to educate yourself on both sides of the issue.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_amalgam_controversy

Regardless of where you stand on the issue, I am offering you to pay for its safe removal.
I wish you good health!
Brice

PS: If you're skeptical, please read this news article: "Unemployed man offers to pay a stranger's rent for a year." I have paid several people's rent since then, and I'd love to pay yours too. 







Saturday, June 28, 2014

Hello Vancity Interview: How our economy affects our health

"Brice, can you do this interview right now?" Alice Zhou for Hello Vancity, asked. 

"Sure" I said, while eating.

So here's an impromptu in-depth interview I did recently with Alice Zhou for Hello Vancity.

We talked about: "What would cause a cancer patient to pay a stranger's rent for one year?" and "How our economy affects our health more than eating healthy and exercise?"


Enjoy.

http://www.hellovancity.com/news/game-changer-brice-royer-gift-economy/





Some social media responses:






Friday, June 20, 2014

1 month review: Is chasing money worse than smoking?

1 month review: 4 weeks ago, I learn the surprisingly dangerous side effects our economy has on my health that are worse than smoking. It may have caused my cancer.

I learn about Ikaria Greece, the highest concentration of longest living people in the world. The secret to longevity? They don't care about money, 40% are unemployed, they live sustainably and share the surplus to others.


I want to be healthy too. So I stop buying and selling anything, and only give and receive. 

I start a "gift economy" group that grows to 200 members in 10 mins.

A CEO at a Health clinic gifts her 1000 sq feet space for us to meet.


A stranger gives me a car. 


It makes the national news in Canada. 

I pay someone's rent for a year.  (It also makes the news)


Here's the chronically ill mother who got a gift of rent for a year.



The group spreads to 600+ members in 3 cities. 



I receive many hospitality offers. A doctor from NZ offers a gifted housing. (But it's too far, so I had to decline.)

Since I no longer buy or sell, people gave me organic food. A professional photographer gifts her services (normally $150 fee).



A professional designer working at marketing firm gifts us her services and builds a beautiful website for us that would normally cost over $1000 to build.






Doctors, health practitioners, and nutritionists gifts their services. ($200+)


I ask my webhost for a domain, they gift it. "We normally don't do this but..." they say, but they want to support this cause. I ask for a web company to gift their services, they waive their $40 fee.

Only 3 days ago, 8 group members decide to fundraise to gift me housing. 

In 2 hours, they gift me 1 week and 3 days of hospitality. 


Not because I can't afford it, but because of love. I was so touched...

Wow. It was scary at first because I stopped depending on my purchase power for my needs, and became vulnerable to others. But after overcoming this fear, now I feel so happy! I sleep better, look younger, and I feel healthier than I've ever been.

My security isn't in my purchase power anymore, but in friendships and community.

I'm not looking for cancer cures. I want to remove cancer causes. The cause is fear. The cure is love.  

When you're in our market economy, you will have fear because of its artificial scarcity. The system is designed this way. But when you're in the gift economy, you will have love.




Although I am still in the system, I am slowly transitioning. I have one foot in the city, and one foot in nature. One foot in a market economy, one in our gift economy. One foot in fear and scarcity, one foot in love and abundance.

If you have cancer, please look into this. Love may be better than herbal medicine and vitamins.

If studies shows our social relationships in our economic system can increase our mortality risk to be worse than smoking 15 cigarettes, twice as worse as obesity, and alcoholism... then shouldn't we look into this?

I must thank Paul Piff UC Berkeley and BYU (Brigham Young University) for those studies on the psychology of wealth!


Sunday, June 15, 2014

Another day, another media interview (Jill Benette, CKNW Talk Show Host and Global BC Reporter

A local radio station producer contacted me to do a show. 



"My name is Devon and I am the producer of The Weekend Morning News with Jill Bennett on CKNW Radio in Vancouver. I'm writing because I recently read about the story of you 'paying it forward' to people and your paying rent for a year. WOW!  

I invited my new friend and visionary Peter, the "modern day JFK" and off-grid genius to join me.

Yesterday we were on "The Weekend Morning News with Jill Bennett on CKNW Radio in Vancouver. " Saturday, June 14th at 8:10am PT (11:10am ET).


You can listen to the recorded interview here:


I wanted to thank Devon and Jill for having us on the show! @jillreports


Listener reactions:




Tuesday, June 10, 2014

"Unemployed man offers to pay stranger’s rent for a year" - Vancouver Sun

Hello,
There's a lot of new media interest -- too much to post so I'll just link a few here:





I also started paying people's rent and mortgages. 

It made the news today too.








What some people are saying:





If you'd like to learn more about why I'm doing this and why I believe our economy is the root cause of my cancer, click on 'about me'.


Sunday, June 8, 2014

"Money as the root of health evils" - Edmonton Journal



Now we're talking!

The story is now in print in Vancouver, Edmonton, Montreal and various cities across Canada.

I particularly love the Edmonton Journal's headline. I hope it sparks a discussion about how our economic system affects our health. That's all I wanted to accomplish.


Kelly Smith, an educator at McGill University teaching at Lester B. Pearson School Board, read the story in the Montreal Gazette below and contacted me.



Here's what she said (used with permission):



One of her friends has cancer and mentioned that "the loneliness aspect of the article really hit home."

That's exactly what Charles Enseintein, a mathematics grad from Yale and author says using money does -- it disconnects us from each other, our environment, and our actions. Trading money creates an illusion of separation between us. That leads to loneliness... which we all know affects our health, and studies show is even worse than smoking 15 cigarettes per day.

Vancouver is a pretty lonely city. And cancer rates aren't decreasing. So this message is very important to share.

I'm glad people are getting this!

If you want to learn more about all my references and how I became convinced that our economy is the root cause of disease, click here.





Friday, June 6, 2014

Seeking Homeowners: I'd like to pay your mortgage, or tenant's rent

Hello,
As I mentioned in my recent interview with the Vancouver Sun published today, I learned from Nobel Economists that our unsustainable economic system causes an increase in cancer, pollution and disease.

It also increases loneliness -- and studies show loneliness is worse than smoking 15 cigarettes per day, and twice worse than obesity. 

Most people agree the system is broken. But now what? What should we do about it?

It may sound naive, but I believe love and kindness is the answer! I cannot buy or sell love and kindness BUT I can give it away freely!

So I decided to stop buying, selling, and trading -- and instead, I simply give and receive. I want a public debate about our economy, and our government to change our policies.

I believe a "gift economy" can remove the causes of my cancer and disease, just like Okinawa Japan, Ikaria Greece, Sardinia Italy and the world's healthiest places with the highest concentration of centenarians who have gift economies!

The first thing I need to transition from the market is housing. Since I'm looking for a gift of housing by June 30th, I thought... why not give what I seek? (24th June update: I have received a gift of housing.)

So I'd like to pay your rent as a gift, or help you pay your mortgage. 

(June 7th update: I paid a stranger's rent for a year. The Vancouver Sun reports: "Unemployed man offers to pay a stranger's rent for a year".)



Here's her cheque. 





She took a picture when she received it.



From: Vicki Lucille, a chronically ill mother of 4 kids, Pennsylvania US. Date: Saturday, June 14th, 2014
Dear kindhearted like­minded souls out there,
I'd like you to meet Brice. This man is unlike any other person I've ever encountered.
I've learned so much from him. But what really blew me away and melted my heart was his generosity.

You see, he offered to pay my rent for an entire year!
I was flabbergasted and asked, “why?”
He explained that the money exchange system of buying and selling is flawed and ultimately leads to illness. We need to give and receive freely to others. Only then can we truly understand human love and compassion. He desires a society in which people take care of each other like this.

It brought tears to my eyes when I realized he has cancer. [and unemployed]
And... He took money out of his own personal savings to help me, a person he's never even met outside of Facebook. But then I understood his reasoning. We often will only receive what we are willing to give. The universe is like a boomerang or echo– what you send out is what you get back. So Brice is sending out waves of love to others and I'm sure he will receive just as much, if not more, love in return.
It is my sincerest hope that us people in this world will see the massive effect they can have on others and their community, if they simply care for one another. 


I gave another person left a comment on my blog below.



There are a few more that I didn't bother reporting yet.

This is a big risk and cost on my part.  But this may be the only way to start a discussion about our broken economic system.

Sometimes, you need to take risks to change the world, like this man.

(c) Timothy Allen



Everyone should receive housing as a gift.

It has nothing to do with affordability. No one should have to trade money in exchange for housing or anything. Especially if they can afford it. In fact, studies show the wealthier you are, the more psychologically disconnected and dependent on money you become.  So the wealthiest 1% ironically need to experience giving and receiving the most.

I can confirm this from family experience.


According to The Wall Street Journal:

"In a survey titled "Joys and Dilemma of Wealth" by Boston College, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Calibre Wealth Management, the wealthiest set revealed they are an unhappy bunch -- worried about appearing ungrateful, rearing bratty children and failing to meet expectations."

The article writes:

Would $25 million make you happy?
Not if you're a member of the ultra-rich. 
In a survey titled "Joys and Dilemma of Wealth" by Boston College, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Calibre Wealth Management, the wealthiest set revealed they are an unhappy bunch -- worried about appearing ungrateful, rearing bratty children and failing to meet expectations.

Here are ten fears of the uber-rich:

Money

A respondent reported he wouldn't feel financially secure until he had $1 billion in the bank.

Ungrateful

Survey respondents report feeling that they have lost the right to complain about anything, for fear of sounding — or being — ungrateful.

Trust Funds

Those who are parents worry that their children will become trust-fund brats if their inheritances are too large — or will be forever resentful if those inheritances (or parts of them) are instead bequeathed to charity.

Friendships

The respondents also confide that they feel their outside relationships have been altered by, and have in some cases become contingent on, their wealth. "Very few people know the level of my wealth, and if they did, in most cases I believe it would change our relationship," writes one respondent. Another says, "I start to wonder how many people we know would cut us off if they didn't think they could get something from us."

Gift-Giving

Some wealthy people stopped looking forward to the holidays "because they were always expected to give really good presents," said Robert Kenny, one of the organizers of the survey, when interviewed in The Atlantic. When you're a millionaire, Kenny says, expensive gifts merely meet expectations. "That was a pretty good present," the recipients might say. "But last year, you gave me a car." 

Anxiety

"Wealth can be a barrier to connecting with other people," writes the spouse of a tech wizard who cashed in to the tune of $80 million. Rich people often feel they can't share the stresses in their lives, for fear someone will say, "Yeah, wouldn't I like to have your problems." It can get awkward when the check comes at a restaurant and there's hesitation over who will pay.

Careers

One wealthy survey respondent who worked in the nonprofit sector says she would feel insecure about her position if she resumed working. "If I decided to get a job in the field, I think I would have trouble being seen as a colleague and not a donor," she wrote.

Entitlement

Many express relief that their kids' education was assured, but are concerned that money might rob them of ambition. Having money "runs the danger of giving them a perverted view of the world," one respondent writes. Another worries, "Money could mess them up — give them a sense of entitlement, prevent them from developing a strong sense of empathy and compassion."

Inheritance

"I have grown up with a father who never wanted to give up control of his business but kept taunting me with the opportunity to step into his shoes." His wife adds, "It has been difficult to feel financially independent when [my] spouse's parents hold tight control over [our] children's inheritance."

Poor People

"Nobody has the excuse of 'lack of money' for not being at peace and living in integrity," writes one survey respondent of his family, with a touch of bitterness. "If they choose to live otherwise, that's their business."




The gift isn't the money, it's the experience of love. 

So when I'm offering you to pay your mortgage, taxes or rent --- the gift I'm offering you isn't just the money, it's the love -- the experience of receiving and giving.

The gift I am offering you is the experience of removing transactions which isolate you from others, and leads to disease.

And on the big picture, it contributes to the psychology that creates unsustainable economic conditions that harms us.


What we do with money is our choice.  We can buy or sell, or we can give and receive.

In an ideal world, we wouldn't need money. Unfortunately, most of us don't live sustainably off-grid and are dependent in the monetary economy. But what we do with money is still our choice. We can trade and exchange money for housing and services, but that will further disconnect us, harm us, and contribute to an unsustainable economy.

OR...

We can freely give and receive money, housing, and food with no strings attached. Just like we do with family and friends.  That will solve many of our global crises today.

The choice is ours.  And I choose to give and receive!

All I want is people to question this economic system based on trade, and to consider alternatives.

So here's my offer:

-------

Seeking Homeowners: I'd like to pay your tenants rent, or mortgage.


Hello,
I'm looking for housing but instead of buying or renting a home, I'd like to pay your next tenant's rent so they can receive free housing, or help pay off your mortgage, or property taxes.

I understand this sounds unconventional.

The reason why I'm doing it is because although I'm taking a risk, I believe that giving and receiving without trade is the only way I can heal myself from cancer, and save others from the disconnection that the market economy creates.

If you'd like to know why I decided to stop trading, bartering, buying or selling, you can learn about my story in the Vancouver Sun here:

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Forward+group+takes+root+Vancouver/9915767/story.html

If you're a homeowner interested in receiving this gift, I'd love to hear from you.

Please let me know what you think.

Brice

PS: The short answer is we never trade with family and friends, only strangers and enemies. And this disconnection led to many of our worlds global crises.

PPS: You may ask: "If you can afford a home, why not rent or buy one yourself?" Because that's a trade. Instead, I am giving you is a gift with no strings attached. I don't expect you to repay me. Otherwise, that would be an exchange, not a true gift.

A real gift is about love, not trade.

---


Of course, I cannot help everyone as much as I would love to, or I would quickly be bankrupt. Please don't take it personally if I don't answer your request. But I will do my best.

But let's hope my action will get others to do the same?

To read more on how I believe the gift economy will remove the causes my cancer, click here.