The world is at a turning point, and we are faced with tremendous uncertainty in all directions. As the threats we face grow to existential proportions, the things we might turn to for support — our communities, our shared purpose, and even a shared reality have eroded from under us. If we are to have any hope of conquering the challenges ahead of us, we must first understand the problems that we face and how they are connected. These problems go to the very roots of society and its institutions, affecting every aspect of how we make decisions and live our lives — from the information we consume to the communities that give us meaning — from the careers to which we dedicate ourselves to the causes we invest in. At the first glance these problems may seem unconnected, but as we delve deeper it becomes clear that they share a common thread — a fundamental disconnect in how we engage in these systems and one of the deepest roots of human nature — the Tribe.

For tens of thousands of years the Tribe was the driving force behind human existence, dictating every aspect of how we lived our lives. As our Tribes wandered across every corner of the globe we found balance with nature and each other. We evolved alongside our Tribes and many of the unique things that would come to define our species — Homo Sapiens — such as language and our ability to solve problems collaboratively emerged from this inseparable interdependence between each of us and our Tribes.

As civilization emerged the rules and incentives that drove our lives began to diverge from nature. As we gained the ability to move rivers and shape the world around us the entire world became our domain at the expense of the ecosystems that had to contend with us. As society became larger and more complex, nature's grasp — that bond that had shackled us for so long but had also held us in balance with the Earth and all its diversity — further loosened. The industrial age and the discovery of fossil fuels severed once and for all any control that nature had over us — no climate too harsh, no sea too vast, no mountain too great to stop the relentless titan of industry whose sword now rests at the throat of the earth who gave us life.

Just as technology has collectively liberated us from nature’s grasp, so too has it liberated each of us from our dependence on one another. The relentless progress of technology has lifted countless people out of poverty and given each of us great control and freedom over how we live our lives. It has enabled us to fulfill our desires with the click of a button and at a moment's notice. It has given us the ability to travel the world, to have any experience we can imagine. It has put the sum of human knowledge in the palm of our hand and given us the power to share it across the world. With such incredible freedoms at our disposal we no longer depend on those around us — for basic necessities, for information or entertainment, for meaning — and so the bonds of trust that forged our Tribes and held them together have all but vanished before our eyes.

At this pivotal moment in history we are left with but a single choice. We can continue on our current trajectory and hand our fate to the titan of industry — or we can choose to claim our own fate. This is not a choice we can make alone — if we are to claim our fate we must do it together, as Sovereign Tribes — equipped with the tools to shape our own destiny.

And so it is that We the Sapiens, in order that we may secure the future of Earth and her children, declare our Sovereignty, and the Sovereignty of our Tribes.

In order to secure and maintain the Sovereignty and flourishing of our Tribes, we present the following Rights, Responsibilities, and Principles that they may serve as a guiding light for all who are committed to the advancement of Sapiens and their Tribes.

1. The Right to Sovereignty: Sovereignty ****is the manifestation of the will of a Tribe. The Tribe, as a group of people, has the right to personhood including the right to autonomy, existence, and self-determination. The Sovereignty of the Tribe derives from the Sovereignty of its members and each individual has the right to choose the Tribes among which their Sovereignty is divided. No Tribe, individual or entity may interfere, restrict or impose costs on the Sovereignty of another Tribe or individual.
2. The Right to Freedom of Information: Information is power. The ability to freely share information, whether through speech or expression in any medium, is vital to our ability to understand and engage with the world and each other. Each individual has the right to freely share information with others or choose not to share any information. No Tribe, individual or entity may compel anyone to share any information against their will.
3. The Right to Economic Autonomy: Currency is the tool that directs our energy. Every Tribe and individual has the right to choose how they direct their energy and resources including the right to not expend energy or resources. Every Tribe and individual has the right to issue and govern their own currency so they may direct their energy and resources to the best of their ability. No Tribe, individual or entity may compel anyone to expend energy or resources against their will.