# About cosmopool

## Independence

Cosmopool tries to be really independent:

  * We do not feed the mass media and expect you to discount what they tell about us; talk to us directly or via a web of trusted friends! We reject advertising and usage of curtailing symbols.
  * We do not accept donations from people not actively involved in this project.
  * We put emphasis on privacy as long as (semi-)public information would be misused by commercial or institutional entities for steering or controllng us.
  * We try to avoid using webservices from commercial entities and want to build decentralized infrastructure under control of those who use it.
  * Our software license prohibits commercial use as well as use of the software for other purposes which we deem inappropriate: military, governmental and religious.
  * We don’t follow the rules of publicity and don’t advertise our ideas on a market following the logics of spectacle, representation, value and money.
  * We count on individuals who are independent of fashions and know what they want and do it. And we count on an atmosphere where this is cherished as the roots of a new culture.

The cosmopool software tries to be a tool, not just a toy, i.e., it is made to be used creatively and thoughtfully at the same time.

We are aware of the new trends in consumerism emphasizing sustainability but neglecting alienation; we refuse such shallow changes.