Operating Principles

These are not aspirations. They are the rules we hold ourselves to. If we violate them, call us on it.

Nonviolence

Transition never initiates violence or uses it to impose political or economic change. This is not a tactical choice — it is a foundational principle. A society built through violence carries violence in its foundations.

This does not require passive submission to an immediate physical assault. When withdrawal, de-escalation, shielding, and summoning help cannot stop imminent harm, the minimum necessary protective action may be used and must cease when the danger ends. See our safeguards for the full formulation.

Transparency

Everything we present is public. We have no hidden agenda, no private communications with different messages, no inner circle. What you see is what there is.

Evidence over ideology

We follow the evidence, even when it contradicts our expectations or undermines our arguments. If a claim made on this site is shown to be wrong, we will correct or remove it — not defend it.

Self-correction

We expect to be wrong about some things. The commitment is not to be right about everything but to correct course when we are wrong. This applies to the site, to the books, and to the transition proposal itself.

Respect for every person

Every person's dignity and autonomy is non-negotiable. We do not pressure, manipulate, or guilt anyone into engagement. We do not shame people for disagreeing. We present ideas and evidence. What people do with them is their business.

Explicit protections

A society built around human well-being must protect everyone in it — not just those who fit a majority template. The transition we describe stands against discrimination of any kind: by race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, language, or economic background. These protections are not add-ons to be negotiated later. They are foundational.

Indigenous peoples and cultural minorities have a right to self-determination and the preservation of their cultures, languages, and ways of life. People with disabilities have a right to full participation in society, not as an accommodation but as a design requirement. LGBTQ+ people have a right to live openly and safely without qualification. These are not positions we arrived at to be inclusive — they follow directly from the principle that every person's well-being matters equally.

Privacy

Browsing this site collects no data about you — no tracking, no cookies, no analytics. If you choose to participate in the discussion system, you create a pseudonymous account — just a username and password. No email address, real name, or other identifying information is requested. The project does not attempt to connect your account to your identity. Your account can be deleted at any time. A site that asks people to think critically about power structures should not be building its own surveillance infrastructure. See our privacy page for full details.