Lessig presents the idea of separate economies, namely sharing and commercial economies. These two ideas and the fusion of them into hybrid economies make the bulk of Lessig's argument about vehicles that can better support art and commerce in the future.
A sharing economy is an economy in which goods and services are traded and shared without any sort of "money" equivalent behind the transaction. Essentially it is people sharing things with the preconceived idea that exchange benefits those that remain in the economy. Demonstrating the difference between sharing and selling from Lessig's book p.147 "It is the cardinal difference between gifts and commodity exchange that a gift establishes a feeling-bond between two people, while the sale of a commodity leaves no necessary connection." This bond is a very important difference between the commercial and sharing economies. While money might make the world go round, this friendly bond causes participants in a sharing economy to return whereas in a commercial economy people only return when a monetary benefit is present.
This is a central point to Lessig's argument. He presents the pros and cons of both economies, and then leads in to the hybridization of both making a stronger third economy. The distinction between both of these economies, this bond, is a pivotal piece of what can make the hybrid economy work. A balance is what is necessary for success.
