Founder Philosophy
“I can’t give you all the answers, but I can tell you how to find them.” — Founder Denken
This document collects the philosophical foundations of Liana Banyan, expressed through quotes, anecdotes, and the reasoning behind key design decisions.
Core Quotes (Rotating Banners)
These quotes appear on the site header, rotating to remind visitors of our principles:
“I can’t give you all the answers, but I can tell you how to find them.”
- The platform teaches through structure, not prescription
- Every member can discover their own path
“Swing for the Fences”
- Go all in
- No half measures
- If you’re going to build something, build something worth building
“Help Each Other Help Ourselves”
- The central motto of Liana Banyan
- Mutual aid, not charity
- Everyone contributes, everyone benefits
The Frieren Anecdote
Context
The Founder’s daughter and wife were watching Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, an anime about a long-lived elf mage who outlives her companions and spends centuries collecting magic tomes. The character Denken is a powerful but aging mage with a distinctive red beard.
The Story
My wife and 9-year-old daughter were watching Frieren, the animated show about a long-lived elf who collects magic tomes, which is an EXCELLENT series. As I have a full red beard and basically look like him, I mentioned that I should be Denken for Halloween and that my 9-year-old should be Frieren.
She replied “Well that would mean I would be more powerful than you because Frieren is a lot more powerful than Denken.”
To which I replied “ABSOLUTELY! I WANT you to be more powerful than me.”
Because in truth, I have my place — as Philip II for her Alexander the Great. And yours as well. And that makes me happy.
The Lesson
This anecdote encapsulates the succession philosophy of Liana Banyan:
- Parents should want children to surpass them
- Founders should want successors to exceed them
- This is not abdication — it is legacy
The “Who Wants to Be CEO?” contest, the Crown succession system, and the entire cooperative structure are built on this principle. The Founder’s goal is not eternal leadership but to build something that works better without him.
Philip II and Alexander
The historical parallel:
- Philip II of Macedon built the army, unified the kingdom, created the systems
- Alexander the Great used those systems to conquer the known world
Philip didn’t fail because Alexander exceeded him. Philip succeeded because Alexander exceeded him.
Similarly:
- The Founder builds the platform, the economic model, the governance systems
- The community takes those systems and does things the Founder never imagined
That’s the goal.
Design Principles Derived from Philosophy
1. “Battle-Tested, Built in Public”
- No hiding behind marketing
- Every innovation documented
- Open about what works and what doesn’t
2. “No V.C., No Outside Advertising”
- Independence from external pressure
- Members are the customers AND the beneficiaries
- No one to answer to but the community
3. “Make Money WITH, Not FOR”
- Everyone who contributes shares in the success
- No extractive relationships
- Aligned incentives top to bottom
4. “ALL IN”
- 37 years of development went into this
- The Founder has staked everything
- Commitment is total
The Mentor Philosophy
“Crowns guide. They don’t necessarily do all the work themselves.”
Crown Holders are:
- Mentors, not managers
- Guides, not controllers
- Figureheads, not dictators
They set direction, ensure fairness, uphold values, and delegate operations.
The Ruprecht Principle
RUPRECHT [ ROO-prekt ] (n.)
The domain of authority held by each position in the cooperative hierarchy. Each role has “ruprecht” — the right to make final decisions within their area, earned through demonstrated competence and maintained through service.
Etymology: From “respect” + “right” — authority that commands respect because it is exercised with responsibility.
Key Rule: Those with ruprecht over a domain CANNOT be bypassed. The Crown cannot override a Captain’s local decision without process. This prevents both top-down tyranny AND bottom-up chaos.
On Legacy
The Founder doesn’t need to be remembered. The Founder needs the platform to work.
If Liana Banyan succeeds:
- Families eat dinner together
- Artists get paid fairly
- Innovators see their ideas manufactured
- Communities provide for their members
- The vulnerable have legal defense
If those things happen, it doesn’t matter whose name is on the building.
Closing Quote
“I don’t need to be in charge for this to work; what matters is that it WORKS.”
This document is part of the Under The Hood collection, the authoritative documentation of Liana Banyan’s systems and philosophy.
FOR THE KEEP!