- Lionel Leigo
- Dubbo
- Australia
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Why Money?
Why do we value money above most things?, why not love?, are we conditioned to do this?, are we consumers who want stuff?, can we ever go back to a barter economy?, please share your thoughts.
Krisztián Pintér 200+
edward long 100+
greg dahlen 30+
Adriaan Braam 20+
Amirpouya Ghaemiyan 50+
You know, there is no scale for trade and carrying your belongings everywhere is too dangerous.
In addition, maybe you don't have what the guy who owns what you want, wants. so there should be one or more mediums and it gets too difficult.
The only other way comes to my mind is communism, which is not that much impossible, but our society and every one of us are full of greed to have more. More of everything: Intelligence, wealth and even love !
For this undeniable greed, we need a capitalism system, or we'd better call it "economic jungle". Have more and be more, or stop and get removed.
I know what you mean, but nowadays, the greedier people rule, and they slave other because of their own benefits.
The best way to slave people is using their greed.
We are in a some kind of local to global ratrace. They rank us by our grades, by our rate of working, by our amount of money.
The best way to stop it is to get satisfied by what you got and who you are. Surely we cannot convince everybody to think so, but we can care about what we like to, love, for example.
I hope I understand your mean correctly.
Have a good time
Pabitra Mukhopadhyay 30+
We don't value money, we value the promises it make. Those promises are extremely necessary for us to look forward to and have delivered. Love is free. A relationship and it's maintenance may not be.
Of all the economic systems we know of including communism, Capitalism is by far the most effective. Not ideal but the only one to be working reasonably well. In this economic system money plays an extremely important role in determination of personal growth and progress.
However, this system has flaws. In short, the promises of money is not beyond question. Human wealth is ultimately based on natural resources and our present economic system either undervalues or does not take into account the natural capital. When you buy a Chinese mobile phone you don't pay (with money) the real cost of the hardship of the slaving worker neither the environmental costs of the rare earth metals that mobile technology uses.
I have attempted to seek answer to your question in my way, if you are interested.
http://pabitraspeaks.com/limits-to-growth-and-beyond-part-ii/
Lionel Leigo
perhaps a barter economy was a bit off the mark, perhaps an alternative credit system which is more fair in an international way.
Some great replies, thankyou soo much,
Maybe, the question should have been "Is there an alternative to money, and what might that be"?
Gail . 50+
The rule of this system says that in our culture, we will not survive without it. If the economy were to collapse (as I am convinced that it will anyway), we will starve to death - with no access to food because no one can buy fuel to transport it to our cities. We will freeze in winter without proper clothing - largely made unnecessary by temperature controls in our homes, offices, & autos. No more air conditioning either - or, without workers at the sewage processing plants, no indoor plumbing either. (Etc.)
That's the story line. It fits with our culture because our culture also says that we are a powerless, vulnerable species that is raised up above other animals because of our ingenuity and brain. We are vulnerable because we are individuals.
But there is another story line that most in this culture deny and fear. That story line is that we are a very powerful species. Thoughts, being electromagnetic energy, are things. We can use those things to provide our individual and common wants. No one is vulnerable who understands that vulnerability is a choice. (I speak of physical vulnerability - not emotional).
In the current culture, our greatest fear is our greatness, and our culture works very hard to ensure that we never see it. Fortunately, thanks largely to the Internet, more and more are figuring it out.
edward long 100+
W. Ying 10+
Using money is much more convenient than barter.
But it makes all evils of greed, inequality, crimes, wars, environmental crisis, .... human self-extinction.
If "we ever go back to a barter economy", then all these evils will go away.
.
Robert Winner 50+
Every thing has a value assigned .. even in bartering. How many potatoes for a small hog ... big hog, etc ... Money is bartering only more convienent than carrying your hog to the store. A persian rug has little value to the natives but when you and I arrive to haggle the low end cost goes up considerably. Your need for rice may outweigh your need for the pig so you are in a bad bargining position in bartering.
And finally, I know nothing of you, what price do you put on your wife, your child, your / their health, etc ...
Yeah ... all things are arguable and you may have a different priority system than Maslow.
As always I respect the reply from Fritzie below.
I wish you well. Bob.
Lionel Leigo
i think perhaps i do have a different priority system to Maslow, does that make me ill or neurotic?
I mean does being not in the top 1% make me a psyc cripple? i dont think so, but its an interesting point
Robert Winner 50+
More to the point of the conversation ... paragraph two addresses the issue you presented.
Bob.
Leo Taylor
Why do some people value money? It might be the same as asking why do some people value ____? Fill in the blank. Family, life, cars, sex, etc
Most people seem to value what money can buy and money is the tool to use. LOL. Of course some people just love tools.
Fritzie Reisner 100+