But .. but .. .. my socks are fine aren't they .. ?

Hmmm .. money money money .. why do we use it, or more importantly why are we still using it?  Is it simply about assigning value or does it have a greater meaning .. what's its effect on us?  This time, let's touch on a brief history of dosh, and it's influence.

Allllrighty then .. where were we .. .

Ahhyes .. money ..

      .. money money money money money ..

       :\
 
There certainly is no shortage of writings on the subject ..
      .. philosophical, economical .. it’s impacts on society ..
      .. blah blah .. etc .. etc .. boring ..

         But what does it all mean .. ?

Well, without the usual economic rhetoric, let me throw my two cents in tell you what it means to me.

Historically, money was an obvious necessity.  In lieu of trade items, currency was developed not only to broaden the base of exchange between individuals, but also because carrying chickens around in your pocket was both uncomfortable and smelly.

Meaning for example .. if a farmer needed to acquire seed to plant his crops, which he would then use for trading .. how could he first get the seed, without already having his crops to trade with ..

      .. d'oh !     :\
 
So, out of this chicken or egg paradox spawn the need for currency, and the creation of credit (or debt).  This is still .. obviously .. a system that we use today .. the exchange of money, or use of credit, for goods and services.

      .. but what about  today .. ?..

      .. sure we still use that system, but is it really the same .. and is it really still necessary .. ?

Now again, there have been many writings on that subject too .. how money is nothing but a form of control, and how we’ve been lured into a form of economic slavery .. the creation and division of social classes based on wealth .. .  .. blah blah .. etc .. etc ..boring ..

      .. but really, at its core .. what is  money today ..

Money .. in my opinion mind you .. has more so become a type rating system, a method of persuasion, and ultimately, a roadblock to success .. period  .. er .. and yes, I half heartedly agree that it’s also a kind of control .. meh ..  :P

      .. hmmm .. looking back at that statement it seems wholly inadequate .. but hey, I’m not being          graded here, although it certainly does need some elaborating on.


Capital Persuasion – The Influence of Money
      .. hmmm .. that’d make a good book title actually .. if it isn’t already .. lol ..  :)

Money is without a doubt, a strong motivating force .. It can:
      .. encourage us to try harder, rewarding us for our efforts ..
      .. make us work a job we don’t necessarily enjoy ..
      .. persuade us to down a bottle of ketchup .. eeww .. which for the record, I’ve never done ..  :P

The most critical of those being number two .. work at a crappy job .. we’ve all done it.

      .. although, even the worst job can be enjoyable, it really depends on the people you work with ..
         but that’s not the point ..
 
The point is, that without the influence of money, many of the jobs required to sustain and maintain any type of civilization would be left vacant .. for example, I don’t care how great my partner would be, cleaning sewers has to be ghastly, and I certainly wouldn’t do it without getting paid ..

Worse yet, as a rating system, it divides us socially. People of similar incomes tend to group together, and become isolated from each other .. if I was to walk up to Joe Moneybags and try to become part of his group, in all likelihood I would be shunned.

      .. why .. ? .. because I’m not a cool, funny, artistic, sensitive, peanut butter loving guy .. ??

No, simply because I’m not in their 'class' .. sad but true.
 .. and yes .. a that’s broad generalization, but it’s mostly accurate wouldn't you think?

Worse still .. it can even be a measure of one’s self worth .. money undeniably influences our self esteem .. which is arguably the most important, and destructive point of all ..

However, on a more global nature, and that of an evolving society .. money is the  roadblock to success, and the detour to ruin .. hmm .. that sounded cleverer in my head .. hahaha ..  ;)

      .. feeding the hungry ..
      .. fixing our environment ..
      .. education ..
      .. finding cures for diseases or even just providing adequate health care ..
      .. the elimination or at least, reduction of many crimes ..

Geeeze .. the list really is exhaustive, and I’m not going to rehash them all here .. but my point is that money, or rather the lack of it, is preventing us from doing everything we need to sustain ourselves .. our planet .. and grow to our full potential ..

      .. it can make us do harmful, hurtful things ..
      .. it causes death on unfathomable scales ..

In fact, you could say money is the worst, most destructive weapon of mass destruction ever devised.        .. ooo, I bet typing that set off the ‘ol internet alarm somewhere .. lol ..
 
Really though, money has likely been linked to more heartache, suffering and death than anything else in the history of mankind.

So then .. why do we let this continue?

         “Well, Jimmy .. that’s just the way it is, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

      .. Wrong! .. er wait .. that deserves to be bolded .. let me try again ..
 
      . .. .

      .. Wrong! .. better ..  :)

That’s the worst argument I’ve ever heard .. it’s right up there with “you can’t fight the system” or “I know you are but what am I” .. saying you can’t change things because that’s just the way it is, or how it’s always been is like saying you can’t change your socks because you’ve had them on all day ..

      .. we can  change our socks, damn-it ! .. and we can  change the system  too ..

                                                                      . .. .


Well, this is getting quite long enough for one post, so tune in next time fellow bipeds, when I’ll start to discuss the process of change .. it really isn’t all that difficult thing to do .. or something equally riveting I’m sure .. hahah .. :P