I don't use Money

General Discussion
1

Hi Gang.


I only know vaguely where I fancy going on this one. But, not contrived to be inflammatory, I would like to hear people's views on cash! mazoma, dosh, ackers, folding, greenbacks, whatever.


I haven't chosen the proverbial 'Money is the root of all evil' as a title, and yes, most societies use a token of worth in order to function. Clearly we all do need money, but it is still only a 'token' as was Hilter's Riechmark post 30s depression.


I don't want to encourage the 'it's alright for you you've won the lottery comment' but hey ho, I WILL share it out with you guys, fairly and equally.


I read somewhere recently ( from a member ) that the reliance for Europe ( read in there, therefore the rest of the World ) on a monetary system is collapsing.


And from an Economics pundit that the days of Government, Welfare States, Pensions etc. are over, only the Business sector will finance schools, health, pensions, civil engineering, and qualified it with 'and that may not be a bad thing'.


I would pose this child like question. In the light of the Leeman Bros, uberselling, Fanny Mae, Northern rock Blah de Blah do we need cash at all?


On the assumption that we all eat carrots, maybe not? I use the carrots parallell as before, for a purpose which will become clear later.


Here goes. Take out cash from the equation, take out debt, balance of payments, the whole shooting match. Take out the 'ethos' ,the study, the mechanics of ECONOMY all together. Take out credit, and probably Profit. Certain Religions ( or is it one ) forbid the notion of 'profit' making.


Anyway, with all things stripped out , you are left with 7 billion hungry mouths to feed. But most, able and keen to 'work', to function, to do their bit. The carrot growers grow, the carrot packers pack, the delivery guys deliver, the supermarket sells the end user crunches. ( apart from my daughter who hates carrots ).


If it were to be a serious alternative then, yes, profit has to be eradicated, what are you left with? Totalitarianism, communism, Utopia? But pre -barter sticks, it seemed to work.


I think the 'profiteering element' is key here. The law of the jungle , survival of the fittest thing, amass and proper.


Your squirrel invests time in the gathering of nuts to see him/her through the Winter....economics? or just common sense?


Much of this is is idealogical clap trap shut up Birks! But where are we going, depleting the planets resources, heading for a new Jarrrow, WW3?


Rainng it back in a little. Picture this. You awake in a sorched Dessert , dying of thirst, you don't know where you are? ( hell of a Stag do ).


I front of you is a pitcher of clean water, a large ingot of Gold, and a 5 gall drum of DERV. Which has the the most value? Everything is relative. Anwsers on a Postcard please.


I don't really want to go down the avenue of half the Globe is starving why are we sending probes to Alpha Centari? I am keener to explore the Budhist (etc) theory, that the more you give, the more you get back.


The notion of favour swapping, altrusim. I have touched on these issues n previous profferings.


When it comes does what does human animal need?


Food, shelter, clothing? entertainment, transport? Not really a lot more at all. All of the above are, in fact, free, and some. How much an Oligarch's Yacht? A designer Dress, a Hollywood Mansion, an in-house Cinema set up. A shirt is a shirt, ? isn't it. Thank you Casper.


'l'll leave it there, see what happens. I don't need money. I have everything I need Govenor.


2

Quite right Jane,

A middle way, would be a workable hybrid. But as you say, how do you alter a mindset? certainly not by legislation 'Mousey Tongue' tried it, and he legacy seems to linger on in China town.

Coming from the make do and mend era I find consumables with a built in obsolescence quite an alarming concept.

Your later comment is also poignant, The Gas Guzzling US, having sucked a good drop of the black stuff out and sent the effluent skywards, may even begrudge the new China the 'joy' of a slab a of steak, again little ironic that the West may be leaning more towards, healthy, leaner, fresher,Asian, toffu, leaving the Chiese now to bloat and get cholesterol clogged. Interesting times, Jane.

I wonder if the new revenue streams of the digal era 'software' apps etc should be encouraged continue to burgeon, as they are more carbon neutral than shipping whites etc. But at least, where the farmers' markets are heading is a positive, keeping at least a portion of food production localised. Tax incentives could work here perhaps, if the Supermarket Overlords were bought into touch a bit.

3

The system has been geared to producing "stuff" for so long and growth is the be all and all. I believe that we need to find a middle way, but this will involve a change in mind-set for the young, the majority of whom seem to have been brought up to believe that they must have the "latest" gadget and their lives will be the poorer without it.

I remember our daughters being very upset when I refused to buy them "Sylvanian Families" at Christmas and explaining the ramifications of advertising aimed at children. They loved the gifts they did receive.

Perhaps we will yet see parents taking the wrapping off the christmas presents to use again next year?

As to the Global re-evaluation, the emerging countries seem hell bent on following the whole consumer thing. We cannot deny people wanting the washing machines, refridgerators, televisions etc. which have added to the comfort of our daily living, but will they be able to see that it is a very slippery path to follow.

4

Hello Jane,

I thank you for your correction. I will amend. I think you may be right. Do you think that there is a Global re-evaluation of the whole Money thing, ie over and above that of recent anti Capitalism protests?

Please forgive any poor grammer ( even that doen't look right ) and lack of research, I am not the most academic. The sad thing is that where we are, we have to keep producing 'stuff'. The Chinese make it, we buy it and they lend us the money to do so. Hiding to nothing?

5

I believe that the proverb is "The love of money is the root of all evil" and that this can be connected to the present dayin the rampant consumerism fuelled by debt.

Going back a good few years it seemed to start with "Keeping up with the Joneses", maybe now we will have a new topic of conversation at dinner parties, how little I paid for whatever.