For me, money is a form of energy. It helps me convert my ideas, dreams or vision into matter. It does this pretty fast as compared with other forms of energy (basically because we live in a money driven society and that makes it pretty common around us). But what I did found interesting is that the moment you don’t have a meaning between you and your money, you get burned. The same way you get burn when you stick your fingers into a power outlet. Stick there something meaningful, like a cooking device for instance, and voila, you transformed electricity (a form of energy) into matter. The same goes for money: as long as you chase empty numbers, you get burned. The moment you put a goal between you and money, like a travel, a lifestyle, a new experience, you’re safe.

As always, money is neutral in itself, it’s use who give a meaning (or not) to it.

Thanks, Ian, for making me think again at this

And I fully agree about the market .. especially when it comes to salary v contribution. I’m not sure if that’s due to the market system or capitalism. The market system is actually pretty intelligent .. but not the capital oriented economy. Capital goes to where the profit is – not where the contribution and value to the world is.

I have a degree in Economics. Funnily enough I was thinking the other day that economics is based on one thing .. that if the price goes up, demand goes down. There’s really not much more to it than that. So, yes, I don’t believe economists generally are able to take much into account that comes from the realm of human behaviour. What I learned at university was that economics assumes rational behaviour and that people are not rational so surprising things will happen. Sorry if I offended any economists reading. You’ll get over it.

I came to your blog by way of Evan’s blog . . . I’m glad he recommended it to us!

Anyway . . . one of the life lessons I have learned in the last 5-7 years is that the money I have in my hands (or bank account) is no more mine than the oxygen in my lungs is mine.

- Marie (Coming Out of the Trees)

I’m not sure is it is a consequence of being a measure of value or a third thing: money is a store of value. It can sit around not being used (or even sitting around becoming bigger just because there is a lot of it).

This has the tendency to perpetuate and increase social inequity.

As to monetary valuing of contribution: teachers are paid lots, homeschoolers nothing; people who play dress-ups before cameras can be paid millions, no parents I’ve heard of are paid anything similar. The market is no guide to value of contribution in my view.

I’d also like to know why economists are still listened to: they either didn’t predict or actively contributed to one of the greatest depressions in a century. Why are they still listened to: my view is that they are the priests of a religion.

Thanks for a thought provoking post.