h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Money - A1155467
Author: Liff - U235244

What do you think?

It's only paper money that requires belief, coins are coins are coins and you exchange them for goods, paper money is a promise that you'll get the money.

I think it's a bit brief, I'm afraid. The subject is a good one for sceptical writing, but you need to work at it to be worthwhile.

You read this? A827381

Coins have no value except for the one we give them.

Yes, it is rather short, I could probably improve it greatly, but after reading the text you suggested, I'm afraid I believe it's been done.

I might change it though... perhaps take on a different tone.

Coins have the value of the metals they're made of. Paper money has no value at all, it is the promise that has value.

Without money we'd have to pray for a utopian society and we all know how well THAT worked out in practice .

Spynxxx

well liff, I would say it is human hands we have to think about here - many things fall into human hands, money being one of them. Hands can create beauty and hands can create destruction.

Or to put it less cryptically, its not the fact of money - or anything else that falls into our hands - its the way we sculpt it that gives it its shape ..

any palm readers out there? is there a money-line?

helen

Palm-readers were surfers before the internet existed.

As for what we make of things... sure, that is the answer to virtually anything. Everything is what we make of it.

The thing is, money pratically rules our way of living these days. And in itself it has no worth. It is one massive socially acceptable mass hysteria.

- fair enough, lill, fair enough -

I know people who are experimenting with alternatives to money - using barter of possessions or skills - also living off the land etc. they evolve ideas as they go and they seem to be very fulfilled in their lifestyle -

maybe you yourself could be the brains behind many a viable alternative -

- and, yes, I also know people who have sold their souls to money and they are the living dead -

sure you're right - money does rule our way of living too much - a "socially acceptable mass hysteria" - I like that! somewhere though I want to support another way but stand up for money at the same time - find balance, so it doesn't have to be such a mass hysteria -

I know that at my stage in life I am someone who can have money in her pocket but not be ruled by it - its something that I have worked on over the years. Sure its worthless in itself, but it buys food and water, and even though I can see your side of things, I'm OK with it. I suppose that if the (extinct?) palm reader told me the money line was doomed my first thought would be how to get one meal a day, and that precious water - the rest I could compromise, even do without if pushed ....is that hysteria or just survival? I think I'll work on something that I can trade - so that I am ready to join my friends in their barter system ..

maybe the mass hysteria is basic survival instincts gone wild ...

thanks lill - write on! I like the discussion -

helen

ps - I actually do know a palm reader - gonna go and find her .....

I beg to differ. Money is not the problem, it's those whose blind pursuit of such tramples roughshod over everyone and everything that is really of issue here. And that sort of ambition extends to every form of currency on every level, be it money or power.To blindly say money 'practically rules' my life or any others is a doing us just happy to be alive a great injustice .

Spynxxx