Dollar Bill…
        Social and psychological value of money
- Money is universally valued; so much so, that we take its value as self-evident and in need of no explanation. Money today is valued for the products and services for which it can be exchanged, the security it provides against unexpected needs, the economic power it generates, the political influence it exerts, the social status it offers to those who possess it, the self-confidence and sense of accomplishment it fosters in those who earn it.
- Theories abound to explain the economic value of money in terms of purchasing power. But in order to fully understand the value of money, economic theory is not sufficient. Money has acquired the all-pervasive value that it possesses today by a slow evolutionary process that can be most easily understood by tracing its social and psychological origins from ancient times. Money has to be viewed in a wider context as a social institution based on the consent of the population and as a psychological symbol based on the consent of the of the population and as a psychological symbol based on the consent of the -Wikipedia
Same ole story. Money. Why is it so darn relevent? It is just a dirty, stinky piece of paper. It disgusts me, but it also excites me. I hate how it is so thin that when I throw a $5 in my purse, it gets lost among my semi-acknowledgeable receipts and gum rappers. I do, however, like how it makes me feel every other Friday. Knowing that money is hibernating  in my account adds a bounce to my step. We choose our jobs by it, money determines where we live and sometimes what we eat. It also gets a headcount when we choose our mate.
I wish we could go back to the barter system when we had to determine what we really needed and what we would sacrifice to get it. That would make us think. Wouldn’t it?
 What do you think??Â
I am a strong advocate of the barter system, as I, too, have a love-hate relationship with that despicable piece of paper that people would do anything for.
I touched on it here, in a blog of mine.
It’s quite silly that we center our world around an imaginary system.
Comment by annie lou — March 7, 2007 @ 7:41 pm
So you women do use money as a criterion for a mate! I knew it!
What if all I had to barter was my art? I’m a terrible artist…
Doesn’t money provide a universal view of what is valuable, something we can “quantify” no matter where we are from? It allows us to have a share “belief” instead of millions of separate ones and is necessary for a large society of people to coexist.
Comment by Eric Brown — March 7, 2007 @ 10:06 pm
That’s a very interesting way to look at it, Eric. I had never considered it in that sense.
Although, I find it kind of sad that we all need to share a belief in something such as money. Don’t get me wrong; I can appreciate the idea of everyone peaceably sharing a belief in something, except for the fact that there’s nothing peaceful about money. People kill, cheat, and steal (among other things) for money. How appropriate that as a society the one thing we put all of ourselves into is seemingly evil.
I think it all boils down to too many damn people along with advancements in technology and transportation. These things have brought about just as much bas as good.
Comment by annie lou — March 8, 2007 @ 12:19 pm
Religion is also suppose to unify, and instead it separates. People share one good belief system and yet they kill or commit other crimes as a result of it. Maybe it’s not the beliefs which could be inherently good, but rather our free will and interpretation.
Comment by Eric Brown — March 8, 2007 @ 12:45 pm
Everything does look better on paper.
Comment by annie lou — March 8, 2007 @ 1:10 pm
I find the expression “The Almighty Dollar” funny. Money in a way IS a religion.
Does anyone watch the show Jericho? It’s interesting because the US is forced to go back to the barter system after the bombs drop…and yet everyone is still concerned with having more than others. They fight, kill, cheat, steal etc.
I think society is to advanced to be able to go back to a supportive relationship where once helps the other. It’s like a bad marriage. You can’t go back to the beginning lol.
Comment by Eric Brown — March 8, 2007 @ 1:26 pm
Nikki, what made you think to write about the Dollar?
Comment by Eric Brown — March 8, 2007 @ 4:57 pm