The Wrong System
Society, as we know it, has almost always been based on a capitalistic foundation. Money is at the center of it all. It is interesting to me that the most paramount aspect of our society is man made. It’s not natural at all. Man created currency as a way to control other men, and somehow it’s become the central operating agent of society.
This is mind boggling. I would have hoped for something more natural and God given, as opposed to an arbitrary value we put on a piece of paper or metal.
Don’t get me wrong, I do believe we can use capitalism and money to do good in the world, but that’s only because the world revolves around these elements. It’s a choice we make, to use this system for good.
All throughout history we can cite countless times when money, or lack there of, has caused serious devastation, corruption and death. Over thousands of years, man has built and fostered a society that revolves around a monetary system. It’s a system that intrinsically incorporates divisionism and fosters greed.
Have you ever wondered if maybe we built the wrong system? Think about it. The most prominent system in our world was built by humans in order to control other humans. And it’s carried out by arbitrarily giving value to a piece of paper or metal. This is what makes the world go round. Seems odd.
I’m fully aware that this sounds naïve and idealistic, but what if we had a system based on love instead? One where we valued life more than money? What if your frequency of kindness was the center of the value system?
To be honest, it’s almost unfathomable. How far have we gone down the road of selfishness, greed and dominance over others? Are we capable of operating within a new system? Are we capable of dissolving the one we’ve got?
If you put ten people on an island with nothing, I do believe it’s only a matter of time before someone assumes power and creates a monetary system that allows them to rule the rest. It just happens over and over because of man’s compulsion for power over others.
Money is necessary only because of our innate compulsion for power and control. Money is a produce of our selfishness. Yes, we can use it for good, but more in the same way that you can use a gun to protect someone.
I don’t have a solution or realistic alternative. This is just an observation along a continued journey to contribute to an egalitarian society.
With that in mind, the only thing a person can do is consistently value life over money. Stop doing things only for money. Stop thinking about the money and start thinking about your contribution to society. Stop valuing money over relationships.
Yes, I’m aware of how idealistic this (and most of my other philosophies) sound. But I will always stand by my belief that “we must be the change we want to see”, and we must exemplify love in all we do. It’s the only way.
I recently heard Rabbi Daniel Lapin talk. He said money is spiritual and the best thing you can do to help others is to get rich. You cannot get rich without serving other people; money is a by-product. Perhaps money is not a result of our selfishness, perhaps scarcity is a result of our selfishness.
In it’s basic form, a piece of paper called money is an example of faith; faith that I can exchange this for something of value. I’m not sure that an egalitarian society would place values on things any better than a capitalistic one does. Money is a pragmatic solution to a problem. But how do we change people’s hearts to place higher values on relationships?
Just my thoughts, I appreciate yours. They get me to think.
There is nothing in me that believes that we need money, as a society. We only “need” it because everyone is so committed to using it. Everyone is afraid that if they let it go, others wouldn’t. Then they are poor and others are rich, and they don’t want that. They loose the power.
And I don’t believe money is a biproduct of serving others. I live in Africa and I’ve lived in the inner city in the US. Enough said. I believe money SHOULD be the bi-product of serving others, and sometimes it is. They call that social entrepreneurialism.
Either way, I believe serving others should be the focus. Money shouldn’t. But as I have said many times, I believe that in this particular society, the one with the most money has the most power. And there is plenty of proof that philanthropists with the most money typically get the most done. What I’ve outlined in this post is an idealistic perspective that I wish were achievable. But it’s not. So, I choose to use money as a tool to serve. Unfortunately, it is among the most powerful tools available to us, because of the value that man has put on it.
An egalitarian society does not have to be exclusive of capitalism either. Theoretically both could work together. But only if humans denied all selfish tendencies. So, in theory it works, but in reality it’s impossible.