Wednesday, February 20, 2013

ONE CENT

Been thinking about this since a relative sent me a link last month...money vs. wealth.

"Money is a system of abstract tokens that complex societies use to manage the distribution of goods and services, and that’s all it is. Money can consist of lumps of precious metal, pieces of paper decorated with the faces of dead politicians, digits in computer memory, or any number of other things, up to and including the sheer make-believe that underlies derivatives and the like. Important differences separate these various forms of money, depending on the ease or lack of same with which they can be manufactured, but everything that counts as money has one thing in common – it has only one of the two kinds of economic value.  Economists call those use value and exchange value."

I suggest you read the entire piece here: 
http://www.peakprosperity.com/blog/80556/tangled-relationship-wealth-money

For 5 years I have been trading savings which only has exchange value in order to build The Field Lab which is just beginning to have use value as well as exchange value.  The plan is that each penny spent will earn a return worth much more than value of the minted token.  Instead of investing in gold or silver, I have been investing in systems to grow food.  Precious metals might be a hedge on inflation, but you can't eat them.  75,82,34,0,W,0

11 comments:

Under The SC Sun said...

You have also been providing great inspiration through your perspiration and determination.

Thanks John.

Aaron said...

Hurricane Sandy should have been proof to millions of people that they are riding on the ragged edge of their own destruction. All of the money in the World won't put food in your belly or pump gas when the power goes out. I've been watching for over two years, and I love your approach. I hope to be your neighbor across 118 within the next year, and I'm watching for what your growing successes are.

Unknown said...

Thought maybe you poured some more concrete today. Instead you cemented my thoughts about spending it now because it won't be worth anything tomorrow. (Maybe I should watch the video.)

Dizzy-Dick said...

You philosophy of life is right on. But, you had to have some money so you could build The Field Lab. Exchanging your money for something of real value like you did is the way to live.

Dale said...

Good words John that could be etched in stone. The further you get from the need of currency the closer to true freedom you will be. Food, brains, barter and sweat equity!!

Any progress on getting milk goats?

Texas Guy said...

Does the face of that penny say
In God We Trust?

nature ramblings said...

Well said!

K1MGY said...

A former colleague, and an economist by trade, freely admitted to me that he went into his schooling with a firm belief in the integrity of the capitalist systems that drive world economies. Upon his graduation and launching into a more practical application of his trade, he was inclined to offer this when describing economics as we know it: "It's nothing but legalized gambling built upon a house of cards".

The coins help us achieve sustenance but offer nothing for creating sustainability. You do the latter by planting. The land, the work, and nature will not fail if we do our best.

We pay no tithe to the Sun, but we would be remiss to not give her some praise.


Carlos said...

Did some math, at my FCU, it takes $4,164.58 to earn 1 cent a day interest! This is what the banksters have done to the American worker! Guess what folks, every member of the Federally elected politicians are from the 1% including Obama(look at his investment trust income). They will not do anything for you that doesn't somehow enrich themselves. If the working and middle class are ever going to become the 'economic' power they were before the 1980's, they are going to have to wrest back control of their own economic futures from the enslavers by borrow little or nothing from the banksters and investing in really valuable things like land, primary economic education(learning how to grow your own food) and learing how to trade like our forefathers once did.

Allen Hare said...

Yep.

Greg said...

John, You are wise to reject the consumption society we have grown into and instead are putting your treasure into sustainable resources.

I am reminded though that as Christians, we are called to store up treasure for ourselves in Heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.