Can't We Live Without Money?

[The Simpleton 2]

Until today I had no reason to use The Vent but today's different. It's cool to have a place like this to purge out all feelings in as many words as possible

 

I'm not here today just because I'm angry at someone/something. I'm not even irritated. Well, maybe a little. I was daydreaming some time ago and began to think about the world and everything else. Three millenniums ago I don't know how many people existed on earth, but I can confidently say that their lives were far better than ours. Yes they fought wars and all but on the whole they were peaceful. And that was because they didn't live for money, as we do today.

 

If I'm not wrong, the barter system was the first method which is similar to the currency system we use today. If someone wanted something, they had to exchange it with something they already had. That was the barter system.Of course due to the many loopholes, it died soon. Then slowly, coins and then paper money were introduced and the greed for money began to torment people.

 

I'm no economist to know what will happen if all the money were to disappear from the world and people began to live without using money, but I think it is due to money that happiness is disappearing from everyone's lives. The rich people are unhappy because they're always greedy for more money and are worried about their security. The poor are unhappy because they barely get enough money to eat three meals a day. And the middle-class are unhappy because although they have the capacity to spend their money, they're afraid they might not have enough money later.

 

It's due to the single thing called money that there is so much unhappiness in the world. Seriously, can't we live without it?! It's driving everyone crazy. Just because someone has more stacks of paper that he calls money, he thinks he is greater than those who don't have those many papers! For getting the basic necessities of life this paper comes in the way. Can't we just throw away these papers?

 

Some people may say that money is the goal towards which everyone works for in life. It is such a bizarre goal! Why not have something more sensible? Why become machines who always look for more and more money, forgetting to enjoy life?

 

Well I've asked a lot of questions but sadly I don't know answers to most of them. As I said before, I really can't imagine what would happen if the currency system were to suddenly be removed from the world. There would be utter chaos, I guess. So maybe we need some kind of miracle where all the money should go, but also people should realise that they can live without money, by helping each other get what they want.

 

Oh well, that's just my thought. I know there are many loopholes in this as well, but I'll be waiting for your opinions.

[freshpub 0]

Actually I quite agree with you. Money is a bad thing that has become nearly as necessary as air to survive in the 'civilised' world.But if you go to one of the 'poor' countries on the other side of the world, you will fing that many people are quite happy to live without much money. They are just happy with their lot, so long as they manage to get enough food for their families, by working for ir or growng it themselves.If we were to revert to the barter system, we would still have greedy people trying to get their hands on more of what they want without paying much for it. But everyone would hopefully gain much in spirituality and peace of mind...I don't know how that change would happen either - because the greedy people are happy right now with money, and sadly enough they are the one in power - but I suppose it would be a nice goal to work towards

[mahesh2k 0]

Can't We Live Without Money? No. And what is wrong in money ? How i can appreciate those who work hard for my pleasure ? take case of computer software, hosting, hardware. almost everything that gives pleasure to us costs something. Directly in money or indirectly. I remember Donald trumps line "There is no free lunch". Everybody around us do things for others with something in mind. If this something is "money" then nothing wrong in it. It is easy to feel against money though, but try living without money and look how people around will treat you. Try living like jobless/broke then see how people treat you. People love you based on how much you earn and what stature you've, what education you've. What you've done with education and money so far decided how they treat you. and this in turn reflects with money numbers in bank. Try and impress any girl without any money/home/career, see if she gets impressed with it. And now let's talk about evils of money. ;-)

 

I don't intend to make debate on this, but this is what i have seen around me. One can only make difference in this world with these three things : Money, Education and Support of people.

[dolrich06 0]

No, because we wont be able to get the basic necessities to live in this world without money. There is no wrong with money, we worked for it to have better life.The only wrong I see, is when people wasted their lives just for the sake of it.

[Nameless_ 1]

Dude The Simpleton, I was at your stage of thought just a few weeks ago. And it has just come to me that this is how our society has worked out. You really can't change it. The whole world revolves around money. The whole economic system revolves around money. We work for money. We learn and educate ourselves for money. And we might even be doing our site and stuff for money too!!!I never actually got obsessed with money before. I never liked it. I think that it's very evil. But since I came to Xisto and realised that I have to post to earn money to host my stupid blog and /or website that I got obsessed with money making. And that is just so freaking stupid!!! I only want to make a freaking psychic phenomena development site and I still have to find money to do it. Just to help people out... I hate life... Yeah. Now it's kind of a vent of my own on the same topic as you, The Simpleton.Haven't you realised that every single political debate... well, whether it is political or not is about money? Should we use money on space travel? Should we fund for more schools? More public facilities? More books in public libraries? Should we stop smoking? What will happen to our economy?Blah dila di la Blah blah...It's just plain stupid.But we can't do anything about it, can we? It's just how our society has evolved...

[fermin25 3]

I'm no economist to know what will happen if all the money were to disappear from the world and people began to live without using money, but I think it is due to money that happiness is disappearing from everyone's lives. The rich people are unhappy because they're always greedy for more money and are worried about their security. The poor are unhappy because they barely get enough money to eat three meals a day. And the middle-class are unhappy because although they have the capacity to spend their money, they're afraid they might not have enough money later.

First of all the rich people don´t live unhappy because they are worried about their security. The rich people, the real rich people, earn so much money that the money is no more so important but the competence make them addicted to work and they start to work a lot, that is no unhappiness is an addiction to work, derived from the fun with the work and the competence. The poor people is not so happy but I think that live a better life than rich people. When I said a poor people is a people that only have money to the basics. So they are not so worried for the money, they live a limited-money life and they only deserve a better life with more money but the home and the children and the marriage couple, all this make the person a little happy and they forget the money problem and enjoy the life a little more because they have no a lot of worries.

We can´t live without money. The system is ok. If you sell a product you don´t have exchange for example beans for a suit, the money is universal and you can buy with the money whatever you want. The system is the problem but I am sure that if the people work a lot, maybe don´t get out from the poverty but maybe they can be less worried for the money. That is my opinion.

[chini13 11]

Hey so are so against the rich?? I feel like you are jealous of the rich ?? jking... But we can't live without money.We need money but if it was barter system if could have not needed money for sure :DTo survive in the world we need money but then how much do you want to hold depends on the person.Some keep the money only to fulfil basic requirement but some live for the luxury.I would say earning with wrong means would be bad but then if you have worked really hard for it and you earn a lot...Nothing bad about it..Who would hate the luxury after so much of hard work.U are worth that all!!!Its a matter of personal choice and its the way you handle the money.If the money spoils a human and humanity its entirely wrong though.Too much of money can make a person insane Its a mental phenomena if you keep your self grounded and live life with luxury then ..what a life it would be But you can't generalize like all rich are bad..NO ..Make me rich and see i will be a good human and a rich woman as well

[sheepdog 10]

I don't know that things were all that better way back when. Maybe they didn't have money, but they did have other valuables, like gold, and jewels, and land that people fought over. The barter system sounds good, but remember, you have to have something to barter. Say for instance, cattle were considered a valuable trade goods. People would still fight over the number of cows they had, the land to run the cows on, and poor people that didn't have many cows would be worried, and rich people would still take advantage of the poor people and make sure they didn't accumilate too many cows. So really, money isn't exactly the problem. Human greed is the basis for most of the worlds ills today.

[Bikerman 2]

I'm not here today just because I'm angry at someone/something. I'm not even irritated. Well, maybe a little. I was daydreaming some time ago and began to think about the world and everything else. Three millenniums ago I don't know how many people existed on earth, but I can confidently say that their lives were far better than ours. Yes they fought wars and all but on the whole they were peaceful. And that was because they didn't live for money, as we do today

Sure about that are you? I wonder what gives you such confidence.Here's what I know about 3 millenia ago...
The Babylonians were at constant war with the Assyrians. The Assyrians won in the second half of the 11th century BCE and immediately went to war with the Aramaeans.
The Jews (under David) were at war with the Phillistines. Most of the warfare in that era was pretty much like any other time - a matter of power and wealth - they certainly weren't fighting because they needed more room for their populations. Life expectancy would have been about 20ish, with over half of those born dying before their 5th birthday.
The rest depends pretty much were in the world you were. In my country it was the time of the Celts. Europe was entering the time of the Greeks (Doric era), the Egyptians are busy building pyramids. Amenemope was Pharaoh, busy accumulating money for his tomb.

All in all it was a pretty brutish time to be alive - however briefly. They were anything but peaceful, and certainly gave as much importance to money as we do, depending on where we are talking about. Subsistence nomads and very early farmers wouldn't have cared much about money, because what would they buy with it? They spent all their time trying to get enough food to eat and avoid falling prey to other tribes, starvation, cold or disease.

You can take it and welcome. Me, I'll stay right here thanks.

PS - yes they did have money. Standard units of 'wealth' go back much further - to at least 2500BCE in Egypt. Small gold bars or gold rings were used as payment for goods/services - not disimmilar to modern currency in some ways, but entirely based on the worth of the bar/ring rather than promisary notes from the bank with little intrinsic value but freely exchangable to the stated amount.
Edited August 5, 2010 by Bikerman (see edit history)

[kleong 0]

Because with money comes power, luxury, status, and maybe woman. That is why money is so important. No longer is money an object that you will need to bring food to the table.

[Bikerman 2]

Because with money comes power, luxury, status, and maybe woman. That is why money is so important. No longer is money an object that you will need to bring food to the table.

Really? I need money for my food - the shopkeeper always insists on having some off me before he lets me take the food home...

[networker 0]

In the old days people worked for necessity. These days they work for surplus.For a bigger house or better car, but what happens more often it seems, is that they workfor someone else s surplus. A new yacht for a CEO for example. In the old days people would more work for themselves rather than anybody else.The Industrial revolution changed all that. We've become much more uptight and materiallyoriented. What can one say but that it truly is a rat race.

[mahesh2k 0]

It's not about old or new age. That time population was less and so the needs as well. And now the population is increasing like virus how can we live without some trade ? money is just one form of it. I think those who advocate free or life without money should spend their time working for others for free and live without food before considering this. Comparing 2010's condition with medieval age is really not worth the brainstorm.

[Quatrux 4]

I doubt people could live without money, as having such a life, it would be impossible to live without money in most of places in the world, especially cities. Living only on trade is nearly impossible, it's possible to live like that in jungle, when there isn't much of resources and people, but in a city with million people it's impossible.and living without money, that everything is free, is utopia which humans can't reach in my opinion, as people seeks for power like any other animal on earth, everyone can't be equal, it's just impossible.People are dependent on currency, a better solution would be to find a better way to use money, to control money, as the current situation in the world isn't a perfect one.

[Anarchy5000 0]

Yes we could live in a world with no money, the only thing is money allows people to have more then someone else. So who decides who gets the prime beach front property with money out of the equation anyone could have it. Don't get me wrong I think it would be a grand thing if we got past the money mind set. There would be a lot less sick and staving people in the world. Also do we have the fore thought and will power not to waste more because things become free? What would we do when one still has to work in the fields while the other works in a office building? It is a great idea but I don't think the mass mindset is ready for that one just yet. It may suck but the money system forces some in society to contribute who may not other wise. Maybe some day our minds will evolve to where we could embrace a no money society but until then as a movie quote goes: free will it's a B@tch! lol