What is money?

[Michaelangelica]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01dtlzn
We dream about it, argue about it, worry about it, celebrate it, spend it, save it, we transfer it from one emotion to another. But what exactly is money? And why do we trust it? Frances Stonor Saunders takes a journey through some of the fundamentals of money.
During her journey she dips her toe into the world of quantitative easing. How is that money invented? Is it as real as the pieces of paper in our wallets? And she explores some of the reasons for the calls to return to a gold standard. Essentially, she tries to gain a better understanding of what this stuff which we call money is really about; how and why do we maintain our faith in it, or has it just become too complicated?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01dtlzn (radio)

[mischief]

Someone explained to me that money was just an idea backed by confidence.
When confidence was high money had more value, less and the value dropped.

That was many a year ago and sort of made sense then but doesnt now.
Maybe part of the problems we have with money is that we dont really understand what it is but rather hope we got enough of it anyway.

[annette]

It is just a means of energy transfer and not the only one. That way it can fluctuate in perceived value.

[ecodharmamark]

G'day All

Holmgren's 'essay' on 'money' (among other things) is available here.

Cheerio, Markos.

[Finchj]

A tool which has been elevated to God-like status among many humans.

[Michaelangelica]

I live without cash – and I manage just fine
Armed with a caravan, solar laptop and toothpaste made from washed-up cuttlefish bones, Mark Boyle gave up using cash
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environmen...-without-money

[mischief]

Thats a pretty powerful message and makes me feel ashamed for being so cowardly and not following suit.
Especially the point that money is the thing that distances us from the comsequences.
Time for time out to think more on this and actually do something alittle more effective.

[adiantum]

The person in that article reminds me of myself ten years ago. What he's doing is squatting, or interning, or caretaking on someone else's land. Someone else who is dealing with the money issues and who, sooner or later, but very likely, will have had enough of him and will give him the boot. The fundamental problem is land access. It's quite easy, as that article describes, to live on very little or no money, provided one has land access (and the knowledge to utilize the resources available from land access to obtain a subsistence). Something needs to change, and something seems likely to snap. In the US at least there's a large amount of unused/uncared for land and buildings and a large number of landless/houseless and increasingly desperate people. It's a big problem in what permaculture calls "invisible structures" that is begging and pleading for a creative solution...hopefully one not involving violence!

[JolyV]

It is just a means of energy transfer and not the only one. That way it can fluctuate in perceived value.

or the devil between us

[Michaelangelica]

Where is money?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2...fshore-economy