ACCEPTED
Unveiling Its Deeper Significance
Money, a concept often deemed straightforward, is a multifaceted phenomenon that represents the base-layer of our society. It serves as a store of value, a medium of exchange, and a unit of account, facilitating transactions and trade. However, do we all really know what money is at its core? Why do I think it is the most important technology for a well functioning society? Hence I ask you kindly:
What is money though? Really though? What is it?
The answer is not as straightforward as most think. I kindly ask you to do this thought exercise with me. Try and answer what money is in your own words. You will become my hero if you write down a few words, bullet points will do the job.
Try and answer what money is, where it comes from, what properties (functions) it should have. You will become a legend if you post your thoughts on Twitter, if you are crazy, leave it in the comments section on the Amongst Plebs website.
If you decide to post something on Twitter or the website, first one to post something will win a huge price – YUUUUGE! And no, you won’t get any money for it. But you might end up with a cool piece of Bitcoin merchandise, not some Bitcoin, nor a loaded Bitcoin Wallet.
Humbly you will get a top quality piece of Bitcoin Streetwear from the top streetwear brand in the Bitcoin space (the market does not know it yet).
Let’s get back to the topic of ‘ze money’.
Beyond its surface functions lie intricacies that often escape our everyday contemplation.
So, let’s contemplate together. I will continue this contemplation series, until I feel we have contemplated enough.
Money is a part of our everyday lives.
We use it to buy things, to pay for services, and to save for the future. But money is more than just a way to exchange goods and services. It is also a way to measure value, to store wealth, and to transfer energy over time.
Money is closely linked to other fundamental concepts, such as time, value, truth, and energy. These concepts are all interrelated, and they collectively shape our perception of reality. If this is all too abstract for you – good! I will try to explain why money = time, value, truth and energy. I believe they are powerful concepts to get a better understanding of money and
Let’s explore the 4 concepts more.
Time
Money is a way to store value over time. When we invest money, we are essentially betting that the value of the money will increase in the future. This is because money can be used to purchase goods and services that will be more valuable in the future.
Value
Money is a way to measure value. When we buy something, we are essentially saying that the value of the item is equal to the amount of money we are exchanging for it. This allows us to compare the value of different items and to make rational economic decisions.
Truth
Money can be used to represent truth. For example, a government might issue a currency that is backed by gold. This means that the value of the currency is directly linked to the value of the gold. This system of tying money to a physical commodity helps to ensure the stability of the currency and the trust that people have in it. Said differently, this link to something real anchors everyone using it in reality as well. It is much harder to cheat in such a system.
Energy
Money can be used to store energy. When we invest money in a business, we are essentially providing that business with the energy it needs to grow and prosper. This is because the money can be used to purchase the resources that the business needs, such as labor, materials, and equipment. You can also think of your life’s work as energy that you put in. Money is simply a measure of how much energy you put in. In an ideal world you would want to preserve your life’s energy 100% over time, without inefficiencies causing your life’s work to depreciate over time. That’s why inflation is such an unethical but deeply accepted feature of the current economic system. Inflation steels your life’s energy, slowly but surely it will consume it all if you don’t protect it properly.
Money anchors us in reality – at least it used to.
At its heart, money acts like a bridge connecting our actions in the here and now with a lasting impact in the future. It’s quite extraordinary how money can take what we do individually and turn it into something that lasts across time and space. The things we work on today, thanks to money, aren’t confined by time – they become part of a big, timeless effort that reaches far into the future.
With central banks constantly printing money out of thin air, that link is destroyed. Whatever we work for and try to save is de-valued with each additional unit of currency entering the system. We have no chance to take value with us and save it over time.
All of us have to become investment professionals on the side to preserve our works energy.
Which stock are you buying? What do you think of ETFs? Do you own gold? What about real-estate?
Most of us don’t remember, but when you study history, we used to be able to save in ‘money’: Gold namely.
You guessed right, there is new money in town, which is Bitcoin and hence everyone reading this should contemplate about his or her Bitcoin strategy.
Bitcoin lets us think beyond now, making our actions count for more than just today. In simpler words, with Bitcoin, we can choose to save for the future rather than spending everything right away, which an inflation based monetary system incentivizes. Be patient, start saving in Bitcoin, study it, and get a deep appreciation for the genius behind this important piece of technology.
Finally, let’s pause the money contemplations for now and I will see you again soon for some more.
Thanks to the following great minds that inspired the content of this article:
John Vallis – https://vida.page/johnkvallis
DerGigi – https://dergigi.com/
Robert Breedlove – https://vida.page/breedlove22
Your humble pleb – AleXeJ
