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I found an absolute gem of a shirt today. Only about three bucks. The message: I love money. On the back of the shirt it is written: $100 is better than 50 and $50 is better than 10.

For those that have not yet read Ayn Rand’s seminal work, Atlas Shrugged, I highly recommend doing so. But even for those that have not read it, and may be unfamiliar with Francisco’s “money speech,“ the point still stands, and the message remains equally potent: Money is a tool by which we trade value for value, and respect one another’s time, labor, efforts, and self ownership.

Joe may trade in wagon wheels. Tom may trade in butter. The problem? There always comes a time when either Joe does not need butter, or Tom does not need wagon wheels. The answer? A common means of exchange by which to trade value for value, which can be used by any individual member of a market at anytime, with any other individual member of said market or population.

This is precisely how, in years gone by, something as unexpectedly simple as a cowry shell gained value and was used as money. Folks today balk at the notion of using seashells for money. But the fact is that these individuals do not understand the true meaning of money. Money, as in the object itself, often has negligible value. The paper on which your fiat currency is printed is not so valuable. At least, not by most people’s standards.

So what makes money so valuable? People.

The reason the cowry shells of thousands of years ago had value was due to the fact that individual members of a population chose to value them in a group. A market. In other words, all value is subjective in nature. That is, economically speaking. The only reason your US dollar, your Japanese Yen, your Chinese Yuan, has any value, is because people use it and value it.

Now we come to an interesting distinction which should be made. Although people do value the afforementioned government fiat currencies, individuals value them because they are forced to. Competing currencies are not allowed to exist. Why not? Well, I think you know the answer. Imagine if you were in a position or seat of high power. Would you want competition which might threaten your position of authority? No, of course not. This is why highly functional, truly valuable, sound economic financial instruments, currencies, and monies are suppressed, maligned, and punished by governments world wide. This is also why cryptocurrencies are so revolutionary and so important.

More important than that, however, is this: human beings create value. Money is a symbol of the worth of man’s time, effort, and his life itself. It is a token of his struggle to survive, to thrive, and to find peace with in his community, society, and world at large.

Indeed, the Christian Bible maybe said to state that money is the root of all evil. But that is not correct. That is not even a correct interpretation of the passage. The passage actually states that the love of money is the root of all evil, but even that needs to be clarified. The meaning is referring to the fact that anyone who puts money above the value of life itself, is in error. However, this passage has been bastardized, manipulated, and twisted to serve the ends of an elite cartel of sociopathic bankers, lawyers, police and politicians, who want nothing more than to see you powerless, penniless, hopeless, and degraded as a human being. In other words, they want to see you as you are to them—a slave.

Indeed, when we look at things from this perspective we can see that sound money, sound economics, and recognizing and respecting the value of our fellow human beings and their lives is symbolized in fair and consensual economic exchange. Sound money dignifies human existence. The current financial paradigm of the state is debt-based. Your paper money is no longer backed by sound value. It is all borrowed. There is no gold behind your paper bills, and no real promise. Have a look at the US national debt clock if you don’t believe me!

Perpetual debt is the goal. Why? Because you are not a threat when you have no power financially. And for this reason I say loudly, proudly, and with no fear that yes, yes, YES! I do love money. I love it very much. And real, sound money is finally making a comeback! Why? Because logic and intelligence and the indomitable power of the human spirit and love are also making a “comeback.” Individuals all across the globe are waking up. The reign of parasites draws to a close, when the host no longer agrees to give blood.

~*~

~KafkA

!

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Graham Smith is a Voluntaryist activist, creator, and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as DLive and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person!)