Meconomics: I Want my Needs and Need my Wants to be Satisfied

The economic problem – the corner stone of economic theory – is defined as the satisfaction of unlimited wants and needs in a world with finite/limited physical resources. This implies that not all wants and needs can be satisfied, so the questions economic models attempt to answer are: How is it decided which wants and needs will be satisfied? How is it decided whose wants and needs will be satisfied? In our world today – the answer is: “those who can pay for the satisfaction of their wants and needs will see them satisfied, those who can’t pay for it – well, sorry, we have to draw the line somewhere”.

As I was reading about the economic problem for the first time – I found it fascinating that they used the words ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ in the same way and treated them as one term – like this: ‘wants&needs’ – lol. The difference between wants and needs was briefly explained, but then both words were thrown under the ‘wants&needs’ banner – as though ‘needs’ carry the same characteristics as ‘wants’ and ‘wants’ carry the same characteristics as ‘needs’. When you approach the economic problem by reading the words ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ as ‘wants&needs’ - then the world as it is today might make sense to you – then the economic problem might actually be a justification for the desolation and lack in which millions live. Perhaps that is how economists want us to read the words, so that we won’t hold them accountable for not yet having come up with a better solution.

‘Wants’ and ‘needs’, however, are two very different things. ‘Needs’ are things you NEED – that you cannot go without or you will be physically and emotionally compromised. ‘Wants’ are things you WANT – they go beyond what you ‘need’ – you can go without, but you would like or prefer to experience them or have them in your life. It is true to say that if you tally up all the individual wants of all the people on the planet – you will end up with ‘unlimited wants’. The same is not true for needs, however – there are certain things no human being can go without – say food, water, shelter, social interaction, medical support – where this is the same for every single person by virtue of them being ‘a human’ – and where for some, dependent on personal situations and circumstances, the list is expanded to include a few other things as well.

Considering that needs are limited – we may actually be able to satisfy the needs of all the human beings on the planet – and it is known that we can. So – instead of trying to work with ‘wants&needs’ where the task seems impossible and full of ‘sorry’s, we have to draw the line somewhere’ – we could start with the part that IS possible – satisfying everyone’s needs – and only then design an additional system or model that draws lines for ‘wants’. Our current model is one where some are able to satisfy all their needs and most of their wants, while others are not supported in their basic needs – which, you have to admit, is quite an insane situation. Part of why this is allowed is due to… ‘wants&needs’.

Now – this blog is part of my ‘Meconomics’ series – so you can already guess where I am taking this discussion next… For this situation to be as it is – with so few raising their voice and spurring into action to change the status quo – I started wondering how the same point exists within ourselves. The same point, meaning: do we in fact have a clear understanding of the difference between ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ inside ourselves and do we approach ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ appropriately in our own personal lives?

True story: Earlier as I was writing this blog and came to the section of clarifying the words ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ – I first took the easy route of simply looking up the words in the dictionary and copy/pasting the definitions in my blog. But! I couldn’t use those definitions, because they would have perpetuated the confusion between the words rather than clarifying the difference between them. Have a look:

If the dictionary uses the word ‘want’ to clarify the word ‘need’ and uses the word ‘need’ to clarify the word ‘want’ – we can be sure we’re on to something. Does this mean that wants simply imply needs and that needs imply wants – because the dictionary says so? No. Remember, dictionaries will reflect our own language usage – so if the word ‘want’ has been used over time to indicate a ‘need’ – then it becomes an ‘accepted use of the word’ and is reflected in the dictionary as such. In the same way, the word ‘need’ has been used to describe ‘wants’ – and so it has become ‘normal’. What the dictionary then shows is how we have confused the meanings of the words ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ for ourselves and started using the terms as synonyms.

In my next blog I will continue exploring how the ‘merging’ of the words ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ as ‘wants&needs’ affects and influences us on a personal level so that we can get a better understanding of the world as it exists today within the principle 'as above, so below'.

Read More

Day 184: The Relationship between Ecology and Economics in Equal Money Capitalism

 The Problem

One of the major fundamental problems of the current economic system is its relationship to Ecology. What has been forgotten or not considered, is that both the words 'ecology' and 'economy' have their origins in the same word: the Greek word 'οἴκος' - which means 'house'. The ecology is the study of the house, or the environment - where ecology studies what conditions and principles require to be in place in an environment for species to flourish in it. Economy, then is the management of the house or the environment. Knowing this, we would expect that both work very closely together and that, economics is in service of ecology - because what's the use of managing the environment if it's not in service of making sure that the conditions and principles in place are those that provide optimal support?

Though - in today's world, the opposite happens - the economy is seen to be more important than ecology. It's okay to try to establish an optimal environment, but only in so far as it does not harm the economy. Whaaaaat?! That's, like, the world in reverse. And then the environment is attempted to be valued in economic terms by placing a price on it - instead of looking at the basic value of a forest in terms of what its role is within the ecosystem that we all benefit from.

The Solution

In EMC - we place everything back in its rightful place - where first the conditions and principles are studied in terms of what is required to be in place for the environment and in an environment for species to flourish together as part of the same ecosystem - the same house. In this, we look at all the different kinds of environments - like nature, like a family, like your human physical body, like a school, like a company like a community. Once those conditions and principles have been identified, we can look at how to manage the resources the Earth provides in a way to satisfy these conditions and principles. The same approach will be applied for all Life - not only the human species - because animals for instance form part of an ecosystem and a balanced ecosystem is the one that is most supportive.

So studies like ecology, physics, sociology, education, psychology will form the basis of economics and not the other way around - where today, economics determines science in terms of what is currently being researched as that which is the most profitable.

Rewards

The idea that humans are more than the environment will be disengaged, as we will realize that both require to support each other if we're going to attempt to effectively share the same planet. The human, then, will transform from a parasite to an expression of Life.

Living within supportive environments will allow us to flourish as individuals, as communities, as a species, able to explore and expand ourselves to reach our full potential as a part of Life on Earth.

We will no longer have to break our heads about how to mitigate all the damaging effects of our economy and feel guilty about passing on our mess to the next generation - because we will bring children into a world that is already effective, that is already balanced, that is already equipped to adequately support itself and them.

Most problems that are created as a consequence of inadequacies within environments will be eliminated. This means - an extensive reduction in health problems, an extensive reduction of stress and midlife crises as a result of counter-supportive work-environments, an extensive reduction of psychological problems, an extensive reduction of extinctions of animal species, an extensive reduction of abuse in families - because within correcting the foundational problems within all kinds of environments, we eliminate the root causes of much of the dysfunctional behaviors on a physical, social and psychological level that we are faced with today.

Related articles

• Day 183: The Myth of No Alternative and Equal Money Capitalism
• Day 181: Applied Equality in Equal Money Capitalism
• Day 167: Harmony and Equilibrium within Equal Money Capitalism
• The Future of Integrity with Equal Money Capitalism
• Day 259: Give Happiness, Get Happiness
• Day 180: The Word 'Capitalism' in 'Equal Money Capitalism'
• Day 159: Energy and Equal Money - Blind Spot
• Day 165: Equal Profit Share and Equal Money Capitalism
• Day 163: Equal Money Capitalism - Redefining Profit
• Day 162: EQUAL MONEY CAPITALISM - The Way Forward

Read More

Day 180: The Word 'Capitalism' in 'Equal Money Capitalism'

The Problem

If we want to correct the current capitalistic system, we have to correct the very starting point as what drives capitalism at the moment. And to do this, we look at the meaning of the word 'Capitalism' and what the origin is of the word in terms of how it is currently defined - as this will reveal the essence of the problem from which all the inadequate consequences of the current economic system as 'capitalism' flow. Once we see the origin of the word and how, from this origin, the entirety of the capitalistic system was created, we are able to REDEFINE the word 'Capitalism' in a way that it represents an economic system that produces the best results for everyone. So, understand that the word 'Capitalism' in itself is not the problem - it's just a word - a string of letters placed together to form a sound. The problem is the meaning we have given to the word and how we currently live out this word in our every day lives, without even being aware of it.

So - let's shed some light on the origin of the word 'Capitalism':

"The lexical roots of the word capital reveal roots in the trade and ownership of animals. The Latin root of the word capital is 'capitalis', from the proto-Indo-European 'kaput', which means "head", this being how wealth was measured. The more heads of cattle, the better."

Source: http://circleof13.blogspot.com/2009/04/etymology-of-capitalism.html

From this etymological explanation of the word, it is clear that the more 'heads' of cattle you owned, the more value you had. And, if we have a look at capitalism today: it still works according to the same principle: the more you own, the more you are, the more value you have, the more influence you have, the better a life you live.

What does this reveal about the word 'Capitalism' as how it is currently lived?

It shows how we have misplaced our sense of self-value through defining how valuable we are in something 'outside' of ourselves, more specifically: in the ownership of resources - where resources can mean animals, laborers, equipment, land, and 'stuff' in general. We've come to believe that our value is dependent on how much we have - because that is how 'the world', or rather, the economic system, has treated us: if you don't have anything, then you're not considered, you're not a part of the economy, you're not supported. And, obviously, if you're not considered, included or supported, it means you're not valued. If everyone were valued by the current economic system, then the system would consider, support and include everyone - but this is not the case.

The Solution

The solution to the problem can be found within the very same origin of the word 'Capitalism' - specifically, within the root of the word referring to a 'head'. Though, instead of looking at how many heads someone owns 'outside' of themselves, as in how many heads of cattle, for instance - let's look at how many heads a person really truly owns - and the only head a person every truly owns is one's own head. It makes no sense to claim that one can 'own' a part of nature or the Earth - as physical resources - outside of oneself. Why? Because the Earth and nature were here long before us and they will remain here after we are gone - so how can we say that any of it is 'ours' - it's not ours.

Each one owns one head and one head is all we require - and with each one owning one head, each one has equal value. A person's value should not be defined by anything outside of the person. The fact that a person comes into being, that a baby is born - should be enough to recognize that this person, this being, has value - simply because it is a part of Life.

Therefore, Capitalism can be defined as:

An economic system that recognizes each one's inherent self-value as being a part of Life, that recognizes this value of each being to be equal - and that strives to consider and support each one's value, because in supporting each one's value as a part of Life, we support Life as a whole - this including humans, animals, and nature.

The Rewards

Redefining the word 'Capitalism' in this way will not only have rewards on an economic level, because we are in fact re-aligning our entire value-system from ownership to Life. What rewards will this bring about?

We will no longer twist and shape ourselves in an attempt to try and get recognition and validation from others, because we will simply recognize and validate ourselves as Life. This means we will save ourselves so much worrying and sorrow over what other people think about us and instead, we'll have the space, energy and confidence to really express ourselves in terms of our particular capital.

Each one has equal value, but that does not mean that each one has the same capital. Capital is that which is particular to your expression and capabilities with which you are able to contribute to Life - in terms of making Life richer and better for everyone. We know each one's capital is not the same - some are more artistic, while others have a passion for engineering. This doesn't mean that an artist is worth less or more than an engineer - it simply means that those beings have a different type of capital - but both artists and engineers contribute to making Life on Earth richer and better.

So, Equal Money Capitalism will be an economic system that capitalizes on each one's particular capital - using the 1 + 1 + 1 equation to make Life on Earth the best it can be. This means that no-one's capital will be wasted, downplayed or ignored. Everyone will be able to engage and be a part of making this world a world of value. It means that one can be proud of oneself and proud of one's job - because your job becomes an expression of who you are - and not just a means to survive.

Within Equal Money Capitalism, each one will be valued and thus, supported, which means no more worrying about your quality of Life or the need to survive, because this will be guaranteed. It means no more worrying about your children's life and their future - because this will be guaranteed. It means there will be no more slaves doing another's hard or dirty jobs, because each one will value themselves and no-one will be willing to subject themselves to the will of another in order to get by.

And so, as you can see - redefining the word Capitalism will make it possible to create a Capitalistic system that will in fact change the face of the Earth and will change Life on Earth in about every way. The rewards will be all that you had always wanted, but were never able to achieve in the current economic system.

Related articles

• Day 175: The Economic Problem and Equal Money Capitalism
• Day 162: EQUAL MONEY CAPITALISM - The Way Forward
• Day 259: Give Happiness, Get Happiness
• Day 171: Life-Force and Expression in Equal Money Capitalism
• Day 174: Loyalty to Life in Equal Money Capitalism
• Day 165: Equal Profit Share and Equal Money Capitalism
• Day 173: Supply, Demand, Business and Scarcity in Equal Money Capitalism
• The Future of Integrity with Equal Money Capitalism
• Day 179: Resource-ism, not racism, lies behind SA's race talk
• Day 163: Equal Money Capitalism - Redefining Profit

Read More

Day 179: Resource-ism, not racism, lies behind SA's race talk

For more context please read:

Resource-ism, not racism, lies behind SA's race talk

The Problem:

“The issue is not about racism anymore, but that's how it comes across because resources are still divided along racial lines in South Africa. It is about resource-ism. Who has the easiest access to resources, who has the greatest means and who benefits the most from them? This is what is causing the greatest unease in South Africa. We talk about the past because the past has a direct correlation to resource-ism and access to those resources.

What we need to do as a country is embark on a very deliberate effort to ensure that we combat resource-ism. We can do that by ensuring that more people have opportunity and access.”
http://mg.co.za/article/2013-01-17-resource-sim-not-racism-lies-behind-sas-race-talk  

Currently in South Africa, massive inequality it still a huge problem. Whenever the issue of inequality is addressed on say the news or the radio – it always comes down to racism, about “black versus white”. What is often not mentioned is that inequality in South Africa, and all over the world for that matter – goes beyond race and is essentially a money issue: a resource access issue.

In the case of South Africa, the unequal distribution of resources as a result of racism in the past, is still today causing much conflict and disharmony.

The Solution:

It’s time to stop thinking in terms of race, colour or ethnicity -- but to think of people in terms of human beings. Whether you are black, white, coloured, Asian, Indian, etc. – it does not matter. In terms of our Life on Earth, we all have the same requirements and share the same basic needs that required to be met to live a fulfilled Life. Equal Money Capitalism goes beyond race and goes straight to the core as valuing each person Equally on the premise of Life. In the economic realm, this gets translated into guaranteed employment which in turn guarantees access to resources.

The Reward:

Treating everyone from a starting point of Equality and allowing this Equality to manifest in physical reality by embedding it into the fabric of the economic system will decrease crime immensely. Crimes in relation to survival will be non-existent as everyone’s basic needs will be taken care of through both employment and government service. Treating and valuing everyone equally will release us from crimes of hate and discrimination – where we no longer have to fear our neighbours simply because they have a different skin colour and due to past inequalities in relation to race are still in a disadvantages situation, and may possible want to reverse this disadvantage through ‘revenge’. Especially in terms of South Africa, fences will disappear around houses making people feel less jailed and kids will be able to play outside without the kids and the parents having to be worried about tension caused by inequality.  We will have transcended inequality which is a gift in itself to ourselves as humanity.

Related articles

• Day 269: When Cycles Collide
• Day 143: The Neo-Apartheid Era
• Day 220: The Greatest Cult in History
• Day 178: Zuma says to benefactors: "Everything you touch will multiply" - EMC will End Corruption
• Day 20 - ANC Squanders Taxpayers Money Under NeoApartheid
• Day 22 - Neo Apartheid: Steal from the Poor and give to the Rich

Read More

Day 175: The Economic Problem and Equal Money Capitalism

The Problem

The fundamental question which economics is built upon, is how to deal with limited means in conjunction with unlimited wants. It takes on the starting point that we live in a world of scarcity, of of finite resources – but that we also live in a world where humans have unlimited wants and needs, and thus inevitably not all wants and needs will be satisfied.

This is where the Pricing system within Economics comes from, where the price is determined through the interaction of supply and demand. Prices on products and services, are in the end an ‘elimination’ tool. Because we have only so many resources, and not everyone will be able to get them to satisfy their wants and needs – the pricing system works as a distribution system. If a loaf of bread is sold at $1 each – then this implies that everyone who has $1 and is willing to spend that one dollar on bread can do so. This also means that anyone who doesn’t have $1 dollar to spend on bread but wants and NEEDS bread to be able to survive = won’t be able to get bread.

So it seems that the distribution problem of ‘who gets what’ is solved – but this a more than ineffective solution, and is really unacceptable. 

Firstly, the problem starts already in the formulation of ‘the economic problem’. The problem lies in not making a distinction between wants and needs. It’s one thing to say that wants are unlimited and another to say that needs are unlimited. Sure, we can all make up unlimited wants, like wanting a cruise ship, a place, a few villas and a unicorn – but needs are not unlimited and can be clearly defined, such as say food, security, clothing, housing, medical care, participation, leisure, education, etc.

The second problem arises when we look at our current distribution system within the way things are priced. Everything is price based, so even if things are scarce and finite – if you have the money, you can still get your hands on ‘scarce resources’ even though others can’t. This implies that some can exploit the amount of money they have available to use as many resources as they like, while less and less is available for others, and where others may not even have the financial means to acquire what is left.  Our pricing system is then in fact, a system of blatant discrimination. We are no longer looking at how we can support ourselves living life on this Earth – but playing a game of ruthless and unfair competition causing some to live in abundance while others live on the brink of death.

The Solution

The solution is a simple one, we require to re-evaluate the ‘economic problem’ as we have accepted and allowed ourselves to define it. A distinction needs to be made between needs and wants, where needs come prior to wants at all times, as part of being a Basic Human Right.

Instead of having a distribution system based on discrimination, we require a distribution system of inclusion, and this inclusion is that of Life – where the Real Capital that has actual Real Value is recognized as Life.  This is how the Equal Money Capitalistic System will operate.  It’s a biocentric system, and this is reflected within the pricing of Goods and Services. Pricing will reflect the value that has been added through individuals’ contribution as labour. Within this, each participant, each contributor – will receive an Equal Profit-Share of the sale of the product/service.

From Day 163: Equal Money Capitalism - Redefining Profit:

WHAT IS PROFIT-SHARE?
Currently profit is the money a company makes after they have covered their costs, including paying out wages. In an EMC - profit comprises of all the added value that is placed on resources - which is your labour. Therefore - within the price, the percentage share must be included of each one that was part of the creation of the product in such a way that each one ends up with an equal share of the company's profits, so - there will be no need for wages - as the profit becomes your wage.

EQUALIZING WAGES – COOPERATION AMONG CORPORATIONS
If a company at any time makes more money than they need to provide each one with their equal share of the profit as well as covering their costs - those monies will go into a fund that is responsible for assisting companies that are not making sufficient to cover their costs and provide each one with their fair share. That way a balancing effect takes place so that all companies are not only cooperatives in how they cooperate internally - but all cooperate with each other as well.

Equal Money Capitalism will ensure a Dignified Life for everyone, as everyone will be in a position to acquire resources to support themselves to Live their Life, where needs are taken care of while still allowing for wants to be explored.

The Reward

Within Equal Money Capitalism, one will be birthed into a world where one’s life is secure. Currently, the main point of focus that pre-occupies people’s lives is that of money, which turns Life to being a strife, becoming about survival. When you have a child in Equal Money Capitalism, you do not have to worry about your child’s future and how you’re going to fund it with while trying to make ends meet. Your life and your child’s – your entire family’s Life = is guaranteed.

It is in essence a Life where Fear as being part of everyday Life is removed, and where one can truly live and explore – to really find out what it means to live here on Earth in an enjoyable, yet responsible way.

Related articles

• Human Sweatshops will END in Equal Money Capitalism - Day 275
• Day 163: Equal Money Capitalism - Redefining Profit
• Day 171: Life-Force and Expression in Equal Money Capitalism
• Day 166: Corporate Social Responsibility in Equal Money Capitalism
• Day 173: Supply, Demand, Business and Scarcity in Equal Money Capitalism
• Equal Money: We want the Best Life for YOU. Do You?

Read More

Day 168: The Future of Integrity with Equal Money Capitalism

Note: The EMC is an entirely new project that was started a week ago. We’re at the moment in the phase where we are brainstorming by answering questions. It’s a messy process – but an effective one to get all the relevant points addressed. So – also note that points will evolve and change as we go as we are not setting things in stone, but on a journey towards designing the EMC. The principles upon which EMC is based are laid out in the previous blog-posts. From those principles, we work our way towards what life in EMC would practically be like and how the system will function from an economic perspective.

Money in EMC

Q: What will money be backed by? will anything give it its value...or is that not necessary?

A: Life value will back money -- Labour backs money - which is your capital - that is why the money supply will increase and decrease according to population as each one requires to have an income that recognises their life value and that allows them to live a life worth living.

Q: In terms of printing money and the paper and money that costs, rather turning everything digital ?

A: Yes - digital - let's not kill trees for no reason.

Politics in EMC

Q: Who will sit in governmental positions? no more elections?

A: Politics will largely remain the same as within the EMS proposal - so, yes - there will still be elections. To read up on this point, please read: http://equalmoney.org/wiki/Politics

Q: will we vote on every decision directly through internet? Or still elect once every 5 years and they can do whatever they want after elected?

A: This will be organised in the same was as presented in the Equal Money System wiki: direct democracy - everyone is directly involved in policy making

What about those who provide services instead of goods?

Q: How do people earn an income from jobs that don't produce a product that is purchased, or will everyone need to do a job that produces something to be bought? Or does compensation also happen as paid from the government not just consumers purchasing products?
A: Any value that is added, whether through providing goods or services, will be compensated. So – the same principle applies to employees in companies that produce goods and employees of companies that provide services – the price of the good or the service is determined in such a way that all participants receive a fair share of the profit so that all end up with an equal income. In terms of those working for the government or providing government services – they will also receive an equal income – this is the purpose of taxation.

How to Ensure Full Employment?

Q: How do we make sure everyone is employed; will we have to create meaningless jobs like in the army – dig a hole, cover a hole? 

A: There are many jobs that require to be done that aren't being done at the moment - the Earth is barely taken care of. Remember that a company’s responsibility will extent further than merely the production of goods and services. Each company will have a Compassion and an Environmental Department.

Compassion Departments are a social function. Such departments will assist, for instance, with giving care to the elderly, organising and providing daycare, assisting victims of natural disasters and so on. Individuals whose jobs within the production process are replaced by technology, will instead be employed within the Compassion Department of the company and continue to receive their income.

Environmental Departments of a company fulfil the function of giving as one would like to receive. Companies will use resources from the Earth and will likely create pollutants that affect the environment. The Environmental Departments are in charge of giving back to the Earth in terms of assisting the environment to renew the resources that were taken, for instance, through tree-planting, creating dams, etc. Furthermore, it will assist within mitigating or stopping the negative effects of pollutants, such as, for instance, water or air purification.

Once everyone is employed and all meaningful jobs are being done - we decrease working hours. For instance, if a job requirement is 8 hours, 2 people can do 4 hours each. Also - people don't have to work for 60 years of their lives - we can go on retirement when we are 30-40.

Related articles

• Day 163: Equal Money Capitalism - Redefining Profit
• Day 167: Harmony and Equilibrium within Equal Money Capitalism
• Day 166: Corporate Social Responsibility in Equal Money Capitalism
• Day 165: Equal Profit Share and Equal Money Capitalism
• Day 162: EQUAL MONEY CAPITALISM - The Way Forward
• Day 259: Give Happiness, Get Happiness

Read More