The Currency Conspiracy

Im finding it hard to find the words to describe exactly what i mean by "the currency conspiracy"

i saw a sign at Jimmy Johns today (its a restaurant near where i live) and it had this story etched into it (some of you may have heard it before? I'd never seen it before today)

An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied, "only a little while."

The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish?

The Mexican said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs.

The American then asked, "but what do you do with the rest of your time?"

The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine, and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City, where you will run your expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"

To which the American replied, "15 - 20 years."

"But what then?" Asked the Mexican.

The American laughed and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions!"

"Millions - then what?"

The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

And it really got me to thinking....how ironic!?

What exactly *IS* the point of currencies...if the only point is to obtain as much as possible so you can do as little as you desire?

In other words:

Well, you don't need a million dollars to do nothing, man. Take a look at my cousin: he's broke, don't do *snip*.

- Lawrence from Office Space


What are your thoughts?

Currency is definitely a part of the conspiracy.
The other part is the rat race.
It's about money as well as attitude and perception.
Nice thread
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Interesting thought. I have personally thought of this many times. I wouldn't say its much of a 'conspiracy' really, or we're all in on it... Even the mexican had some form of money, did he not? So he too, has the money to do nothing (or he could just eat all his fish! haha). I'm sure that's not what you mean - you're talking about those.. filthy rich people that have so much money they don't know what to do with it.

It's true though, you DON'T need money to do nothing all day... but most people are forced to work 8-10 hours a day to make a living. 8 hours of every day adds up pretty fast. that's a lot of time you're laboring, and inevitable tiredness awaits you at home. so tired you feel like doing nothing, taking off your socks and work clothes putting on some slippers and.... watching some television perhaps, browse the internet and fall asleep so you may work again the next day, until the week ends so that maybe you may party a little bit visit some friends and feel good until monday, where the cycle repeats itself.

It's a hard life, I suppose. I'm not sure if it beats the hunter-gatherer lifestyle, really, but up here in the cold that kind of life would much sooner kill you than reward you with loads of free time.

i suppose a more refined question i have about the post is:

We are told we have to have money to be happy by people who, themselves, have been told the same thing, and trick us into the same thing, so that THEY get money.

It *IS* a conspiracy, because as this story shows, we dont' NEED money to do nothing, regardless if thats the aspiration of obtaining disgusting amounts of wealth ...

but ... who benefits from this conspiracy?

Is it just a giant circle where even the smallest link in the chain feeds from the dinner table?