A drug called MONEY or why the world has gone mad

With threads like the one about a new war in Iran on the way:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

or the thread about how a corporation-controlled internet could shape:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

I want to elaborate the reasons why the world is becoming more and more absurd these days. And I want to discuss ideas here where we try to find ways out of this insane spiral that finally could become our doom if we don't stop it.



So what's the highway to hell made of? It's made of


MONEY! MONEY! MONEY!


Pros:
- universal medium for exchange of goods
- countable
- value of goods becomes measurable
- objective way to aquire things
- concept is easy to understand

Cons:
- not so universal - there are many currencies
- created artificially with no real countervalue
- is addictive like a drug with the same sideeffects
- can produce power concentrations which are solely based on money rather than any other value foundation (like knowledge, wisdom etc.)
- without it you get almost NOTHING in this world
- produces massive imbalances between people who have lots of money and people who don't
- can be stolen

(lists are not exhaustive!)


There are many other cons but I think these are the most important ones in order to understand why this drug is driving humanity crazy.


Once thought to be an objective way to exchange things the idea behind money is out of control since long. The pros in the list above are nice but rather weak. The cons however have massive implications for the world in which we live today!


When the industrial revolution started back in the 19th century the cons had their big time! The combination of mass production and massive money making going along with human egoism was the foundation of the self-contructed corporative hell we live in today.


General implications of the "industrial revolution":
- The automated production of products produces massive concetrations of money.
- As machines are expensive only few people / corporations can afford them. Hence even more intense concentration of money.
- Money comes from money. If you do not have money you cannot invest it in big business. If you already are in big business everything literally runs itself.
- The foundation of monopoly is given in all repects. Many people depend on few people regarding the production of products.
- Money equals power. Power equals control. Control often leads to enslavery.
- "Effectiveness" leads to environmetal and social ignorance. Neither the people nor nature counts anymore. Machines replace human work mainly because its cheaper.
- The birth of widespread competition has begun.


What are the pros/cons for mass production? (Not exhaustive)

Pros:
- reproducable products which all look and function the same
- high outputs of product production can satisfy demand of many customers
- competition = apparent engine for innovation
- competition = apparent automatic price regulation
- apparent effectivenss

Cons:
- profit driven = high quality is less important
- profit driven = health implications are less important
- profit driven = "dangerous" innovations must be suppressed to keep the system running => innovation in fact stalls
- profit driven = people are less important yet still unavoidable
- profit driven = environmental consequences are not important and rarely reviewed BEFORE any action takes place
- monopoly + secret price agreements = automatic price regulation fails
- lobbies emerge in order to control politics with regard to corporation interests
- corporations take over the countries and finally the world


Now that this insane apparatus had been started another controlling mechanism emerged. As rare products achieve higher market prices it is obvious that corporations must make products look rarer than they actually are whereever possible. Especially when there is no gereral oversight this works out just great, e.g. regarding the availablity of remaining undiscovered oil reservoirs in the world.

Marketing and psychological studies of customers increased the effectiveness of companies in selling their stuff and installed a mechanism that one could call "mass hypnosis".
As money equals power this mechanism could be established almost everywhere where people exist and have the potenial to BUY.


Add some more "human" ingredients and the equation for all this is simple:


money + mass production + lobbies + secret knowledge + egoism + disrespect = ECONOMY!


Now we all believe this must be the way it is. But that's not even true. We all have been consuming this drug just too long. They have made us junkies. And our personal egoism keeps the wheel spinning. It's like a vicious circle. I call it a "hamster wheel" in which we are running day after day after day. We go to work everyday and rceive a dosis of their drug for it. They run their "mass hypnosis" programmes on TV and we feel the need to buy more of their stuff. When we do this we need more of the drug. GIMME THIS DRUG!!!

This most important factor in the equation above is MONEY. It is the engine of all this BS. If one would remove money from it than it would all make no sense anymore. And this is where I am heading.


What are the PERSONAL implications of MONEY in this system?
- we MUST receive this drug called money or otherwise we do not get ANYTHING in this world
- money just makes happy for a very short time - still like a drug!
- they take a lot of our "earned" money back as they are addicted to this drug also
- as they take a lot of money from us we need even more of the drug... we need more and more and it will never be enough
- as money is not associated with any fundamental value there is no need to be "good" at something to get the drug - you just need to simulate the intent of doing something useful
- people work in jobs not because they feel the need to work there but because they want to get the money they will be paied for it - there is rarely passion
- people cheat for money
- people kill for money
- people lie for money
- people offer their bodies for money
- people sell their souls for money


Virtuall there isn't a thing people won't do for money. We are all so high on this stuff that most people have forgotten the true meaning of life. And as a drug does NEVER make you happy this one is no exception.


What are the social implication of the system that has been established?
- money dominates the world - hence corporations and rich individuals control the world
- politics is nothing more than puppet play - lobbies and secret societies are the puppet masters
- the people are nothing more than sheep - go to work daily and do your thing, get addicted to the drug and don't think to much about this all
-
- wars are required in order to keep the engine running; both war parties can be supplied with weapons before the war and with new buildings, machines and intrastructure afterwards
- the one's in control want TOTAL control in order to make even more money and have even more power; the system must be enforced, made more strict
- the media is an advocate in distibuting propaganda and "knowledge"; many pepole these days have most of their "knowlegde" from the tube!!! manipulation made easy!
- and much more


And so we are running in our "hamster wheel" day after day after day. We feel sick, tired, remote controlled. Most of us feel the urgency for change. But most also think "What can I do? There is nothing I can do! They are in control after all!" And "they" seem to be far far away. Almost like on another planet.

We must take back our power. We have been abused, raped, drilled, hypnosed, drugged up to the eyeballs, poisoned, deceived, lied to, misled. You name it.
And still the flag of this drug called money is waving like there will be no other tomorrow.


I am convinced there CAN be another tomorrow. We - the people - have to shape it! I believe it is essential to turn away from money. My prediction is: money will totally fail soon. This system is outdated, the junkie must become clean in order to get his head clear. Then we will be able to face the future. Then innovation can come back to us. Then things will become to make sense again. then we will finally find our place in this galaxy.




A possible solution:
Resource Based Economy

See: www.thevenusproject.com...

---

Some snipets from the source:

"The term and meaning of a Resource-Based Economy was originated by Jacque Fresco. It is a system in which all goods and services are available without the use of money, credits, barter or any other system of debt or servitude. All resources become the common heritage of all of the inhabitants, not just a select few. The premise upon which this system is based is that the Earth is abundant with plentiful resource; our practice of rationing resources through monetary methods is irrelevant and counter productive to our survival."

(...)


"A resource-based world economy would also involve all-out efforts to develop new, clean, and renewable sources of energy: geothermal; controlled fusion; solar; photovoltaic; wind, wave, and tidal power; and even fuel from the oceans. We would eventually be able to have energy in unlimited quantity that could propel civilization for thousands of years. A resource-based economy must also be committed to the redesign of our cities, transportation systems, and industrial plants, allowing them to be energy efficient, clean, and conveniently serve the needs of all people."
(I would add free energy to the list

)

(...)

"If the thought of eliminating money still troubles you, consider this: If a group of people with gold, diamonds and money were stranded on an island that had no resources such as food, clean air and water, their wealth would be irrelevant to their survival. It is only when resources are scarce that money can be used to control their distribution. One could not, for example, sell the air we breathe or water abundantly flowing down from a mountain stream. Although air and water are valuable, in abundance they cannot be sold.

Money is only important in a society when certain resources for survival must be rationed and the people accept money as an exchange medium for the scarce resources. Money is a social convention, an agreement if you will. It is neither a natural resource nor does it represent one. It is not necessary for survival unless we have been conditioned to accept it as such."

---


So let's start the discussion


How can we get rid of this thing called "money" and create a world that makes sense to all of us and really gives all of us the same foundation for life? How can we create a society of which we and other lifeforms out there can be proud of?

[Mod Edit: Added external source tags. Small snippets of external sources please.

Please read: www.abovetopsecret.com...



[edit on 2010/8/6 by GradyPhilpott]

Totally agree with you. The part about the ego and the hamster wheel 110%. If we get rid the ego, the structure of currency has little backbone to support itself.

Without the ego, the majority of material possesions would be utterly meaningless. Our standards of living would be severly downgraded (from the egos viewpoint anyway). The ego wants bigger, faster, better, stronger etc... So if one were to be egoless, one would be content with the basics. Roof over their head, food and water, and other living things to interact with. So, money would have very little value.

The best way to destroy the ego imho is legalize Peyote.

reply to post by sliceNodice


Think about how many useless jobs would go away... just for a sec think about how many jobs are DIRECTLY attached to the monetary system and you will realize: we have a lot of potential wasted. These people could support humanity with useful work. No one would have to do too much work because everyone can benefit with what he/she can do.

A lot of jobs could directly be given to machines without any problem. Everyone gets everything for free anyway. No problem for machines taking jobs anymore. There is alot to do

I believe that our life standard would even RISE dramatically compared to this slavery now.

---

Btw: I love your pic as the movie with M. Douglas has a lot of social critcism in it
We soon may also be "falling down"...

[edit on 6-8-2010 by mrMasterJoe]

No one else?
Hmm, so you are all agreeing with the current system? Guess not

Heres my solution to the CERTAIN DOOM going on currently --

There are several billionaires lately who are claiming that they are "donating" money to charities for good cause. That in all honesty is a WASTE!! The funds wont go where they are needed anyways, and cannot be trusted. Why dont these "good samaritains" (yea RIGHT) donate to the BANKS on behalf of the HARD working MIDDLE-CLASS families of this country who are LOSING THEIR HOMES EVERYDAY for NO fault of their own??!! The ones who are unable to FEED THEIR CHILDREN through NO fault of their own!!!!!!

Thats a GREAT and USEFUL idea to me!! Makes the MOST sense to me to possibly lessen or END the DOOM!!!

Something to the effect of a resource based economy is the next step in human societies evolution for sure.

s+f

During the 1970's recession, people started "making" what they needed. Crafts got really big. If you needed clothes, you made them, if you needed food you "grew" it. If you needed to get somewhere, you hitchhiked, or car pooled.

Neighbors can be your friends in times of need. For instance today we had to go to a Hutteritte Colony to get some eggs. I went and asked our neighbors if they needed any eggs. The neighbor across the street wanted 6 dozen. When she tried to pay me for them, I told her no because they had given us 12 Bluegill last week.

So it's all going to start out with "common consideration" and being "thoughtful" of others.

Everyone has so much stuff! There is no reason why anyone should be lacking in anything!

Originally posted by sodakota
Everyone has so much stuff! There is no reason why anyone should be lacking in anything!

That's absolutely true. And that's what the Venus Project is about. On this world we have plenty of resources. More than anyone would ever need. The problem however is that these resources are controlled by only a few powerful corporations and only "given" to us if THEY benefit from it. Short: there must be lots of profit in it for them.

One of the most shocking examples I found is about healing cancer. The problem here is:
- healing people from cancer would cause the pharma to LOOSE a lot of money because people would no longer need expensive medication for month or years! healthy people are "bad people" for the pharma.
- regarding population control they are happy that lots of people die this way as otherwise we would be even more people they can't "handle".

I am firmly convinced that cancer COULD be healed these days. But the pharma and the cabals don't WANT that because of the reasons above.

The pharma loves people who suffer for a loooong time and need tons of drugs, medication and stuff. This makes them a hell lot of money. Healthy people and dead people don't bring them money. So suffering people are really the best for them! This is PURELY INSANE!!!

If you don't know the potential cancer killer "DCA" and the story around it you should watch the following video. In its core it's again about... you guess it.... MONEY!



Here is the link in case the embedded vid doesn't work for you:
www.youtube.com...

great thread. I know all too well the link between ego, narcissism, and money. our early traumas open us up for the programming that money (in god we trust) will fix everything. yah right. ever tried to mix friends and money? I've lost over $25K that way......not to mention a few friends.


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Just too few people are noticing this thread