There's no longer a need for money, people simply share the world. Would anybody bother having a job?
I appreciate the sentiment but there are far to many people who are lazy or feel the world owes them something for such a system to work. Even without money, or corporate food production etc, someone would have to be producing things and they wouldn't just give it away for free to people who sit around and do nothing all day. The barter system would start up again and bartering at it's essence is no different than money.
I think people would be more creative and intrinsically motivated without the system channelling of potential into jobs in search of the most profit. Imagine a world of no money, where technology is not used by the few to capitalize and profit with, but is shared in a truly efficient way so that everyone has a positive stake in using technology in non-destructive and truly sustainable ways. Might be naive, but I'm going to keep dreaming.
Keep corporate food production. Keep corporations. Just take away the money. Keep everything the way it is now, just remove the money and share everything. I walk into a store and take a bag of chips and walk out. But would there still be somebody stocking shelves? More ideal than naive. But they're one in the same aren't they..
A world without money or bartering would be a world without productivity. It would bring us back to the stone age.
Are we really that simple? Would you simply cease to do anything because there's no paper and metal with imaginary value?
yes. and im sure i am not the only one who would chill all day, smoke pot, and use up the worlds resources at my leisure.
Worthless paper currencies make money look ridiculous, but metals have been used as a medium of exchange for thousands of years for a reason. People will always want to make transactions with one another, and the medium of exchange known as money makes that easier. Producing capital requires sacrifice, and people will not sacrifice for others without an incentive. What would that incentive be without trading something of equal value for their sacrifice? A selfless dedication to man kind?
I agree that paper currency is not a good thing, that material objects, such as gold, or in the earliest days of America, tobacco should be used. Lerning about the gold standard really tuned me into this, and if you dont know about it, I would suggest to those who want to do so. I am also percieving that the OP may view money as evil,(no offense, it is just what I percieve and may not be what you are trying to convey) which has been a common viewpoint to alot of people I know. I will say that I see money not as an evil or good, but as a tool which man uses to assign value to his work, and also by which a man is willing to give for a service or object. It is a means that is much easier to trade rather than bartered goods, which in the case of bartered goods may mean that you go through several transactions to complete one. I do disagree with the statement that producing capital requires sacrifice. If you are willing to do something in order to obtain said capital, then it is not a sacrifice, it is a trade of your ability for something material. The price which you agree to do said service is just that, an agreement. If you are not willing to settle for the price offered for service, then you need to seek other rational means of obtaining said currency. Imagine a world where everyone put forth their best ability for trade.
The incentive is there's no money, so you can have what you want. Though I find it strange that we can value objects more than each other... Ancient peoples traded metals because they could be used for tools and jewelery. Then there was 'currency'.. We trade money now..just because it's there. It distracts us. Those who would rather sit around, do nothing and consume all day would fall behind and die off. The rest would further the species. Apparently we don't know that anymore.
Why would anyone bother to work? That means no Tvs... 360s... PS3s... Computers... At least there would still be bud haha.
Think about it. There's the analogy of 3 people living on a deserted island. They fish with their hands all day to catch one fish to eat. Then one of the 3 decides he wants to create a net. He will have to forego fishing for that day to create the net, and he sacrifices eating. He sleeps hungry, but the next day he is able to catch 2 fish. If the other two asks to borrow the net he will consider the sacrifice that went into it, and the risks of lending it out. If they break it, he will have to make another day of sacrifice. Therefore, he will work out a trade to make the risk worth his while, or simply not give it out.
So your going to tell him, that he doesn't know what he would most likely do in this event...? I mean fuck, if everything was free I would do the same damn thing. Sit around, do drugs, eat up resources, play basketball, etc. I would still create art, think, learn, and do my best to improve at things I found fun or pertinent but still I would for the most part sit around and eat up resources. I'd develop things to help if I could. I'd think of ways to help if I could. But there would be no pressure, no real necessity, and thus no real progress(atleast IMO).
What if I am a cobbler and I want to get some steel from the blacksmith, but he has no need for shoes?
Not really evil, no. I'm view it more as a hindrance to our progress. With currency we get the illusion of trade. I give my services, get my loot, and trade that loot for what I want. But that loot does more harm than good. Wars are fought over it. People suffer and die because of it. It's determines everything and is totally one-sided. And it's nothing. Why not teach the others how to make a net so they all have nets and fish? Or better yet, just make 2 extra nets. They're PEOPLE for fucks sake. Or why don't the other 2 people share some fish with the guy making nets? Edit: Or even better! I sacrifice one day so I can catch 2 fish right? That extra fish I'll use when I'm making the second net, and so on for the third. It's really not that hard to exist with each other.
If I was a blacksmith I'd give you some steel. Because I'm a blacksmith..and have steel. Props on the BTBAM ct though