Fortunately my parents, even though they did not have scientific backgrounds, were atheists. They inherited this from their parents (on my mother's side) or grandparents (on my father's side), who came here to escape the tyranny of Christians and their churches in Europe.Arne Saknussemm: The atheists you know are atypical. Most atheists have scientific backgrounds & are not superstitious. At least I & the atheists I know are not superstitious.
If only one has evidence of that.as/re theism vs atheism:
“There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
I don't think the conclusion (if that is what it is) is true.Money is power
power corrupts
money both aids the development of a society, while corrupting that society.
If there is no opportunity for that power to be obtained by anyone else other than those who already hold it, I might agree.If history is any indication of the future, concentration of monetary power in the hands of the few will eventually bring about the destruction of the polity which issues the money.
The issue comes when those that have power (or, as you equate it: money) not only prevent anyone else from reaching their position, but also do with that power what goes against the ethics of the majority.
Food, housing, healthcare, and clothing would be freely distributed by the governing authority in the region (whatever type of government that is). Everything else would be available to buy with a system of credits. The credits would be issued by the previously mentioned government based on how much each person contributes by working. People could do all different kinds of work and wouldn't be limited to one "job" where they are doing the same repetitive boring task (the way it is now).
Obviously, like any plan, they'll be holes in it and lots of problems, but it would be better than what we have now. And you could even allow limited free enterprise, provided the "employers" issued government credits to their employees on an approved scale.
as/re theism vs atheism:
“There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
..................
back to money:
Money is power
power corrupts
money both aids the development of a society, while corrupting that society.
If history is any indication of the future, concentration of monetary power in the hands of the few will eventually bring about the destruction of the polity which issues the money.
I could not possibly trust your glorious government. The one we have can't think of something as simple as making double-entry accounting mandatory in the schools.
I think the United States could have eliminated poverty by 1990 but instead we manufacture junk and ignore the depreciation of that junk. There were 200,000,000 cars in the US by 1995. Ever heard any economists discuss what we lose on the depreciation of that many cars every year?
http://www.spectacle.org/1199/wargame.html
Nobel Prize winning economists can't do algebra for the last 50 years. LOL
psik
Currency isnt bad. One of the solution for today economy is local currency.
What is "local" currency and why do you think it is better? The founding fathers tried "local" currency, it didn't work. That is one of the reasons they created the US Constitution.
Local currency is type of alternative currencies. You didnt hear about it since its against globalization but make local community stronger.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_currency
There are MANY examples of good practice in todays world. In history only experiment Im aware was Worgl experiment. And it was successfull.
Wörgl was the site of the "Miracle of Wörgl" during the Great Depression. It was started on July 31, 1932, with the issuing of "Certified Compensation Bills", a form of currency commonly known as Stamp Scrip, or Freigeld. This was an application of the monetary theories of the economist Silvio Gesell by the town's then-mayor, Michael Unterguggenberger.
The experiment resulted in a growth in employment and meant that local government projects such as new houses, a reservoir, a ski jump and a bridge could all be completed, seeming to defy the depression in the rest of the country. Inflation and deflation are also reputed to have been non-existent for the duration of the experiment.[citation needed]
Despite attracting great interest at the time, including from French Premier Edouard Daladier and the economist Irving Fisher,[3] the "experiment" was terminated by the Austrian National Bank on the September 1, 1933.[4][5]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wörgl
edit:interesting note- banks and corparations cant suck money from your town and spent it elsewhere because its "worthless" elsewhere. they must spent it in your town.
In John L Lewis's day most coal miners were paid in "script" issued by the coal mine company - It never left the valley of the mine and was only good in the company store. There was No. 1 hit song for weeks called: "15 tons" It's chorus went something like this:... But your notions about "locality" don't make sense. A currency is worthless if it cannot be traded. It defeats the reason for having a currency.
This is basically Keynesian monetary policy on a micro scale. But your notions about "locality" don't make sense. A currency is worthless if it cannot be traded. It defeats the reason for having a currency.
Oh it can be traded but in local community. Meaning you have to spent money there where you earned it. Why some corporations have own money? That their workers dont spend it elsewhere. For example you have currency lets say 100 pistoleros and you want do haircut and wash your car. You know its cheaper in neigbour town where you going but there dont except pistolero (although they could). So you spent it your town. That way you keep money in your town. You have new haircut and washed car. Person X got those 100 pistolero and he/she spent it elswhere in your town. Person Y got those 100 pistolero. Then person Y wants something from you. Money circulate at higher rate. People are busy. Emlpoyment grows. You have all you need for decent life. If you want more you can work more. But thats not only benefical of local currency. Experiments show wide range of positive effects. Well its a science as you can suggest. I pointed out that specific trait of local currency since its amazing to me that some communties didnt felt at all global crysis. Even better those who felt it when they turn to local currency were recovered. While their country is still going trough strugle. Local currencies are not against government currencies. For example I have Euros and I can exchange it to invented Pistolero. Some exchange to ratio 1:1. But some are smarter. They exchange 100 euros for lets say 90 pistolero. Those 10 are kept for administration or even better for local community. What is driving force of people to switch to local currencies except that they have job and decent life? Well many local communitiy give discharges if you pay in local community. You exchanged 100 Euros for 100 Pistoleros and you want to eat in some restoraunt. You will pay for same dinner 80 pistolero while if you pay in euros you will pay 100 euros.
The whole economics is "cheated" while any law was not broken and better any economic paradgim is not violated. What you as person need? To work all day in order to survive? We heard many economists argue how every person have right to work and deserve job. Well its true in a sense. But they forgot basics. Person first need food and shelter. He/she doesnt NEED job. You need to eat, freedom, sleep, hapiness et cetera. You dont need to be part of global nexus. Of monster that we feed every day. You can live in "West" and have small community which have their currency. Where your citizens help you and eachother that you have customers. You are not affraid of loosing job. You can say okay I will not work today. Because you know customers will be back. Its a new horizone. You have freedom. People are involved. You dont care about stocks falling of skyrocketing. In a sense you live on another planet.
To adress your comment thats Keynesian monetary policy. No its not. Rather neo-classic monetary policy.
edit: what happened to Detroit? auto industry went where is cheaper work force. What about people in Detroit? Who cares? Well those people care.
Imagine this scenario. You have Mc Donalds in your town. They dont except Pistolero. But you have fast food and give discharge 5% if one pay in Pistolero.
No one will went to Mc Donalds. You are chepaer(?) and most important they know they are helping community. Because those Pistoleros you earned you cant spent in Tokyo to open new "Mc Donalds". You will give that Pistolero to the person who ate your sandwich again. Ofcourse there is difference between what person need and wish. Im hungry. I could eat nice sandwich to statisfy my need. But I have wish to eat Big Mac. In that case person will went to Mc Donalds. But usualy when people knows that spending money in your place will help them, they avoid going to Mc Donalds. And whats even better when stranger came in your town and hear about it he will exchange his money into your currency. Then you can adjust ratio 100 Euro /90 Pistolero. 10 Euro is spent in community. You are city bank. You are CENTRAL BANK. Not some John Doe. You simply dont give a f##k. And what with those 10 Euro you earned n exchange? You can give credits without interests. Imagine credit without interests. People who got credit are happy. Agian money is spent in community. Community is credited by outsiders. Money circulate.
If they want to pay in Euro? Well you then give him a price so again you earn. Win/win situation. You become sucking money blackhole. You(citizens) become new boss in your town. Not some corporation from Japan, USA, China, Brasil, India, Germany, Russia you name it. You became a force which no one could easily avoid in your town. "You came in our town, well you have to play by our rules." You make outsiders to invest in your community. Because without local currency you cant charge higher price to outsiders. Its against law.
That trait of local currency is amazing to me. People are involved in something postive. People are linked. Stress is reduced. Citzens are tight connected. Less cheating, corruption. Highly interesting if you ask me. Its life that we all desire and life that once was.
None of that makes any sense. So if you take a trip from one part of the country to the other, you are going to have to load up on various local currencies? If you don’t trade in an area which lacks the goods you need want, I guess you are just SOL.
We have been down the many currency routes before, it didn’t work as I previously pointed out. It is costly, it is inefficient, and it is prone to abuse and fraud. If “local” currency worked, people would use it. But it doesn’t and that is why people don’t use it. And the problems you are trying to solve with “local” currency don’t exist.
Sound money. Cryptocurrencies. State banks. LETS programs. Self-issued credit. et cetera.
We have right to help ourselves-
Here is some of NUMEROUS links.
http://www.ithacahours.com/
[video=youtube;JTMXhSSOBSk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTMXhSSOBSk[/video]
Wait what did you said "We have been down the many currency routes before, it didn’t work as I previously pointed out"
[video=youtube;uQehEGGwy0Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQehEGGwy0Q[/video]
You have a lot to learn.