Money

As a language and form of expression

Last week I took a deep dive into the philosophical concept of money and made some reflections about what programmable money means when it comes to redistribution and social equality. The concept of money is not just a simple tool for exchange, it is a complex language through which we express our values, affiliations, and aspirations. In this era, where institutions print money and degens can create their coins to capture some value, as Simon de la Rouviere puts it, money represented by cryptocurrencies is becoming a form of expression. Allowing individuals to vote for the communities and ideals they support with every transaction.

Money Talks: The Language of Cash

So picture this: money isn't just cold, hard cash, it's actually a way we communicate with each other. Wild, right? But when you think about it, it makes total sense. Just like how we use words to express ourselves, we use money to show what we value. When I drop $5 on a coffee, I am literally saying, "I value this caffeine hit more than a sandwich." true story. It's like we're all walking around with our wallets as dictionaries, defining our priorities with every purchase.

What can we measure with money?

Now, let's chat about money as an index. It's not just about how much dough you've got, it's a whole system of measuring value in our society. Prices act like a snapshot of value at a given moment. But here's the kicker that snapshot changes all the time, it's dynamic. Think about how the price of gas fluctuates, or how that avocado toast you love suddenly costs an arm and a leg when there's a shortage. The dynamic fare at Uber is another good example. Money doesn't just measure the cost of stuff, it can also give us a peek into bigger trends. When housing prices skyrocket, it's not just about expensive digs, it might be telling us something about population growth, job markets, or even social inequality. Remember that "invisible hand" Adam Smith talked about? Well, money as an index is like that hand leaving fingerprints all over the place. It shows us where resources are flowing, what people want, and how our collective choices are shaping the economy.

Time is Money (Literally)

Here's a mind-bender for you: money can even index time. When we talk about hourly wages or how long it takes to save up for something, we're putting a price tag on our minutes and hours. It's like we're all walking around with invisible time clocks, ticking away in dollar signs. So there you have it, money isn't just about coins and bills. It's a whole language we're all speaking, whether we realize it or not, and a complex index that's measuring way more than what's in our bank accounts.

This shift in perspective invites us to reconsider the very nature of wealth and value. Drawing inspiration from Buddhist philosophy, we should view true wealth not as accumulation, but as "having enough to share." This reframing aligns beautifully with the emerging paradigms in blockchain technology, where ownership is less about exclusive control and more about participation in collective meaning-making. As we navigate this new terrain, we're challenged to embrace what David Graeber and David Wengrow describe as our innate capacity for social experimentation. Just as our ancestors consciously debated and chose different social structures, we now have the opportunity to reimagine our economic systems, fostering cooperation and shared prosperity in ways didn’t imagine before. Next time you buy something or check your balance, think about what you're really saying and measuring. It's pretty mind-blowing when you look at it that way!