I know I am young in comparison to many, but feel like I've pretty much lived in just about everyone’s shoes. Relate in some way to just about everyone I come across. Except the ones with wisdom, oh and the guy that knows something and has the ability to keep it to himself. Does it make sense to you that it is not about the money, it is about the cents? I will not go into stories about where I have been, but monetarily it has been from Antarctica to Greenland. I have been having very strange feelings lately about money. The thing is I have no respect for money whatsoever. I only give it some respect because I have a son and am currently married. Besides the fact that it has numismatic value as a note, it doesn't seem very important? Shouldn't it be viewed only as a ticket to fantasies? This sort of thought process started when I was at the Vienna Coin Show. I didn't haggle with anyone on price. Naturally they gave me a small discount regardless but I felt like the privilege was all mine as the buyer. The thought process was like this: So sir you mean to tell me that you drove here with all of your gear set this table up with these fine examples of history and you paid money to rent a table? And now you are being so kind as to accept this green piece of paper from me for your VF Bust Quarter? Do you know that this came out of a paper machine? So I ask this question, what is the value of money once we venture across pavlaw's hierarchy of basic needs? After our basic needs have been met isn't it about a feeling? I was sitting there in the pawn shop the other day and listening to the haggling. A lot of people walked out happy to receive a small amount of money. The thought process was knee jerk reaction, my god did he get taken to the cleaners. But then I got to thinking. Where will he/she spend that money? How will it make them feel? Why do we pay hundreds of dollars for a coin in a certain grade, but feel upset when the gas prices go up. Isn't it about the cents? Bueler?
I never get upset about gas prices. I want them to go really high in fact, so driving is a luxury and I don't have to dodge drivers who text and almost kill me daily on my short commute to work. (I put a smiley but I'm serious, I want some European type prices, it'll force most cities to implement awesome public transportation as well that I don't mind using because where I live, public transportation is almost non-existent)
Sounds like you're well on your way to answering the great philosophical question, "What's the meaning of life?"
Jcb, your posts of late have reflected much introspection. Many people never ever reach introspection. It is a good thing, introspection, but can also amplify futility, at least in my opinion. Interesting post..
Thanks to greed, money is much more than the tool it's intended to be because people will do and sell anything to have it, just so they can turn around and do the same. It's the new circle of life....a dysfunctional one at best, but it is what it is. Guy
The problem with thinking about money and how it effects things is it is too open ended. There is no right or wrong way and everybody has their own way of thinking. People could and probably have written hundreds of books about it. The other thing I learned is that it takes time for you to realize these things for yourself. If you asked a hundred people's opinion on this subject, you would get a hundred different ideas. The best way is to come up with your own way of thinking and be true to yourself.
JCB, your post reminds me of something from my past. First I agree, coins are artifacts of sorts, paper money well, it spends and burns well. When I was 16 in the 10th grade I had to give a speech ( speech class ) I hated speaking in front of people as I am sure most of us that age are. My step dad gave me the idea to do my speech on the penny and everything we could tell from the penny. He said, write it as if an alien from another world found our coins but no humans. What story would it tell? By the time was done, I had so much information, on just one penny. Needless to say I got an A for it. Coins are like time pieces, they literally travel about time going from one hand to the next, in one cash drawer out the other, in some piggy banks and out again. Oh the stories our coinage could tell! lol... It's living history, in a way. Ever think about how far a coin traveled and now it's in your possession? Do you know the history of any coins in your collection? I think a thread about that would be neat.
I am starting to realize it is fun to have manic behavior, but not so fun for the people around you. I guess one of my downfalls is that I don't have very many insecurities. In other words I talk too much.
It is kind of surprising that the trade sub forum doesn't get more traffic, because essentially that is what a large percentage of nuismatic people are doing. Bartering with cash as an intermedian.
It's very simple to answer that question on a scientific level (which I mostly agree with) but I'll refrain from doing so.
