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Thread: What would people do if money went away?

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    What would people do if money went away?

    I'm putting this question here, because it's more philosophical. What would people do if money ceased to exist? If we advanced so far technologically that we could literally have 'Star Trek' type replicators that used the atmosphere to produce food and goods, and we found a way to harness all the energy we could ever possibly need simply and without any drain on resources, it would be total game changer. Would we simply lose our reason to exist?
    In quoting my post, you affirm and agree that you have not been goaded, provoked, emotionally manipulated or otherwise coerced into responding.



    "The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems.”
    Mahatma Gandhi

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    Retirednsmilin308's Avatar Senior Member
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    There have already been several cases throughout the world where money DID go away.
    It became worthless.

    In Poland it was replaced by cigarettes and barter
    In the Wiemar Republic it was replaced by barter
    In Argentina it was replaced by barter.
    During the breakup and civil war in Yugoslavia it was replaced by barter

    When money is useless, people resort to a barter economy.
    Carpenters, mechanics, and plumbers become the new rich.
    In a barter economy, it is real world goods and services that rule the day.

    So start growing that vegetable garden, learn bee keeping (for the honey), or take a course in a trade then actually learn the trade.
    This is what will happen when money is worthless.

    It has happened many times in our lifetime in other places.

    I personally will be setting up electrical systems for off-grid & fixing people electronics to function under solar or wind power.
    There are several ways to do this and I know them all.

    ...then if there is also no government, businesses like weed growing, hootch making, and prostitution will rise up too.

    I would have no problem setting up farmer Brown with an off-grid system for a couple cases of watermelon wine.
    Sex is a useless thing to barter for because you can get the urge again one hour later.
    Gimme the wine or the honey.

    RNS
    Last edited by Retirednsmilin308; 01-17-2020 at 12:31 AM.
    When it is not allowed to be questioned, it is not science, it is PROPAGANDA

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    It depends on the people.

    Good people would remain good while bad people would remain bad. Because even in a post-scarcity society, people would still find something to fight or disagree over.

    That is why I've always believed that material considerations, while certainly important, are secondary in importance to the establishment and maintenance of a sound moral and intellectual foundation. Before we can decide questions of economics and politics, we must first decide questions of basic morality.
    Power always thinks it has a great soul, and vast views, beyond the comprehension of the weak. And that it is doing God service when it is violating all His laws.
    --John Adams

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Who View Post
    Would we simply lose our reason to exist?
    I don't even know what that means.

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    I don't think we would lose "our reason to exist." People would do things that they want to do rather than what they have to do to earn a living.
    ΜOΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ


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    Dr. Who (01-17-2020)

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    Quote Originally Posted by Peter1469 View Post
    I don't think we would lose "our reason to exist." People would do things that they want to do rather than what they have to do to earn a living.
    I think that people doing things that they want to do rather than what they need to do would result in the eventual demise of society. Need drives behavior.
    Any time you give a man something he doesn't earn, you cheapen him. Our kids earn what they get, and that includes respect. -- Woody Hayes​

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    Captdon (01-19-2020)

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    What would happen to debt?

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    People would barter till they invented another form of "money" like seashells, teeth, bones, shiney rocks like silver and gold.
    Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire. ― Gustav Mahler

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    Quote Originally Posted by Retirednsmilin308 View Post
    There have already been several cases throughout the world where money DID go away.
    It became worthless.

    In Poland it was replaced by cigarettes and barter
    In the Wiemar Republic it was replaced by barter
    In Argentina it was replaced by barter.
    During the breakup and civil war in Yugoslavia it was replaced by barter

    When money is useless, people resort to a barter economy.
    Carpenters, mechanics, and plumbers become the new rich.
    In a barter economy, it is real world goods and services that rule the day.

    So start growing that vegetable garden, learn bee keeping (for the honey), or take a course in a trade then actually learn the trade.
    This is what will happen when money is worthless.

    It has happened many times in our lifetime in other places.

    I personally will be setting up electrical systems for off-grid & fixing people electronics to function under solar or wind power.
    There are several ways to do this and I know them all.

    ...then if there is also no government, businesses like weed growing, hootch making, and prostitution will rise up too.

    I would have no problem setting up farmer Brown with an off-grid system for a couple cases of watermelon wine.
    Sex is a useless thing to barter for because you can get the urge again one hour later.
    Gimme the wine or the honey.

    RNS
    But in this society, everyone's every material need can be satisfied by the replicators - from food to goods. Energy comes at no price at all and that combined with the atmosphere can make anything you want, so there is no need to barter, other than for things with some other kind of intrinsic value, like original art, or a meal prepared by a famous chef or a rare antique.
    In quoting my post, you affirm and agree that you have not been goaded, provoked, emotionally manipulated or otherwise coerced into responding.



    "The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems.”
    Mahatma Gandhi

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    Quote Originally Posted by waltky View Post
    What would happen to debt?
    There wouldn't be any because there wouldn't be any currency.
    In quoting my post, you affirm and agree that you have not been goaded, provoked, emotionally manipulated or otherwise coerced into responding.



    "The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems.”
    Mahatma Gandhi

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