Day 66: Inflation - Part 3

I commit myself to create an economic system that is not built on the principle of trade-offs where each one can be provided for to the fullest without compromising another or another aspect of one's well-being.

I commit myself to expose the economic system and the manner in which it balances itself out - for what it is: a system of compromise and inequality - instead of admiring the apparent ingenuity of the current system.

I commit myself to create an economic system where there are no such forces as inflation that stand outside of one's control - that are determined by those with huge amounts of money - so that there are no unexpected surprises in our life where we suddenly have to sacrifice certain things, just because we can't afford it anymore.

I commit myself to create an economic system where the allocation of goods and services is determined not by some powerful individual, elected or not, but by the people, together, through a democratic system of 1 man 1 vote.

I commit myself to stop blaming the economic system for how it influences my life, but instead, commit myself to take responsibility within the realisation that each of us have created this system in our acceptance and allowance and thus, to educate myself in how economics works and join groups who are dedicated to find solutions that are best for all.

I commit myself to let go of the idea that I, in any way, have free will within the capitalistic system as the capitalistic system controls the economic environment and one cannot get around this environment in order to do anything in this world.

Day 65: Inflation - Part 2

I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to have created an economic system that consists only out of trade-offs - where in order to have economic growth, people have to sacrifice purchasing power and - in real terms, nothing much changes to the situation, where people continuously still struggle to pay their bills and acquire what they need and in order to live a fulfilling life.

I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to not realise that the fact that people generally earn more money in certain countries, doesn't mean that they are better off, because the prices in those economies are higher and thus, they still pay their ass off like in any other place.

I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to admire the economic system for the way in which it balances itself out - instead of realising the implication of trying to find an equilibrium: that you continuously sacrifice one goal for another and in the end - it is impossible for everything to be in the best possible way for everyone - there are always losers and people always have to sacrifice some part of what should be a given, a basic right.

I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to claim that our economic system is the best possible system because it provides the best results for everyone - while, in actuality, it doesn't do that at all - because it is designed to provide 'middle road' results - and we all know those roads never lead anywhere, but to compromise.

I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to give my power away to individuals, who are not even elected officials, but bankers, who get to make decisions about how much money should be in circulation and thus, how high prices should be - making decisions that directly affect everyone's lives full-on - yet, still claiming that within the current paradigm, we are free to make decisions and are not controlled by outside sources, believing that we actually live in a democracy where I get to be a part of decision-making, where I get to control my life.

I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to complain when inflation occurs and everything suddenly becomes so expensive, instead of realising that I only fucked myself over by not questioning how this reality works and taking steps to take power back - so that it is not 'some economic force' or some banker who affects my life - but it is all of us together, as a community, as a group - who get to decide what's in our best interest - yet instead of educating myself and taking action, I rather just sit there and complain and continue to struggle, because the system is apparently too big and too powerful and apparently there's nothing I can do about it.

I forgive myself for not accepting and allowing myself to realise how ridiculous our economic system is if prices can just 'inflate' all by themselves, without any ordinary person having a say in the matter - and suddenly we have to deal with these 'inflated' prices and have to re-organise our lives and consumption behaviour to be able to get by.

I forgive myself for not accepting and allowing myself to realise that the phenomenon of inflation is proof that free will doesn't exist - because you can't will away the higher prices and you can't get around them - you're stuck with it and you've got to deal with it.

Day 46: The Economic Problem

Within the field of economics, no matter what issue or subject is being discussed – there is always some sort of trade-off involved. Since economics is defined within the context of unlimited wants with limited means/resources – choices require to be made. Within that, humans are studied in terms of how and what they choose among limited options to maximise their happiness.

Within economics, resources are categorised within three types:

1)    Natural Resources (land, minerals, fuel, animals, etc)
2)    Human Resources (labour)
3)    Man-made Resources (machines)

These are referred to as factors of production, as they are the inputs/means which are used within producing particular goods and services.

Note that money is not considered to be a resource, but a means of exchange with which you can purchase scarce resources.

Time is also considered a limited resource, as everyone only has 24 hours within a day – and so whether one is rich or poor – both will experience ‘scarcity’ from this perspective.

Since we only have so many available resources, to produce only so many goods and services – only so many wants can be satisfied and so we have to make choices.


-        When we use a particular resource towards the production of one thing, those same resources cannot go to the production of another thing (at least not at the same time).
-        When we decide to produce more of one good, there will be less for another good to be produced.
-        If we decide to watch a movie for an hour, we cannot use that same hour to go for a walk outside.

And so on…

This brings us to the concept of opportunity cost and the economic problem.

Let’s look at a few scenarios

You go to a shop with $10 in your pocket – you want some ice cream, chocolate, cigarettes and a drink. But you only have $10 (resources are limited) and so you have to make decisions about what you want to buy and what you won’t buy / “sacrifice”.

It’s the end of the week and you have the evening for yourself. You find yourself wanting to watch TV, go for a movie and go see some friends – but you can’t do this all at the same time, and so you have to choose what to do and what not to do.

The government has X amount of funds available to spend on new development programmes throughout the year. It wants to improve education, health facilities and employment opportunities. But since there is only X amount of money, the government will have to decide what to spend the funds on immediately and what will be postponed.
In all these cases, choices need to be made, where some wants will be satisfied and others will be left unsatisfied. In each one of the scenarios, decisions have to be made about what the person/group will opt for and thus sacrifice as well. From that perspective, there are always ‘costs’ involved, even though these may not always seem ‘obvious’.

There’s a particular phrase which is often used to point this out: “There Ain’t No Such Thing as a Free Lunch” – meaning someone will always have to pay for something even if it is presented as ‘free’ -- the resources had to come from somewhere and those resources are now not able to be used for something else.

Although scarcity is considered to be an essential component of the economic problem (=we have to make choices), it really only becomes a problem when we have competing / conflicting goals. If you have only one goal, and only so many resources – there’s no real decision making involved, as you are not faced with allocating your scarce resources between competing alternatives.  So if you have one goal, you do not have an economic problem – but currently, as humanity we do not have a singular goal – and even within ourselves we are conflicted about the various different things we want all the time. So we only have to make choices / sacrifices when we are divided about what it is we want. Not being divided and having only one goal is considered to be ‘unrealistic’ within current economics, and thus it is assumed that there will always be an economic problem. So this practically implies that within an Equal Money System, there will be no economic problem – as there will be only One Goal as What is Best for All Life – and thus we won’t have to make choices as sacrifices as we only commit ourselves to what is Best for All Life and disregard anything less.

But since we’ve currently valued everyone’s self-interest as equally valuable, no matter how relevant or irrelevant this self-interest is = we have an economic problem. And this has been totally accepted, in fact it’s part of the basis of established economics. So now when economists look a ‘cost’, they do not only look at ‘cost’ in monetary terms (also referred to as ‘accounting costs’) – but also look at ‘implicit costs’, in the sense of what could have been done alternatively if resources would have been used differently.

Within that, opportunity cost specifically, refers to the next best alternative one forgoes for the option which was chosen. So if you have $50 and you want both a jacket and a shirt – and you decide to spend the money towards the jacket – the opportunity cost is the shirt as the next best thing you could have gotten. A cost for economists is what you had to ‘give up’ to ‘get it’. So now this whole new dimension is added where with every choice you make you are burdened with “what if” as “what you could have done” alternatively. But if what you only ever want to do is that which is Best for All, then you are never faced with ‘sacrifice’ or ‘burden’ – as there is only one way as that which is Best for All – and so there is no wondering necessary in terms of how things could have been differently, as any other scenario is simply not relevant as it wouldn’t have been what’s Best for All. We’ve complicated things so badly for ourselves within valuing wants over needs, individual self-interest over What’s Best for All --- and then all the various different choices and sacrifices which need to be made just so we can what we want…

Economics will be a very, very simplistic matter within an Equal Money System – lol.

The ‘Economic Problem’ is not really a problem – we created this problem but it doesn’t have to be a problem in fact. It’s only a problem because we’ve decided that we want to try and live up to something which cannot be lived up to = where we want to satisfy unlimited wants with limited means – and so it’s not really an Economic Problem, but a Human Nature Problem – as we rather want to hold on to something unachievable for all, in the hope that we will be one of the lucky ones that’ll get a piece of the pie – while the majority will have to live a life of sacrifice where not even their basic needs are tended to so that some may attempt to satisfy all their wants and desires.

Day 40: What is Economics?

Economics is about how a society decides to answer particular questions in relation to resource distribution – which can be brought down to the follow three:

1)    What should be produced by a society?
2)    How should it be produced?
3)    Who gets to consume what is produced?

Many hold the believe that economics is a ‘one way street’, where for instance ‘Capitalism’ is treated synonymous to ‘economics’, as the ‘only way’ that economics can ever be – while this is only one way of answering the above basic economic questions, and where the Equal Money System is another way of answering these three questions.

The above three questions are the basis of economics, and any form of economic system has to answer to these three questions. So whether you have an economic system based on complete government control or an economic system based on total individual control – the same questions are being dealt with, but in different ways.

Currently within the world there are several different types of economic systems, which economists like to present within a spectrum which runs from the one polarity of absolute government control to total individual control – where most of the economic systems currently lay in-between these two polarities.

Total Individual Control	What is produced, How and Who gets it is decided by individuals
Stage 2	Government deals with basics only such as police protection, enforcement of contracts, protecting property rights, national defense
Stage 3	Includes Stage 2 + additional services such as education, science, roads, fire protection
Stage 4	Stage 3 + additional programs such as health care and retirement
Stage 5	Stage 4 + state industries (steel, cars, agriculture), distribution of basic consumer goods (food, housing)
Stage 6	Stage 5 + government in charge of employment, housing, food, production, prices
Total Government Control	What is produces, How and Who gets decided by Government

However, as capitalism is the main overall system implemented within the world – students are mostly taught within the context of capitalism only – and since this is the system we are currently living in and as – this will be the system that we’ll walk through within these blogs.

So keep in mind that all the vocabulary points, concepts, views etc. which will be explained in this blog are specific to the current system in play, and may not necessarily be relevant to an Equal Money System. Yet we will still discuss these points as they form part of the current system, and the thought pattern of economists -- and thus form part in completing your understanding of how economics currently works and what requires to be corrected – both in how things are viewed and how things are structurally manifested according to these views.

Let’s have a look at some definitions which have been given to the term ‘Economics’, so we can establish the starting point of our current economic system.

“Economics is the study of how our scarce productive resources are used to satisfy human wants.” – George Leland Bach

“Economics is the study of how people allocate their limited resources to provide for their wants.” – Jack Harvey

“Economics is the study of the use of scarce resources to study unlimited human wants.” – Richard Lipsey

Within each one of these quotes we can derive the following components:

•    Scarcity of Resources
•    Human Wants
•    Choices

The current Economic Paradigm assumes an inherent conflict between “Scarcity of Resources” and “Human Wants” – which are often referred to as ‘unlimited’. Since we have only so many resources available – but unlimited wants to satisfy: we have to make certain choices – and something or someone will always have to be sacrificed (this is another re-occurring trend found within ‘trade-offs’ and ‘opportunity cost’).

So what’s fascinating to be observed from the statements of various people about “what is economics” – is that various value judgments* are implied, but which are never questioned or explained.

The component of ‘Human Wants’
This trend returns over and over again throughout current economic theory where precedence is being given to ‘human wants’ over ‘needs’.

The Anthropocentric View**
Another value judgment is implied, since the definitions of economics as the framework which encompasses the distribution of resources, only takes into consideration humans: what about the animals? plants? Earth itself?

Sacrifices Have to be Made
Since the definition of economics was agreed to be ‘unlimited wants vs limited resources’ – there is a value judgment implied, which we pointed out earlier as ‘wants over needs’ – and where this choice/preference inevitably leads to having to sacrifice since the definition as a mathematical equation is not balanced – which in itself reveals another value judgment, which is that sacrifices are acceptable – within the decision/agreement that wants ought to be placed over needs. Because if you have look at it, if the definition of economics had been around the lines of ‘the management of limited resources towards limited needs’ – then the point of conflict with which we are currently faced with as ‘unlimted’ vs ‘limited’ resulting in sacrifice – would not have existed!!

The starting point of current economic thought is completely self-contradictory:

Unlimited Wants + Limited Resources = Wants can never be satisfied

I mean, it’s simple math that this is an unsustainable goal – so why pursue it at all? It just doesn’t make any sense! So – the amount of suffering and destruction currently taking place on Earth, is really no surprise if one just consider this one statement, as the definition of economics – which is not only completely beside the point (in terms of wants over needs – humans over everything), but mathematically impossible to be sustained. Yet, this is what we’ve accepted and allowed to be lived within the World – and within this chase of obtaining and achieving the impossible (satisfying all our desires), we are driving millions into their grave, as the sacrifice we willingly give – as pointed out above. And for what? For wants and desires which are apparently worth more than basic needs?

This is completely unacceptable.

Yet no-one seems to question this point – thus economic thought is really just a reflection of our own thought as living beings, as our character as Human Beings, where we all collectively decided within ourselves that our personal desires and wants are to be prioritized over the tending of everyone’s basic needs with what we have, as available resources on Earth.

Isn’t that just plain…..evil?

* Value judgment:
a judgment assigning a value (as good or bad) to something

** Anthropocentric:
1 : considering human beings as the most significant entity of the universe
2 : interpreting or regarding the world in terms of human values and experiences

Day 14: Did God Fail First-Year Economics?

I forgive myself for not accepting and allowing myself to ask myself the question of how the current economic system is compatible with a belief in a God.

I forgive myself for not accepting and allowing myself to realise that if God created the world and has a divine plan - then he didn't do his homework very well because anyone having studied economics for even just a year can see that the very principles upon which the current capitalistic system is founded, will create massive suffering, pain, disease, poverty, hunger and death if implemented in economics.

I forgive myself for not accepting and allowing myself to realise the basic common sense that a system of competition will always create winners and losers, but because everyone is so deluded into thinking and believing that they will be the winners, because mom and dad said that we're so special, and so we don't care about what it means to be a loser.

I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to believe in a God who plays an economic game where all players must compete with each other and where those who lose must pay with their life.

I forgive myself for not accepting and allowing myself to realise that if a God exists that is omnipotent, then surely he would make sure that all goods and services are distributed in such a way that everyone is supported in their livelihood and that people aren't enslaved to a system to which they owe most of their years of life in terms of owing the system their labour and only when their debt has been paid, are they allowed to 'live freely' as they are old and retire - and that if an omnipotent God does indeed exist while allowing such abuse, then surely he is an evil fucker.

I forgive myself for not accepting and allowing myself to realise that the only reason I would justify the belief in a good God that allows humanity to dig its own grave while pulling the Earth, the animals and plants with it - is that if a God exists that allows all of this, then surely it's okay to abuse - therefore the belief in God is a point of self-manipulation where we abdicate responsibility for what we're allowing - because 'hey, God says it's fine - that means I can just sit back and relax'.

I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to put my trust and faith in an economic system that will apparently - while based on principles of self-interested individuals competing which each other to satisfy their own wants, needs and desires - miraculously bring about a world that is truly best for all.

I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to deceive the poor by making them believe that the God of the capitalistic system will save them - all they need to do is submit to the one God entirely and completely - obey his commands and if they are truly faithful servants, they will be allowed into the Heaven of wealth.

I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to sacrifice the poor on the Altar of the God of the Capitalistic System to keep God satisfied and willing to provide for my standards of living.

I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to participate in the race of the human race, trying to be the fastest, the smartest, the best, the most devious, the most vicious, in order to be the winner and end up at the top, so that God may notice me and so that I can be one of the chosen ones - blessed by God's love and almighty power.

I forgive myself for accepting and allowing myself to be proud of my children as I introduce them into the religion of Money by having them walk through all the ceremonial rituals of saving money, buying toys and sweets, getting a bank account, getting a degree, getting a job and getting a loan to buy a house or a car.

I forgive myself for not accepting and allowing myself to realise the similarity of religion and economics in that both seem to be 'so much more' and 'so much above me', where I just nod and agree while not understanding a word of what seems to be a completely different language.

I commit myself to taking responsibility for the world and what we have accepted and allowed to be done unto it in creating and participating in the capitalistic system - and stop justifying all the suffering and pain in the world through hiding behind a God or a Higher Power.

I commit myself to the designing and implementing of an Equal Money System that is founded upon principles of Equality and achieving outcomes that are Best for All - eradicating any need for competition, so that we can move passed animosity and actually get to know our neighbour.

I commit myself to the ending of slavery through ending the capitalistic system of lifelong servitude where one is immediately born in debt and has to pay off their debt through labour to in so doing 'earn their living' - instead of recognising each one's right to live from birth.

I commit myself to the empowerment of the poor through first implementing a Basic Income Grant system and from there an Equal Money System.

I commit myself to pierce through the veil of economic traditions, rituals and spectacles to see what is really going on behind the scenes and what price we're paying to uphold our ignorant bliss.

I commit myself to familiarising myself with the vocabulary of economics so that I am able to stand equal and one to economists and, in that, empower myself to see when economists, politicians, academics and corporations attempt to deceive me through speaking nonsense in an unfamiliar language.