DISCUSSION 1 - Money

On May 16, 2007, I went on a little rant about "Money" and asked for responses from readers on my email list. I was very inspired to see that its an issue thats been on many of you's minds, not surprisingly though, considering the huge impact money has on all our lives. So as promised, I've posted your insightful responses. Thanks all! This got me thinking about another issue, stay tuned for part two! :).........................

MONEY

Is it too late to turn things around so that money is not the most important thing? Because wether you accept it or not, it IS.

Money makes the world go round. Money CAN buy happiness. Money CAN solve most problems, even if not all. It can solve more problems than any other singular entitiy. You CAN become president if you have money. You CAN date (or marry, if you want) the hottest girl or guy if you have money. You CAN friggin make your wildest dreams come true if you have money. Money rules the world, even if not each individual personally.

Yet, we all act like it doesnt, and say it doesn't, and talk about morality, and talk about honor, and talk about scruples. FUCK THAT. Once you've got enough money, you can buy the papacy and absolve yourself of all the sins you commited to get it.

Why am I saying this? because I personally have no desire for money, and sometimes feel like the fool who believed all the moral lessons we were taught when we were young. Then I realized, even in the pursuit of the greater good, you need money to get heard, or at least access to it. I cant bring myslef to love it, but when you dont have it, you learn just how friggin important it is. I even wrote a song titled "fool's goal" about how I grew up longing for honor and fairness and tolerance and brotherhood, but then I realized that was just a fool's goal. Get the goddamn money first!

So I ask, is it too late to turn things around? I dont know, but even as an artist, I'm almost losing hope on that one. Anyone have the answer?

Ka-Chi

Note: For Other Discussions, please visit my blog at www.myspace.com/kachman

Clyde Clarke:
Ka-Chi read this web page at least the beginnings of it and let me know what you think.
http://blogs.salon.com/0002007/2005/08/30.html

Kuku:
I hate to say it, but you've said nothing but the truth. It's sad, but it's the truth.

Michael Olabisi:
Hey Man! I don't have the answers too- so if you hear anything interesting - please share the love.

But since you're asking questions let me take the chance to share 2 cents:
Money is only valuable because people want it, it is only popular because it makes things easy - and we want things easy. The problem might be the Oliver Twist tendency that humans are born with. But it might also be 'that tendency taken to excess' - if you can come up with a meaningful but Universal definition of Greed, all of this may make sense.

Try it - let's look at our lives to the tiniest detail (even break down our expenses to the smallest cent) - and ask how much do I really need, and how much do I really want, and how much is left over? And if there is much left over after what I really want and really need, am I confused or insane? Or why else would I keep junk that I don't want or need?

The second half of my 2 cents is that 'money decays'. Ask any economist- the value of cash keeps going down, as it always has been. The only thing that makes value grow is work- the only reason your banks earn any interest on your money and give you a portion of it as a return is because someone somewhere worked hard to pay back what he borrowed. If nobody borrowed, or if everyone that borrowed did not pay back - think of it - would you want to keep so much money around?

But we take work for granted, we leave love starving by the wayside, get out of bed and leave our dreams there to pursue the fantasies that others' idleness impose on us. And you know what- it seems right! It feels so right that I feel like imposing the fantasies of my idleness on others one day when I get rich and famous enough to try- if I can try.

Anthony Scimonelli:
Yo Ka-chi! I'm feelin you on the evil green business. Truth is - we do it to ourselves. We live in societies that train us to be obsessed with it. Only way out of it, is to remove yourself from the system that makes you crave it.
Actually - before it existed - it wasn't important at all.
You know - back when it was important just to get a fire started so that folks could dance around it. I say we get together and burn some shit and forget about money for
awhile.

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