Over the past few years I have started to notice a trend in my thoughts on capitalism and political power. At first it was surprising for me to think about how capitalism, a financial system, affects individuals and the government. I used to wrongly think about the world as multiple separate divisions, which fill specific niches; government, financial affairs, healthcare, etc... but it's all so closely connected. Money makes the world go 'round, money can buy influence in high places both within the government and outside of the political realm. Even in regions or nations where our policies should have no immediate effect by the Western culture of imperial financialism there are clear capitalist influences. We have infiltrated their way of life, often under the guise of spreading democracy.
Just the other day a thought came across my mind...our current system based on political boundaries could become obsolete. Instead of nation-states ruling over a certain region, creating laws for each region large companies with swollen bank accounts could potentially become more powerful. Politicians are already influenced in lawmaking and law enforcement with money, would it be much more different to have actual companies inducted into the United Nations? It is mind boggling how influential financial status can be.
Money as a whole is just bizarre to me. The idea that something has a value which can be represented by little pieces of paper and metal, regulated by other people to correspond the actual amount of worth each bit counts for. After thinking about it all, bartering just seems like a much more pleasurable experience.
Check out this interesting piece called 'The Invention of Money' from NPR's This American Life.
"Five reporters stumbled on what seems like a basic question: What is money? The unsettling answer they found: Money is fiction."
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/sites/all/play_music/play_full.php?play=423
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