Money is one of our favorite words. It speaks the universal language. How we value money is another matter.
You may have never thought about it, but money is an invention of our mind. Due to the need to interact and exchange goods in order to survive, mankind has invented money. Naturally, the evolution of money went through various stages to become the money we know today. However, one thing has been constant: money means value.
We relate the value of a service or goods to certain amount of money. Nevertheless, money has a greater dimension – a psychological one. The values of both aspects of money can be measured in different ways.
Money Means Security and Power
In most parts of the world, money means security. It may be a myth imposed by the society and media, but many people believe that without enough money, their reality would come crushing down. There are scarce societies worldwide that survive with far less than the average American. Furthermore, members of those societies display closeness and devotion to their “tribe” incomparable to the one seen in our civilization. Above all, they have a strong will to defend their group . We can agree that this is extremely rare, but it makes us wonder how far we have drifted from our own purpose and nature.
On the other hand, the reality we live in tells us that we can be taken care of in case of emergency, if we have enough resources. Also, the message we received a long ago was that our kids would be better educated if we are well-off. If we have enough money, we can afford better houses, quality food, higher living standards.
And if we can afford all this and more, we feel powerful, right? There is no greater feeling than the feeling of power. It makes us able to do whatever we want. Power means independence and immense possibilities.
Having all this in mind, it is only logical to be in constant struggle to earn more. Overthinking about money has some beneficial effects too. It can make you plan your spending better. It can also keep you away from falling into debts.
Money Means Freedom
Apart from providing security and making us feel powerful, money also means freedom. In my personal opinion, freedom has become the most overrated word nowadays. From the universal concept of the highest value ever, we have come to regard freedom as our own private thing. We make our own micro freedoms thanks to its highness – the money. The level of freedom is valued when ranking the happiness index, for example.
Money means freedom if you can plan a get away to an exclusive spot, whenever you want to. Money also means freedom when you can be your own boss or chase your own whims. Money provides freedom when you can choose the projects you are interest in to work on.
The value of money, although obviously stated, is different for everyone. This is why there are people who talk about the money in a spiritual way. Regardless of how much you earn, you will spend the money in accordance with your own values. If you look at it that way, your spending habits can tell a lot about yourself. And this is the point where money becomes more than means of payment. It becomes the other dimension of ourselves. The picture of us which we should take a closer look at from time to time.
What is money to you?
