Tao Speaks: one of the BIG reifications

one of the BIG reifications

Posted by josef on 5/18/2011, 9:46 am
24.32.223.x

Musing on the various reifications that can rule lives, one of the biggest ones came to mind.

Money.

Unless we live in a cave, we have to have some. I live off the grid as much as possible, but still have to pay taxes, have car insurance, etc. Money is a medium of transaction, yes, but conceptual complexity and incredible numbers of reifications are attached to it like barnacles on a boat, thick, thick layers of them.

Money, (just paper and coins, really, or numbers on a computer), radiates and lures with mental projections of power, social acceptance, career, prestige, tuition, security, success. The haves preen with it, the have-nots scrabble for it. Thieves and bankers make entire careers out of it. It literally rules lives. It's enthroned on psychological altars, worshipped, desired, feverishly sought after.

Amusing to realize that for most of mankind's history there was no such thing as money. Sharing and barter largely the way things worked. I'll trade you some of my eggs for a couple of your tomatoes. Nice beads, trade for your pretty basket? That still goes on a lot in small rural communities. We do it all the time. In the process the strange bigness of "money" becomes a little more apparent, and less important.

In this complex society, it's no longer possible for this to be the way of things, but it is possible, even when engaging in the world of commerce and consumerism, to recognize Money's peculiar imagery and just see it for what it is, not getting caught up in its tangling allure, not buying into all the hype and the nearly universal emotional bondage to it.

Each reification looked at, examined from all sides, pulled into the light of really interested study, is rendered ineffectual in distorting mind's perceptions. One less chunk of unexamined presumptions and biases.

255

Message Thread

one of the BIG reifications - josef 5/18/2011, 9:46 am
- Wanna have some fun? - josef 5/18/2011, 10:01 am
- Re: one of the BIG reifications - gar 5/18/2011, 10:34 am
  - Re: one of the BIG reifications - josef 5/18/2011, 11:32 am
    - Re: one of the BIG reifications - ButchO 5/19/2011, 11:17 pm
      - Beyond reifications - josef 5/20/2011, 8:35 am
      - Letting go - josef 5/20/2011, 6:47 pm
        
        Re: Letting go - ButchO 5/20/2011, 9:38 pm
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--Previous Message-- : Musing on the various reifications that can : rule lives, one of the biggest ones came to : mind. : : Money. : : Unless we live in a cave, we have to have : some. I live off the grid as much as : possible, but still have to pay taxes, have : car insurance, etc. Money is a medium of : transaction, yes, but conceptual complexity : and incredible numbers of reifications are : attached to it like barnacles on a boat, : thick, thick layers of them. : : Money, (just paper and coins, really, or : numbers on a computer), radiates and lures : with mental projections of power, social : acceptance, career, prestige, tuition, : security, success. The haves preen with it, : the have-nots scrabble for it. Thieves and : bankers make entire careers out of it. It : literally rules lives. It's enthroned on : psychological altars, worshipped, desired, : feverishly sought after. : : Amusing to realize that for most of : mankind's history there was no such thing as : money. Sharing and barter largely the way : things worked. I'll trade you some of my : eggs for a couple of your tomatoes. Nice : beads, trade for your pretty basket? That : still goes on a lot in small rural : communities. We do it all the time. In the : process the strange bigness of : "money" becomes a little more : apparent, and less important. : : In this complex society, it's no longer : possible for this to be the way of things, : but it is possible, even when engaging in : the world of commerce and consumerism, to : recognize Money's peculiar imagery and just : see it for what it is, not getting caught up : in its tangling allure, not buying into all : the hype and the nearly universal emotional : bondage to it. : : Each reification looked at, examined from : all sides, pulled into the light of really : interested study, is rendered ineffectual in : distorting mind's perceptions. One less : chunk of unexamined presumptions and biases. : : :

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