In today’s video podcast, money and monetary policy expert Lyn Alden explains how our system of money is failing and why the next few years are shaping up to be exceptionally turbulent and risky.
What is money, really? At its core, money is a facilitator, a tool that makes trade not just possible but efficient. It’s a gigantic leap beyond the limitations of barter, allowing us to bypass the need for a ‘double coincidence of wants’ – the unlikely scenario where two people each have what the other desires.
But money is more than just a trading tool; it’s a social construct deeply entwined with trust and fairness, a ledger controlled by nature or community consensus, from small tribes to central banks. What happens when a system of money becomes unfair? You get angry monkey hurling cucumbers, that’s what!
As we navigate through the intricacies of our modern financial system, it’s crucial to understand how money evolved – not as a successor to barter, but as a simultaneous development. This evolution was critical in shaping our societies. Early forms of money, like shell beads, were not just mediums of exchange but also symbols of wealth and social status.
Lyn Alden is truly a master of this subject and a gifted communicator. Tune in with an open mind…
by spankybo