Tatto - Money is funny

Money is funny.

The great American writer who lived in France, Gertrude Stein, said, “Money is a funny thing.” She was a writer. But her writings went over the heads of the average reader, so her books didn’t sell well. Later, when she wrote a biography of her mistress, the book sold well, and she had a successful business. When she said money was a funny thing, it didn’t come when she wanted it, but later. When she got money, she could live comfortably and do whatever she wanted. She could do whatever she wanted. “Money comes when it wants to, and when it doesn’t, no matter how hard she tries, it never comes. It’s a funny thing.” She said money is a funny thing.

But money is not something to be laughed at lightly. Money is very important in human life. According to economist and essayist Roger Rosenblatt, money has many uses. It is extraordinary. It can build cities. It can cure diseases. It can ultimately win wars.

Money is an indispensable part of worldly affairs. People are always looking for money day and night. They seek it in various ways. They seek it with great effort. Some even risk their lives to find it. If they get money, they are motivated. If they don't get money, they are depressed. Money determines the value of things. It can be said that it even determines the value of people. It is the wealth that clearly defines human status. The rich and the poor are part of every society. A scholar without money is poor, even though his knowledge is so great that it cannot be valued.

Humans are interdependent. One person needs something, another person makes it. They produce it. Another person needs something, another person provides it. In this way, they make trades and make life comfortable. Due to these various needs, the phenomenon of economy has emerged. Whether it is to exchange goods or services, the thing that floats in the middle is "money". Exchange creates "markets". Trade and services are the features of the economy, and money facilitates these activities. Without money, no social activity can be possible.

Money is the main support in everything and in all matters. If you want to do good, you need money. If you want to do evil, you also need money. If you want money, you can do good and get money. You can also do evil and get money. Of the two ways, the way to get money by doing evil is not only undesirable but also dangerous. There is great danger in those who do evil. Without fear of danger, they focus only on getting money and stubbornly seek money through injustice, dishonesty, and cruelty.

Human beings are not free from greed. There are two types of greed. They are balanced greed (sama-lo-ba) and unbalanced greed (visama-lo-ba). Beyond the sama-lo-ba, which is the acquisition of property that is rightfully ours, and the vassal greed, which is the acquisition of property from others who are not entitled to it by various means, good human beings avoid it. Since property is valued in terms of money, money is the favorite food of the greedy. No matter what property or subject, the final value is money, and money speaks in everything.

In fact, money is just a symbol. However, since that symbol is a symbol that has been given value, even though it is just a piece of metal or paper in the ordinary sense, those coins, money, and paper have become valuable symbols from the ordinary. That value-added symbol has the power to give value to all other things. Even though people all over the world have superficial values ​​according to their regions, ethnic groups (countries), that power to give value exists. Therefore, when it comes to money, all the people of the world look up. The value given by money is just a value. It is not the real value. However, they are living in this superficial value and material life.

Money can do good. It can also do bad. It can do both good and bad. It depends on the person who handles it. If it is used for good, the value of money is high. If it is used for bad, the value of money is low. The Buddha said that money is like a snake. There are those who worship money as a deity. There are those who hoard money, and there are those who waste it like water. In fact, money follows the wishes of the person who uses it. Again, those who want to use money follow the wishes of money by making various efforts to obtain it. With the face of money, they do things that others dare not do or do not want to do. Some people wear money as a 'mask' and hide their faces under the superficial appearance of beauty. Considering such things, is it possible, as the great writer Gertrude Stein said, "Money is ridiculous."