Yes, I have borrowed the title of this chapter from Tony Robbins’ book. Mr. Robbins is right because the way money is created, handled, distributed, saved, and invested in this world is, to a great extent, no more than a game. A big game that is not particularly entertaining or easy to play for most people on the globe.
We know the financial game and its rules can be improved, but before we are able to accomplish that with any degree of success, we do need to upgrade our internal game in relation to money, our relationship with it. Otherwise, our economic laws and financial regulations will continue to reflect a fear-based paradigm that promotes scarcity and inequality (download a visual here).
“Almost nobody is indifferent to the word ´money´.” Robert Kiyosaki, author of “Rich Dad Poor Dad.
MY MONEY STORY – FROM RAGS TO MORE RAGS
My parents never argued about money in front of us (even though things were tight at times) and we knew that, for the most part, we could get the toys and games we really wanted at our birthday or Christmas, which made it very special getting them. If I have one complaint though, is that being my sister a year older than me I had to “inherit” a lot of her staff. I remember one time when my mother was trying to convince me to wear a pink pajamas. - Enough is enough – I said, demanding an upgrade to the fireman or policeman model (which thankfully I got soon after that).
I grew up clueless about the intricacies and the struggles that most adults have to face in regards to money. Teenagers in Europe do not need to buy a car at 16 or work part-time flipping burgers during high school to pay for gas. Thus, our money-managing skills start to develop a bit later when we decide to do the “Interrail” or travel to other countries in search of fun at youth hostels. That, coupled with my own personality, made me totally uninterested in the topic of money for a long time.
Then, without warning, I had a rude awakening. After a lengthy and arduous educational experience that was supposed to prepare me to enter the “real world” successfully, I quickly realized that I was at the mercy of “market conditions” regardless of all the A´s on my report card. The things that I had taken for granted were not there for me anymore, and getting a j.o.b. (just over broke) felt more like a lucky strike than a logical consequence of excellent academic achievement and readiness. I depended on those darn euros for everything, and I was not even in control of the ultimate asset: time. For someone with a deep desire for independence and freedom that was a big problem…Finally I was starting to understand those adults that always told me that being a professional student is the best job.
Alright, “I just need to find an occupation that will allow me to pursue my true passion like Steve Jobs and all those guys out there recommend” - I thought -. But, what in the world was my passion? Although I loved my college education in the environmental field, I did not have a clear idea of the kind of work I would like to do day in and day out.
After a few odd jobs in education, I decided to spend the summer with Jessica, my American girlfriend. I was twenty-six and my English was decent, but not that great (I often laughed at jokes I did not quite understand, so you get an idea). My brain seemed exhausted at the end of each day from learning new words and getting acquainted with my new world. Few months later we got married and I started to understand one of the main pillars of the American culture: money, money, money.
WEALTH AND SUCCESS
It was just another day in your typical suburban neighborhood when I decided to pick up the mail. There I found something that really peeked my interest. It was a card with a guy that sported a very serious face and an intimidating hairdo. The card said something like: Learn Real Estate the Trump Way. Who is this Donald Trump? And what is real estate? A quick search on the internet taught me about liens, foreclosures, and Trump´s golden apartment in New York.
There was going to be a free seminar where I could learn to be “Financially Independent”, my “own boss”, and finally have “freedom”…I remember that very moment quite well. I decided right then and there that it was time for me to start learning about money . Pursuing my passion the Steve Job´s way sounded good but I needed to be more practical and earn my freedom (something that this society was not willing to give me without a price).
I went from disliking most rich people to be aware for the first time that many of them had worked really hard, taken risks, and got up over and over to create something (whether good or bad) to sell and thus make money. I started to admire their skills and wanted to learn “the game”, not to rake in a huge fortune, as I already knew that money by itself does not make you happy, but simply to become a human being in full control of his own life. I wanted to become financially independent because, let´s be honest, you can have a fulfilling life, a rewarding job, and a free mind, but until you need to keep working in order to put food on the table you are not completely free since you do not have control over your time. The land of the free? Mmmhhh.
The next few years I tried to learn everything I could about money, from real estate with “nothing down” to persuasion marketing, affiliate sites, multilevel companies, asset protection, the stock market…you name it. I invested thousands of dollars in overpriced seminars, read many of the classic books on the subject, along with plenty of reports with the “hottest” technique to make huge returns on all kinds of things. What a complicated, out-of-touch with reality, and full-of-half-lies that world is.
But I was determined to be “successful.” So I applied myself, kept focused, fell and got up few times, took “massive action”, visualized dollar bills on my ceiling…and convinced my wife of a couple of risky moves (ouch!). Finally I got myself few real estate investments. I had a “portfolio” and was on my way! But, since I had acquired those buildings in a bit of a rush (I was too eager and fearful of missing out all the time) my due diligence was not very thorough, and my management skills were poor, it turned out I had a portfolio of “dogs” (investments that bark a lot).
Those days were very stressful. Real estate and making money just for the sake of it was not my thing…I had deviated from Steve Job´s advice and I was paying (literally) the price. I almost filed bankruptcy to get rid of certain debts (I entertained it since it was an exit strategy of the “game” and Mr. Trump himself had done it, right?).
I had my “why” (to be truly free and independent) so, what could have possibly gone wrong? My life was a mean to an end. I was not using my real strengths or living my passion. So, finally, I made a smart move: I gave up trying to make money quickly and resign myself to be in the “rat race.” I went back to my roots, to the things that I knew I was naturally good at. I got involved in education again and, as a bonus, we made really good money buying and selling a home for a relocation.
During all those years, I learned many lessons, and came to solidify my view about what a truly prosperous and cooperative society really is. But before we dwell in detail about that, let me get out of the way few things because if there is one touchy and controversial topic that is money.
Truth 1: money is not the root of all evil. Money is just a representation of energy, and energy is neutral. However, the current economic system that employs this money, the "game" as we could call it, is flagrantly unfair and inefficient. Money is not good or bad, what is evil is the dependence on it to survive and the structural violence that comes with it.
Truth 2: a cooperative economy is not a “Robin Hood” economy. We have tried that already and it has not worked. It is not a “survival of the fittest” either, because that is not working for most. It is an economy for the benefit of both the individual and the community.
Truth 3: you guys, the rich, the millionaire club, the successful business owners and accredited investors… You are awesome. You have fought hard and have learned to "fish", to play the game. You and all of your assets rock. Perhaps you have created a product or service that has a positive impact in the world, or have passive income from owning 100 one-dollar stores full of plastic plus 50 junk-food drive-thrus. In either case, you have done what you were supposed to do in the competitive paradigm, so no judgment here (I tried myself and I failed). But now it is the time to put your strengths to work for a bigger and better project. It is time to stop hiding in your castle and go from simply accumulating and diversifying to letting the money flow, not rain, but flow. You may think that this is already a just world with equal opportunity for all, and that if somebody really wants something he or she can get it. Deep down you know that this argument is only a half-truth, and should not be used to justify the inequality and misery of the many, because even the lazy and not-so-capable do not deserve to be constantly worried and concerned about the basic things we need in life (and yes, in the XXI, that includes having a smartphone and many other things that your savvy marketing makes us believe we need). I am appealing to your heart, not your brain, to open to this possibility.
Truth 4: you guys, the poor or struggling middle class. You rock too. You also know discipline and effort as you have two not-so-well paid jobs, no cleaning service and a high-interest rate in your mortgage because your credit is poor. I imagine you always tried your best given your circumstances, education, and opportunities. Do me a favor. Stop worshiping the rich and wealthy just because they have money. They are not superhuman nor better than you. Do you know how they make their money? You would be surprised in some cases how much they make without much effort or risk using leverage. It is out of proportion how much some have and how little others enjoy. But let´s be clear, we all deserve to get a head start and not work so hard (especially at minimum wage). I hope you agree, and by the way, thanks for keeping things moving. If it was not for you, stores would not have clerks or customers, delivery trucks not drivers, and business owners not secretaries. I guess the “job creators” would have a hard time creating anything. We have always been working together; now we just need to keep doing the same, but implement smarter rules for the game.
The current state of affairs is one of mind-blowing inequalities in wealth and material opportunities not just between citizens from different countries, but among people that live only few miles apart.
Take Barbara´s example. She is an intelligent and diligent woman that works at a hotel serving tables, but since that is not enough to cover her monthly rent and expenses she also has a second job at a nursing home. She is lucky to not have children, any debt or health issues as that would throw her to an almost never-ending spiral of debt and stress (just to make ends meet). Barbara belongs to the “working poor”, low-wage workers that constantly struggle to deal with rising rents and costs. Employers, on the other hand, fight hard to lower expenses (including wages) by outsourcing as much work as possible to computers, self-operated machines and low-cost freelances around the globe. If they don´t, they will not prosper either in an ever-increasing competitive market and, if they have to shut down, both owners and employees will suffer.
As technology improves, unemployment is only bound to keep rising (technological unemployment) while wages will never outpace inflation due to the scarcity-driven market (let´s produce this good or service for less than our competition). Because of this, it is very difficult for some segments of our society to leave the “rat race” despite what all the books written by financial gurus may say; it is not impossible, I know, but certainly not easy, and thus, the wealth gap keeps increasing. Thankfully for Barbara, the best-selling author of “Nickel and Dimed”, hers was just a self-imposed temporary experiment to gain insight into the “no-successful” class in America and their way of living.
Mark Reid, conversely, is a successful online entrepreneur, author, public speaker, angel investor, twitter connoisseur, surfer and lately he is also a real estate guru. Rumor has it that he occasionally hangs out with Tai Lopez, and has been seen in few selfies with Tim Ferris. He´s made it and he knows it. His oversized house and collection of cool cars are there to prove it. When regularly asked on interviews about his success, he does not hesitate to affirm that it came after hard work, learning from his mistakes, and refining the art and science of marketing.
He puts it in few words, “the secret sauce is hustle, hustle, hustle... and selling.“ If it was easy - he adds - everybody would do it. No doubt Mr. Reid is a straight shooter. Unfortunately, following this model, many will get sick trying, break apart their family or live eternally for the evasive success in the future. But some will make it, and will come back to tell us their stories of perseverance and discipline in the grind, making us believe that we, too, could one day become successful, rich, and sexy.
The stark contrast between these two individuals is not only expected but promoted in the conventional (competitive) ethic: to have winners we need losers, to achieve "success" you have to hustle and pay your "dues." At least that is how Frank Jansen, a typical old-school investor and businessman thinks. Frank regularly meets with "the boys" at the golf course, where they often discuss new strategies to make money work harder for them. The investment ideas, business shortcuts, and inside information shared in those meetings would surprise most of us. Sadly, they are not interested in improving the rules of the game to create abundance for all; but in keeping it the way it is, and master it. And, since it is the way it has always been, there is no moral dichotomy because it is literally business-as-usual.
WHAT MOVES THE INVISIBLE HAND?
“Sometimes I dream of saving the world, saving everyone from the invisible hand; one that brands us with an employee badge; the one that forces us to work for them; the one that controls us every day without us knowing it…" Elliot Anderson (in Mr. Robot)
In the competitive paradigm, there will always be financial winners and losers, regardless of what economic policy or political party is in place. This realization is of crucial importance because many still believe that either capitalism or socialism is the answer, but history has proven that both of these approaches fall short when the key ingredient is missing. We know that income inequality, for example, has been rising in the US since 1970[1] whereas people in socialistic economies are forced down to live within the limits of the lowest common denominator.
Any (financial) system is only as good as the deeper intentions running it, the paradigm.
In 1776 Adam Smith gave us permission to seek only our own benefit when he published “An Inquiry Into The Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.” In his classic book, he stated that voluntary trades in a free market produce unintentional and widespread benefits (as if caused by an invisible hand). Second, these benefits are greater than those of a regulated, planned economy. In a nutshell, "In (free) competition, individual ambition serves the common good."
Mr. Smith did not take into consideration that “individual ambition” can dramatically vary depending upon the type of paradigm the person in question is coming from. It is precisely the quality of these aggregated ambitions (the “invisible hand”) what might, or might not, serve the common good. For Adam Smith to be right, we need the right type of ambition. For example, imagine that you own a fishing business and that you make your living selling what you capture in a nearby bay. If you come from fear and scarcity, from a need to make money in the short term regardless of the consequences, you might overexploit the bay leaving no fish reserves for the next fishing season. If you, on the other hand, come from trust and abundance (because there is a system that supports you even during difficult times) you will not sacrifice your long-term success for a quick buck. Two different decisions with two different outcomes, one is truly economic (that is, sustainable) the other is not. In economic theory, this is called “the tragedy of the commons”: natural resources cannot defend themselves from short-term economic greed driven by F.O.M.O. (fear of missing out).
Traditionally, there have been two approaches to economic policy. One is the Keynesian (left wing) approach, which implies regulation (to tell the fisherman what he can or cannot do, and also force him to redistribute his earnings). The other is the Friedman approach (right wing) where we let the fisherman seek his own benefit without any restrictions (assuming the “invisible hand” will take care of the rest). Neither of these approaches work for both the individual and the group when they operate out of competition because fear ends up creating scarcity at some level.
Since we fail to include the human condition in our economic approach, we remained divided and missing the point: that neither markets or governments are good or bad inherently; it all depends on the people and their aggregated decisions.
“Adam Smith needs revision… Adam Smith said the best result comes from everyone in the group doing what is best for themselves…Incomplete! Incomplete! Because the best result would come from everyone in the group doing what is best for himself and the group.” Russell Crowe playing John Nash (Mathematician and Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1994) in A Beautiful Mind.
Picture this. At a traffic crossroads, the most efficient way for all vehicles to move is by yielding to those drivers with a green light. If you skip a red light, sure, you could get to your destination faster a few times, but as soon as other drivers realize that every person is out just for themselves, they will do the same and traffic might end up getting slower and more chaotic for everyone. This also applies to economics. To optimize our economy and enjoy higher levels of abundance for all we need to “yield” and not think just about ourselves.
Create a free market (because humans like and deserve freedom) but instill in people and institutions the absolute necessity to make trades and decisions that are not based on fear or scarcity, power or personal greed, but on the need to serve both the individual and the group. The “invisible hand”, then, will organically benefit everyone, even without restrictions or regulations, and create more abundance in the long term.
The infinity symbol is a simple, yet elegant representation of this mindset in action. Whatever you do to others or your environment comes back to you. As we are not isolated from our society, but profoundly connected, giving and receiving is in practical terms one and the same. When money/energy flows, it can bring abundance to all.
To put this principle into practice our communities should be like those forests that Suzanne Simard beautifully describes in which “… when one seedling is under stress if it is small or shaded or nutrient poor, other plants send more carbon.” In a forest there is no cap to your growth, the sky is the limit (it is a land of opportunity, a free market), but at the same time there is a safety net (soil) to sustain your life comfortably (a welfare state). The economic institutions and instruments of our time should be serving us, the people, not the other way around. We forget that the way our economy is run and organized is not set in stone the way natural laws are. Therefore, budgets could be changed in few months, along with priorities and resource allocation, to make sure that everybody had (financial) security; that everybody could survive without the need to get a job.
"We should do away with the absolutely specious notion that everybody has to earn a living. It is a fact today that one in ten thousand of us can make a technological breakthrough capable of supporting all the rest. The youth of today are absolutely right in recognizing this nonsense of earning a living. We keep inventing jobs because of this false idea that everybody has to be employed at some kind of drudgery because according to Malthusian Darwinian theory he must justify his right to exist. So we have inspectors of inspectors and people making instruments for inspectors to inspect inspectors. The true business of people should be to go back to school and think about whatever it was they were thinking about before somebody came along and told them they had to earn a living.”― R. Buckminster Fuller
When you uncouple living in society as an adult from the need to make money in order to live with dignity, you stop being driven constantly by your survival instincts (will I have enough for rent this month?). All of the sudden, you experience less worry and fear and have the time freedom to pursue your true interests and purpose. Imagine that!
I still remember how shocked I got that day when I entered my new real estate office (where I worked as a sales agent). I was greeted by a voice, but I could not see anybody there! Then, I realized that the sound was coming from a television placed right above the main desk. It was a virtual secretary that was attending three offices at the same time. How clever! Is it not? Technological development will continue to take over traditional jobs. This is known as technological unemployment. It is real, and it will continue to increase as companies and institutions attempt to reduce costs and increase efficiency. Instead of complaining about it, let’s embrace it and see it for what it is: a blessing (if we can combine it with a basic universal income or something similar to support people).
"We need a new ethic in politics that decouples a person´s claim on existence from doing profitable work that someone will pay you for…because a lot of that work is going away…this is the greatest opportunity in human history. We are talking about canceling the need for dangerous, boring, repetitive work and freeing up humanity to do interesting, creative, fun things." Sam Harris (Neuroscientist) on universal basic income.
Elon Musk, the founder, and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, puts it this way: "There's a pretty good chance we end up with a universal basic income, or something like that, due to automation, I'm not sure what else one would do… People will have time to do other things and more complex things, more interesting things. They will certainly have more leisure time."
Where will the money come from?- You may ask. From stopping the energy/money leaks like wars, interest on loans, and all the other institutions and enterprises that do not really serve us but keep us anchored in an obsolete model (and there are many of those) of accumulation, greed, and waste. There is plenty of wealth; it is a matter of prioritization. Just in 2018, the defense budget in the US was approximately 700 billion, enough to give 100 million people in the US a 600 $/month basic income support.
Money is a measure of wealth, money is not wealth...dollars are like inches. They are a way to measure real wealth which consists of material resources, plus energy plus intelligence. Money is a representation. And therefore, as our wealth increases as a result of our expanded technology we need to provide enough money to circulate. In other words, we have to pay people for their work done on their behalf by machinery...You mean give people money? Where is the money going to come from? Money never came from anywhere...is like asking where are inches coming from? Technology was invented to save labor...It means a shorter workweek, less to do... so that you can go and gaze at the moon or make love to your lady friend. And, why not do it?” Allan Watts
Everybody should be entitled to (financial) security. Yes, I said "entitled." This is not only a lofty goal but one of critical importance if we want to transform our society and truly grow. Our most brilliant people and all of our resources should be devoted to helping us escape this self-imposed grind and go from safety needs, which keeps us in survival mode and fear, to higher levels of self-actualization as described in Maslow’s pyramid.
Unfortunately, there is an incredible amount of human talent underutilized because a great deal of people is stuck in the “safety needs” zone working to make ends meet. Imagine how many more Mozarts, Einsteins, and Goethes we could have in society if we could enjoy more time to explore and develop our natural strengths and abilities without stress or haste. Instead of being free to work or volunteer in an occupation that we enjoy or are naturally inclined to do, we have to show up on Monday to our workplace whether we like it or not in order to pay the bills. We are used to this and see it as normal, but it is far from being ideal.
“The problem with this era is that people are more focused on what they need to do to survive and less on what they have to dream about...The need is overtaking the desire (dream)” Gianluca Vacchi
In the way the system is set up, our personal growth and contribution comes second to our productivity at work, and thus, dissatisfaction is high in our ranks. According to research[2], “employee burnout has reached epidemic proportions.” No problem though! We can easily tune out the pain by consuming entertainment (and there is a lot of it) or our drug of choice. In fact, the entertainment class of our society is so crucial in helping us to keep our own sanity that they are practically heroes (we called them celebrities), and are paid millions to act out in movies or chase balls in shorts around fields.
Despite this conflict between our work and our human needs, many gurus and motivational speakers still teach that the main reason that most are not getting ahead (financially) is that “you do not want it bad enough” (basically, that you do not work hard enough). Me? Of course I do not want it that bad, neither should you! Sacrificing the present moment for the promise of the future is not very intelligent and stresses out mind and body (dis-ease in all fronts); but work ourselves to exhaustion we must, they say. Hey, - I thought life was a journey to enjoy not a destination? - Unfortunately, that is the advice we get from most, and year after year we try to succeed in our side business (you have not started a blog yet? Stop procrastinating!), follow through with our "to-do" list or get a second job just to put more away for the rainy days. All of these are supposed to move us in the right direction (happiness, I figure), but in reality, they keep adding stress and dissatisfaction to our daily lives.
I am not saying that effort and discipline are not important; they are actually a key ingredient to develop our talents. If you want to become good at something you will probably end up devoting 10,000+ hours to your craft, but before you commit to that, you should find out what are your strengths and your passions as you do not want to put the ladder on the wrong wall (Stephen Covey warns us). When you are enjoying the process in the moment (and it is a lot easier when you do not have to worry about survival), you enter the zone, that almost magic state in which a flow of creativity and increased performance allows us to reach our maximum potential. This is when records are broken and awe-inspiring innovation takes place.
“When doing what we most love transforms us into the best possible version of ourselves and that version hints at even greater future possibilities, the urge to explore those possibilities becomes feverish compulsion. Intrinsic motivation goes through the roof. Thus flow becomes an alternative path to mastery, sans the misery.” Steven Kotler (author of The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance)
A money-driven society is an unsatisfied one according to research: money is a poor motivator.
“The best use of money as a motivator is to pay people enough to take the issue of money off the table, so they are not thinking about money, they are thinking about the work. Once you do that, there are three factors that science shows lead to better performance, not to mention personal satisfaction: autonomy, mastery, and purpose.” Dan Pink on the science of motivation.
What people really want is not money, but the conditions that they believe only money can provide. Most want a carefree life that is full of possibilities. They want autonomy (freedom), they want growth (mastery), and they want contribution (purpose, meaningful work); even if they are not aware of it. Notice that all of these things are intrinsic motivators, not extrinsic. Those who simply chase money get eventually disappointed.
It is a tragedy that a great percentage of people have to work every day (unnecessarily) just to earn money. For the first time in history, we can have the cake and eat it too. We can stop worrying and start living by employing machines, allocating money and resources wisely, and creating a basic universal income for all adults. In this way, we could free a lot of time and people to do work that is more meaningful and aligned with their natural abilities. And if someone is inclined to earn more, a free society should provide the possibilities and exchange opportunities to do so.
ESCAPING THE OLD GAME OF MONEY
If you do not find the rat race appealing because working 40-50 hours a week for the next 30-40 years, paying off your high-interest loans religiously, saving and investing wisely (good luck), and staying content with short vacations is not your thing, no problem. There is a really cool alternative: to master the game and become an entrepreneur (oh yeah!). By standing on the shoulders of (financial) giants you might be able to beat the market or create some kind of product to sell (hopefully there is a problem that needs to be solved, if not, just create something new and convince people they need it) to finally free yourself from the grind and join the ranks of the “successful.”
If you try to escape the old game of money, I hope you watch lots of youtube videos of successful stories to stay motivated, hustle a lot, and do meditation regularly to keep your sanity and your health. If you make it, please do not write another book on "How You Too Can Be The Next Millionaire" because, let´s face it, not everybody can: there are fewer chairs than players. It is only the possibility of getting there and the illusion of fairness of this game that keeps most people resigned working away and thinking that a drastic change is not necessary or justified.
WHY GET RID OF THE RAT RACE?
Health.
Sunday blues.
More time to enjoy your true passion and develop your talents, just to name a few. Escaping the rat race is not good enough because somebody will always lose. We need to change the approach and get rid of it altogether for everyone. Otherwise, the majority will continue to be stressed about finances and not having enough time to nurture their families and communities (according to a study only 1 in 3 parents leave work on time; children need time and attention from their parents, not more money).[3]
Like the elephant that was trained in his early days to not escape the show and remains chained as an adult (when he could easily break free), we keep maintaining and contributing to a system that does not help us fulfill our dreams. Despite our technological development, we still live within the mental limitations of an old paradigm and fail to see the true possibilities of our time because it is what we have always done. Ironically, we take pride in our busy lives, when this frenetic activity is precisely the very obstacle that prevents us from looking up to the stars (our self-realization; our growth), or in front of us (the others who need us; our contribution to society).
We will never create a truly abundant society by competing among ourselves, but striving more, by pushing harder. Fighting against it is not the answer either; we need to create something better.
“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” Albert Einstein
PHILANTHROPY TO POWER
Just as people in the Middle Ages foresaw the future having even more grandiose cathedrals by projecting their own perspective on life, those attached to the competitive paradigm can´t foresee a society with very different values such as:
- Seeking higher unemployment rates instead of lower
- Considering most hours as “happy”, not just right after work
- Giving and receiving as being one and the same
- Thinking globally and acting locally as something normal and expected
- Knowing that the pursuit of material wealth is a very slippery concept that leaves most unfulfilled and weary.
"I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others' eyes, my life is an epitome of success. However, aside from work, I have little joy. In the end, wealth is only a fact of life that I am accustomed to. At this moment, lying on the sick bed and recalling my whole life, I realize that all the recognition and wealth that I took so much pride in, have paled and become meaningless in the face of impending death...Now I know, when we have accumulated sufficient wealth to last our lifetime, we should pursue other matters that are unrelated to wealth …Should be something that is more important: Perhaps relationships, perhaps art, perhaps a dream from younger days. Non-stop pursuing of wealth will only turn a person into a twisted being, just like me." Steve Job´s unofficial last words on the topic.
Every year, Forbes publishes the list of wealthiest people in the world. When the cooperative paradigm takes over, this list will look like an oddity from the past. Having wealth does not automatically make you a superior human being or worth of praise. Many have amassed fortunes with unscrupulous businesses or enterprises which never internalized their true cost to society. Thus, it is not your net worth, but how you have created your wealth and what you do with it that counts. The Forbes´ list of the future will showcase the men and women who give the most money and resources to humanity every year, the best philanthropists in the world. Sign me up for that one! Tony Robbins is right when he says that “the secret to living is giving.”
THE NEW GAME OF MONEY
“If the evolution of consciousness is not the way to solve the world’s problems, then I do not know what it is.” Terence McKenna
Under a paradigm of cooperation and trust, the economy will serve human beings not the other way around:
- Education will be transformed as the main motivation will not be to prepare employees (that need a job to survive) but true learners. Curriculums will be more flexible, self-guided and personalized. Creativity will be maximized.
- Accumulation of money or assets will not be encouraged or praised (as ultimately that comes from the desire of self-preservation and protection caused by fear). Money flows when people feel secure and abundant. Savers will be seen as losers, givers and philanthropists will be the real heroes.
- Paid work will be minimized, with more and more technology taking over most tasks that are not fulfilling or entertaining. People will be freer to volunteer in whatever it is they find purpose, like helping old ladies crossing the road or build new “Wikipedias.” - Innovation and personal realization will reach new highs.
- The inequality gap will diminish across cities, states, and nations with revitalization and volunteering programs. This will happen organically not forced by legislation.
- The survival flight or fight limbic brain will not be triggered as often. As a consequence, there will be less crime and acts of violence.
- The population will be much healthier as stress levels will be lower than ever and people will have time to be proactive with their wellness instead of reactive. Stationary bikes will be considered a strange artifact from the past. Nobody will think eating fast food is a good idea as there will be plenty of time for things.
- Gradually, there will be less need and interest in currency as free information, and machines (to perform labor) will allow us to get whatever we need without the need to buy it. Far in the future, a cashless society is not only possible but likely.
This is where we are going as a society, and the sooner we put our minds to it, the sooner will get there. The only barrier is our own thoughts about what is possible and what the rules of the game need to be.
F.A.O. (Frequently Asked Objections)
- If money is given freely who is going to have an incentive to work?
Beyond survival needs, extrinsic factors such as money are poor motivators for people as already mentioned above. Every year hundreds of thousands of people work for free to help others, they do it at their own expense, risking their lives, putting lots of time and efforts in diverse fields such as medicine, rescue teams, childhood literacy or environmental affairs to name a few. We call them volunteers, and they are awesome. A healthy and adjusted human is not lazy but seeks expansion and connection.
- People will not know what to do with their time, most need structure and social responsibility or tend to fall apart psychologically.
Our educational system trains us to do as we are told. Because of this many struggle to find meaning and joy on their own when they retire. This is not a valid reason, though, to keep them busy artificially. Learning something new entails the need to struggle with it at first, therefore, we cannot expect a perfect transition. The “soul searching” phase is unavoidable. In time, people will flock naturally to contribute in different ways because being lazy and drinking margaritas gets old and boring at some point. There are plenty of responsibilities and things to build and create.
- I do not want to distribute any of my money among others.
The only reason you do not want some of your “hard-earned” money to be distributed among those more in need or with fewer capabilities is that you do not like what you do to earn it. Because you have suffered every day to have it, because it is an effort, you do not want others to have it without going through the pain. If you enjoy what you do, who cares if others want to work or not? You are enjoying your life doing what you would do anyway (note: people are not as lazy as you may thing…just give them some time and let them heal their mind and body).
- This cannot be sustainable.
It is the only thing sustainable. The gap between the upper and lower class keeps getting bigger. The reason could be merit, structural violence or a combination of both, but it does not really matter, it is happening and this is concerning. At some point, the majority will not tolerate the situation. Instead of tensing the rope more and more and justify it on the basis of work ethic or equal access of opportunity, let’s just help for the sake of help, raise everybody up to one level above survival and stress(like in the forest) . The goal is not to make everybody equal, but beautifully diverse, as they would, when they are not concerned about being more or less “marketable” and can bring forth what they have in them that is unique within a carefree platform.
- This is a utopian idea, it is a dream.
You are 100% right. Every advancement in our civilization was born out of a dream, an idea. Every leader, every visionary, every inventor had a dream first. This is not only a sensible approach to our economic struggles but also a doable one. It is only a matter of acquiring a critical mass of citizens and leaders behind it to start implementing it. We should not be working on mastering a game that is rigged and does not move us forward, we need to create a new game that is based on better rules and principles, and takes into consideration our current technical capabilities. We cannot fundamentally transform our education, healthcare system, and politics until we implement the cooperative paradigm in our economy. This is the first and most important step.
- What is in it for me?
If you understand the fact that we are all connected and depend on each other, you will include your neighbor in your decisions, your society. When you do that you are cooperating, acting out of trust, and bringing abundance and freedom to all. Your interest is also mine. Giving and receiving is one.
[1] (https://www.cbpp.org/research/poverty-and-inequality/a-guide-to-statistics-on-historical-trends-in-income-inequality)
[2] https://www.kronos.com/about-us/newsroom/employee-burnout-crisis-study-reveals-big-workplace-challenge-2017
[3] https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jun/28/my-daughter-felt-forgotten-parents-on-working-late
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This is a chapter from the upcoming book "Cooperation Paradigm." A New Paradigm is upon us, a simple set of principles with the power to change the minds and hearts of people, a paradigm that will create abundance, freedom and unity.
"Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come" Victor Hugo
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