Today, I want to investigate the root causes and solutions to this common saying.
#TANSTAAFL
Everything has a price, even a free lunch.
Here's where #TANSTAAFL first appeared in Robert Heinlein's 1966 scifi novel The Moon is a Harsh Mistress -
"Oh, 'tanstaafl', Means ~ There ain't no such thing as a free lunch. And isn't, or these drinks would cost half as much. Was reminding her that anything free costs twice as much in long run or turns out worthless."
"An interesting philosophy."
"Not philosophy, fact. One way or other, what you get, you pay for."
If something is free, what's the catch?
Such is our universal human premonition. The general consensus says that nothing should be given out for free without proof of work. Hand-outs contain hidden social costs, and that needs to be compensated. Resistance within the flow of social interactions is required to distribute wants and needs over longer periods of time.
Such abstract resistance gives rise to currency. Cash, money, and all its forms. Rulers of the old world used it to ration resources, preserving their own coffers. New world governments are no different. The #TANSTAAFL phenomenon must continue, symbolic to the century-long disputes that has been going on for capitalism, communism, socialism, anarchism.. and so many other isms.
The only real catch here is money.
Scarcity-spawned political labels, mental limitations.
Scientifically, #TANSTAAFL simply means that the universe is a closed system. Every action has a reaction, and our lunches must come from something else exhaustible. Everything comes in limited quantity.
Economically, #TANSTAAFL explains opportunity cost. You need to sacrifice something in order to get something else. You can only get something for nothing if you have previously gotten nothing for something. If somebody gets something for free, somebody else is actually going to pay for it. The abstracted social cost urges us not to give hand-outs to someone that "doesn't deserve it".
#TANSTAAFL may be a sound aphorism, but it divides us and limits our imagination. I believe that every sociopolitical ideologies are noble in its intent, but lacking technical solutions to achieve its aspirations. Like communism back in the days - how do you provide food and shelter for the masses? It was socially and technologically impossible back then.
Capitalism with all its speedy, haphazard shuffling of resources all over the world has undoubtedly brought us accelerated technological progress. Especially with all its concentrated, institutionalized efforts. With so many leaps and bounds in cost reduction, surely #TANSTAAFL is not so much of a thing anymore? But It still lingers.
Albert Einstein once said "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them". Maybe it's time to tear down the words and labels that we use to divide ourselves. Such limitations in human thought necessarily puts limitation to our human freedom.
There is no one size that fits all. And surely there is no such thing as a utopia, The kids of tomorrow would want something different. What remains is for us to start developing enabling technologies and social constructs to empower any individuals to live freely. For freedom to begin, #TANSTAAFL must be solved.
Here's the good news - the world is already moving towards eliminating the notion of #TANSTAAFL.
Because people are inherently good and awesome.
Fuck #TANSTAAFL, get free lunches.
Everyone loves free stuff. Let's not deny that. It doesn't matter which sociopolitical spectrum you fit right in. We definitely don't mind free stuff - most of us were born into this world clueless and taken care of.
Alright before you jump your gun calling me a commie bastard, allow me to expand on the idea of what is free. Below is the trivium of free stuff:-
Free calories: These are life sustaining products. Energy, food, water, shelter.
Free carats: You don't really need them, but they are essential for diversifying human activities.
Free love: Think about your friends, family, lovers. But love will only be free when a person is free.
In fact, free is the reason why you're here on Steemit. To free yourself.
So what are the market forces in the world currently on its way to consolidating the trivium of free stuff? Here's the list of socioeconomic pressures, enabled by progress in technology.
Cryptocurrencies: Governments no longer define your set of values. With cryptocurrencies, you have the choice in dealing with a web of crpytocurrencies to define your own set of values. Decentralized exchanges will mean less friction, minimizing loss in the shuffling of values across social networks.
The Sharing Economy: This goes from open source projects and DIY circles, to decentralized social constructs that enable sharing. Think about distributed manufacturing (3d-printing), in-house farming, library of goods, university cities, social networks, and timeshared properties. All without governmental coercion.
Renewables: Total abundance renders monetary value obsolete. Think about renewable energies, recyclable 3-d printing materials, and individual / communal farming. The hard problem of free calories, carats, love - to be solved or to be solved in one fell swoop. Renewables are going to change the world for the better.
Global, Decentralized Forums: Such as Steemit, mankind is beginning to consolidate humanly issues all around the world, from first world to third world problems. This will in turn the general consensus with clearer paths for progress.
Space-Ventures: We can start sending terrorists to outer space. They can be kings in their own planets. Jokes aside, a space-faring focused civilization would foster cooperation, and be inspired by the wealth of options and abundance available throughout the universe.
Lifting the human spirit out of the trenches of the #TANSTAAFL
Without worries about self-sustainability, people can begin to put more time to continuously learn and build on their many passions. We are currently at the cusp of the free lunch revolution, and I'm sure some of you have already begun to feel its effects.
Contrary to popular belief, handouts do not demotivate individuals. Being in a socially-conscious society with enabling technologies, we are now far better equipped with the insight to decide on our paths. And it's not quite like a handout on Steemit.
Subjective proof of work is vetted by the social network, compensating you for your effort. Handouts are misleading. It is better to call it personalized incentives - the product of many intertwined socioeconomic innovations, providing the net effect of basic income (true work/play paradigm).
Have free lunch, will make the world a better place.
What if I tell you that's the only work that anyone needs to do?
What about the lazy bastards?
Personally, I think everyone has their own value. If you think about the Dude from The Big Lebowski - what are his values? Does he deserve a free handout? After all, he has no part in the many human dramas and technological progress made by others around the world. So do you. The sun and planet never asks you for money, not even a single penny. Only governments and rent-seekers do that.
And here's one thing about lazy bastards. A man with ambition can be bought, corrupted. The unambitious man can never be bought. The unambitious man will be an anomaly, just like The Mule. Even Hari Seldon could never predict such a thing. The unambitious man may be the black swan of the world's power order.
And hey, who's not lazy every once in awhile?
A shared world requires decentralized governance, powered by anarchism and voluntarism
In a better world, Earth and all its resources are our common heritage. Energy-unlimited cryptocurrencies running on top of a material-limited resource-based economy will certainly be an interesting proposition. The backbone of such an implementation should not be based on coercion. But rather, a technological yardstick that runs in the background for any individuals / communities deliberation.
Everyone's mind is the real money
Money is just fiction, a global delusion that everyone shares. Remember that currency is the abstract representation of social interactions, of minds speaking to each other. That is where the real money lies. Power to change our value system comes from within.
It's not there isn't a free lunch. The fact is, there isn't such a thing called money. Only human values.
So are you going to accept freedom and free lunches?
I have upvoted you because this seems to be worth discussing.
But boy, there is, imho, some seriously muddled thinking here.
For instance: "In fact, free is the reason why you're here on Steemit."
Now, that may be the reason you are here on steemit. But how would you know why I am here on steemit?
"Because people are inherently good and awesome."
While that may be true of the small number of conscious and awake people, it is certainly not true of people in general who are little more than automatons reacting to external stimuli. When everything is going well and they have full bellies - they are "good and awesome". But let them be gripped by hunger or panic and see just how noble they then act. Have you ever been confronted by an angry mob? I have.
Angry mobs are not the norm. As a percentage, they make up a very small slice of human activity. If you read Steven Pinker's The Better Angels of our Nature you might see that, on the whole, humanity is progressing forward to a more peaceful existence and that's a view supported by empirical evidence. Our own personal experiences tend to bias us towards an anecdotal explanation of reality, which is often fundamentally flawed.
Angry mobs may make up a very small slice of human activity. Unfortunately manufactured opinions and beliefs, instilled by corporate media into the masses, are practically universal.
Too true. When people get all tin-hat about "mind control" I often respond with, "Well of course mind control exists. It's simply a matter of controlling the inputs to the system of our mental faculties based on generic world views." I think more and more people are waking up to the mind control systems in place. Main stream media is bleeding in terms of their active audience. Decentralized media and the removal of "gatekeepers" for information is having a drastic impact on humanity. We're still quite new to this Internet thing, but so far it's showing a future which I'm pretty excited about it.
Very good point !
Most often I describe those kind of reactions or beliefs as being self constructed conclusions from "Failed Logic". Such as the concept of "TANSTAAFL" to mean it doesn't cost anything (is Free) when in fact it cost someone, something to produce.
On a side note: I have a theory which is relevant (I believe) in this case. And that is the "illusion transition to delusion" system that creates personal "beliefs". Illusion is a false presentation of facts (externally produced), (such as propaganda) or even a "magic trick" to (young children) and they come to believe this as TRUTH, therefore becoming (Internal) "deluded" or delusional. Again, using what is called "failed logic".
I am sorry if I am not articulate enough to convey my intentions or concepts properly, as I am not a "writer" but I am at least trying to relay concepts and "ideas".
Read More, Reason More ... JTS
I'm sure this is supposed to remind me of a movie quote, but I can't figure it out. Was it something the Joker said in Nolans Batman movies? BTT:
No, let them be well-fed and comfortable. Only psychopaths let others be gripped by hunger and panic.
I've revised the first part :) As for people are inherently good and awesome - i always like to look like the kindness that strangers give especially if you're in foreign land. But the opposite could be happening eh? I think i'm just a tad optimistic here.
Thanks for pointing this out.. good points to consider.. i'll think about it today and see if i can make better arguments on my post. THanks for the support :D
Your 50 hours of work on this post shines through!!!
This post is full of powerful writing and ideas, thanks for sharing :-)
Thanks @anwenbaumeister - glad you enjoyed it :) Those are nice words to take into my sleep.. which i need now :). Cya in a bit!
Man, you killed it with this post. So well written. Thank you!
I see money as a ledger. That's all it is and that's how it started. It's how we keep track of who is providing value to other human beings, who owes us something and who we owe something to. The blockchain is the best ledger ever invented, so it's the best form of money ever invented.
It's true, money is a "delusion", but the ledger concept is not. If I want to interact with others in a way that rewards me for my efforts and recognizes the efforts of others, a ledger system seems to be the best way to do that accurately. Money is how we track human values. If a better system existed, I'd gladly use it. Unfortunately, money and economics in general relies on a concept of scarcity. If something isn't scarce, it isn't valued. Try going without air for 5 minutes and see how much you actually value it. Scarcity isn't the best yardstick for figuring out what we truly value. A clean environment, sustainability, travel to and sustained colonies on other planets to avoid existential risks, etc... these are things, I'm hoping, we'll come to value more as a species.
Wow nice response, yes the ledger is a mechanism! It's true that scarcity isn't the best yardstick for measuring value.. there was an interesting article before that I read about avoiding GDPs / other financial indicators when assessing the health/wealth of a nation. -
(yup here's it is!)Interesting concept... "cultural psychopaths." Also
Wow. That's a very concise way to think about the role of government.
Good insight there.
So... Ireland then, yeah? Interestingly the U.S. isn't in the top ten. 21st? Not so great.
Good stuff, Kevin. Thanks for sharing.
Interesting post. Though I've got a question.
Why do you think sufficiently advanced technology (e.g. in renewables, and 3d printing) will be open to anyone other than a minority of people, and not fiercely protected with patents and force?
As an aside, this sounds like some sort of voluntary collectivism, which imo will never be widespread.
Great post, though!
IMO, history seems to show the commoditization of advanced technology over time. The phone in my hand has more computing power than super computers of old, etc.
yes, a 'Good" country would be nice ...
I missed this TED, TY !
I think the real parable to TASTAAFL, isn't to do with value but rather is to do with knowing costs.
At it's face it appears TANSTAAFL ignores that things can have different marginal values between individuals. This difference in marginal value is why trade happens at all, and people only trade if it increases the value of their world. What this means is, even if there is a future 'cost' to something taken for free, since value is subjective the cost may be nothing of value to you. But conversely it could also be something of tremendous value to you.
That is why I think the real lesson is about knowing what you are trading, and that something "free" simply means you lack knowledge of the actual cost upfront.
That's a very interesting take on tanstaafl :) thank you!
Wow that last animation was awesome. The symbol of freedom
yes i agree
i've saved that up a long time ago.. finally a good place where i can use it :)
somebody requested that kevinwong do the "ultimate blog post", and here it is
Hahah. Thanks for the support brother :) Remember watching some of your vids that you expressed the same thing about money too!
Fukn Sweet Dude... If I wasn't actually loving my job and doing everything I do on here... I'd definitely be the black swan anomaly you mentioned... Just like I responded in @the-alien post a couple days ago... I'm in my own little world right now... just lazy, CREATIVE GOOD SHXX but still lazy
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for the support man :) You keep doing you!
you too bro... keep doing, you... our contributions and opinions on steemit are setting examples for everyone to follow.
keep it up
@kevinwong Ok this is a fantastic post. However you need to understand the origin of the saying, because it has become completely divorced from it's meaning.
No such thing as a free lunch, was NEVER intended to indicate that there are no free lunches or free items etc.
In fact it's meaning comes from the fact that when people are homeless and hungry they can go to soup kitchens and other public service organizations. Unfortunately there is a tendency to value "free things" as having no value.
Thus the saying is implied to mean you need to be greatful for the work and effort involved in anything. Because even if it's given to you at no charge, someone had to work to make it and you devalue them and their efforts when you lack graciousness and appreciation for that effort.
So the saying isn't message to get off your ass. It's not challenge to find free crap. It's a gentle reminder that everything, even free things, have value to those who make them and therefore they should be valued by those who are fortunate to receive them, regardless of the cost paid.
Excellent post, upvoted and of course I've been following you for awhile! Keep up the great work!
I liked your interpretation of TANSTAAFL
Actually tanstaafl (imho) was an explanation to the layman (without getting into the complexities of economics) that as Newton explains "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". Nothing is "Free" because it takes productivity to create .. (someone "HAS" to pay AND DID) for that Free lunch. It IS a concept of balance, there can be no consumption without creation, or "You can't get something for (FROM) nothing"
I would agree with your definition @jtstreetman. As I was first introduced to "TANSTAAFL" by an adamant electronics teacher in college while explaining the characteristics of energy. I like to hear all the interpretations of this idea though. And I think much of the diversity in the discussion comes from the fact that the word "free" has such a varied interpretation as well. I noticed this while reading @williambanks thoughts on this subject. A subject that interests me to a great degree!
as a basically retired electronics tech, I can relate, "conservation of energy" ... same concept ..
as a basically retired electronics tech, I can relate, "conservation of energy" ... same concept ..
HEAR ! lol I am an older guy, so I (Listen) to the concept, NOT pick apart the words that are written, I call that being "Legalistic" ... so many can't grasp the concept because they are dissecting what is written. ie, You wrote here instead of hear, but I understood what you were saying because I listen to the "concept" of what your saying .. People need to understand, the word free, in this case it means "something for nothing " the concept of TANSTAAFL means there is NO SUCH THING AS FREE ... a Dime laying on the street is NOT FREE, it cost YOU energy to reach down and pick it up ... NOTHING is free ... except sunlight .. air is NOT free .. it cost YOU energy to breath it !
I see, that's one take on it - probably true too. As I understand from the context in which the author was positioned in back in the days - there were certainly anti-communist undertones. Thanks for dropping by such a good explanation on TANSTAAFL - really interesting to see what are people's thoughts on this subject matter. Thanks for the support brother :)
It's always my hope that my commentary adds a little to each blog I comment in. So thanks for that.
You're very welcome kevinwong you're a great poster. Keep up the great work and thanks for stopping by my blog too!
@onevoluntaryist WELL SAID !!!
"...anti-communist undertones."? Read the author's works. He was a libertarian. What does Marx say about re-distribution? What do governments tell their welfare recipients? They tell the beneficiaries they have a "right" to someone else's produce. If you have it coming, do you say thank you? Or do you say, "Give me more, and make it quick."? The latter. And do you support a monster who brokers the transfer? Of course. Do you care if they get rich? Not as long as they deliver your loot. Oh, excuse me, "What you deserve". The author of TANSTAAFL was reminding the people who would like to forget they are receiving stolen goods/services that someone worked for their "free lunch". It was not "free" to produce, it took work. And in some cases, it was not freely given, it was taken by force. It is considered impolite to mention this nowadays, but it is not considered impolite to denigrate the producers, as was shown by openly hostile democratic delegates at the convention. They declared, one and all, business profits should be taken away, and if that caused bankruptcy, ah ah, too bad. That is the mental state, the insane anti-productive mentality of many people who are 3rd,4th, & 5th generation welfare/govt. worker socialists.
WELL SAID !!!
Hello ! I usually don't post my age because of the "Age Racist" these days ...
I am 55 and live in the usa, and every day I grow more and more disgusted with these so called Americans. See, I'm from another planet, I grew up pulling weeds or churning milk for butter (Infant or a young child work) or I DIDN'T eat. That was a rule, no work, no food. (lack of manners at the dinner table got you sent away from the table, NO FOOD) ... I hate these people that I see every day ... They think freedom means a way of life to get any and everything without doing ANY work at all ... I will not cry anymore, lol I plan going to Mexico soon ... These retards can have the usa and swim in their own feces ... USA = Uneducated Socialist Asylum.
The ONLY thing I can think of that is free is sunlight ... air is NOT free ... You have to use energy to breath .. TANSTAAFL is what some of us LIVE by, MY mantra anyway !
"I think, therefore I am" (MY definition of Freedom ! ) I do appreciate your attempt to educate, but my friend, Sheep do not understand even simple concepts spoken in english.
I wish you freedom !
Read More, Reason More ... JTS
WELL-written, brother. Speechless. 👌
Thank you so much - i've definitely learned a lot from you!
In my country you can find lots of free lunches from colleagues and friends. That's why we are known of our hospitality.
I'm absolutely amazed. Thanks for combining all these words to a great piece!
Glad you enjoyed it! :D
Excellent work @kevinwong! The word free has been vandalised these days and could be pushed as anything else but free!
Indeed ! ... ie; War is Peace (Orwell 1984) Not to mention one of the worst things I have seen in my (55 yrs) lifetime ... FakeBook's Bastardization of the word "Friend" ... They have replaced our friends with a bunch of "Fake" people.
Excellent point btw ! +1
Well I'll just say you can get free lunches in New York City (at a variety of public places) if you are under 18. Health Department is trying to promote healthy eating, I see people handing out fruits and veggies every day. Great idea given that most of the poor areas of the city are food deserts.
Hi, could some give me a little money. Please and thank u
This is article brings up some beautiful and revolutionary ideas.
I love the quote from Alber Einstein of which basically says u can fix problems from the same mind set in which they were created.
So obviously there are problems in this world but these problems are with perspective and in order for the world to really change we need to change our perspective.
Most people believe what they believe because of what they learned in school, church and from their family/friends.
Yet this does not mean that these beliefs are actually the most beneficial. What if there is a better way?
Well I know there are better ways and I also know that school, churches and many other institutions have had authoritarian structures purposefully programming people to be complacent tax payers.
I dedicated my life to a New World and have experienced much joy and fulfillment by thinking outside the box and building life on my ideals rather than what the world is doing.
i founded @gardenofeden 7 years ago and while everything we do takes energy and thus is not free we did feed 40,000 meals without using almost any money and we do live an abundant and sustainable life.
Knowledge is power and our perspective dictates our experience. With new knowledge comes new experience. That is why I invest so much energy into educating people.
I recently posted an article here on steemit about The a truth of Money of which contains lots of powerful knowledge many people are not aware of.
Just by becoming more conscious and working with whatever the cutting edge examples are life is always going to improve.
So what we really need is the perspective of anything is possible and if there are problems there are solutions and we can build a world of ideals rather than settling for a world that sucks.
Here is a link to my article on money for anyone who would benefit by this powerful knowledge~
https://steemit.com/money/@quinneaker/the-truth-about-money-what-you-need-to-know-to-free-your-self-from-perpetual-debt
This is a really interesting article, I love the research you've done. I hope It gets plenty of Upvote Love. #vivalasteemit #lovethefreestuff
Thank you @stephen-somers :)
The sun.
It was a well-written, thought-provoking post, and I think this conversation is important. But I think you are conflating "free" as in no-cost with "free" as in unfettered. They are definitely NOT the same thing.
Milton Friedman said : "The maintainance of a free society is very complicated and difficult "
but I hope not impossible .
Read The Free Lunch Society
Alan C. Monheit .
Beautiful well thought through bad ass article once again Kevin.
Nice - gonna check out the book, thanks!! :)
Thoughtful post, but I would say that freedom is an illusion. You're enslaved to whatever you're thinking about or doing right now. Everything has hidden externalities and opportunity costs. If you have high opportunity costs, it's not free. Also, somebody, somewhere else is incurring some sort of cost. It might not even be a physical cost though. It could just be a slight negative externality in that they could have benefited more had you been doing something else instead.
UBI (Unconditional Basic Income) is the way to go. Anyone who understands what is happening right now (another technological revolution and AGI) should support this.
Any recommended links? Would be nice to read over some new materials :)
I strongly recommend this:
http://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/downloads/academic/The_Future_of_Employment.pdf
TL;DR version: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/article-2642880/Table-700-jobs-reveals-professions-likely-replaced-robots.html
http://reducing-suffering.org/predictions-agi-takeoff-speed-vs-years-worked-commercial-software/
http://basicincome.org/
I don't see how UBI can be done voluntarily, without taxation. If you can have a list of people with less than basic income, and then have voluntary donations for them, then I can agree. But no taxation, no centralized enforced authority.
"TANSTAAFL may be a sound aphorism, but it divides us and limits our imagination."
Aphorism: A general truth.
Truth is empowering. It beats the hell out of falsehood. But it does divide. It divides the knowledgeable from the ignorant. And it removes limitations by expanding our imagination.
However, if you can't find support for your fantasies by sticking to the truth, it would "limit" your whims. Reality is so "limiting" that way. (Oh, the horror)
"...surely TANSTAAFL is not so much a thing anymore?"
Truths don't become falsehoods just because they don't support your fantasy. Or perhaps you meant we can now ignore that particular "truth"?
You make it clear you want to ignore theft "from each, according to their ability" and gift it to the needy. I'm betting you want to rename "theft" as "redistribution". But you want those of ability to keep producing? That was tried in the USSR for 74 years. It failed. Get over it. This so-called "nobel experiment" was neither nobel or new. The rich Russians got richer, and the poor looking to rob them got screwed. All lost in the end. It was an immoral, psychologically unhealthy, economically unsound social system that violated rights. It's version of authoritarianism was no better than the Czar's.
Your wish to revive it "under new management" is very popular now in the US Empire. News flash: Socialism with a fascist twist has been the dominate social theme for a century and it's killing us. And you want to go "all in" by killing off capitalism completely? Your faith in force is worse, more deadly than any religion.
"...TANSTAAFL must be solved."
It means we can't consume without production first, as a species. As an individual, consumption without production means someone else produced.
This is not a problem needing a solution. It is a fact of life. Deal with it.
"Money is a fiction."
Money is a medium of exchange, a way for us to realize our wellbeing quicker, more efficiently than barter. It's a tool, but like any tool in the hands of the unethical, it can be used destructively.
Money, as a concept, is complex. It requires a lot of thought & time. Just because you cannot understand it does not mean it is unreal. It took me 40 years to understand that the most defining (significant) thing about money is its usage, not its intrinsic value (precious metal).
In most points I agree with you. Money is no fiction. And IMO it's basement is trust. If I'm sure that I can buy stuff myself with rarely sea shells, then I will accept them as money for my services. Also IMO: in most cases there ain't no such thing as free lunch. This is what I learned in nearly 40 years as well.
What I like about the post of @kevinwong is, that he is starting with a bold statement: "There is such a thing called free lunch". Then he tried to argue for that. Nobody has to agree with that. Steemit is the free market version of social media. So, if there are no "buyers" for his arguments, then the product should be improved to make profit (if profit is the aim of the writing). As a capitalist I'm admiring the market, because he does not lie when he works proper. @kevinwong received 2.4 k SBD for it. This is really neat. Looks like a good product for me - despite I'm not agree to his last statement: "The fact is, there isn't such a thing called money. Only human values."
Yeah, sure. "Human values". The guy just made 2,432 SBD out of "human values". I call this a successful article.
Maybe many voted not for the specific outcome of his thinking, but because he is a true contrarian, that don't take something like #TANSTAAFL granted to be true, only because many people say so. That's why I voted for his post. Because he is a free mind that thinks for himself. No matter what the outcome is.
@capitalism & @onevoluntaryist My 55 yrs says, Very well said guys ! Both very well thought out and articulated ! +1 to you both
The irony vein you hit in this post is so deep and thick, I cannot begin to unravel the inconsistencies and nonsense you justify your arguments with. Free lunches are what is known in leftist ideology as 'externalities'. Aside from breathable air around the earth's surface, name one thing that is in greater supply than demand, to anything like this degree. Just one.
oh yeah. stupidity
Unfortunately, that is worthless and solves no problems.
Ideas are not scarce resources, but ones that you can make something out of that resolve harsh scarcity problems in other parts of the economy are. At any given time there is only a few of these little nuggets floating around, and most of the time they live only in a very small number of minds.
If you think that money is worthlesss, why is it exactly that having too much of it causes such a big problem. Why is the global economy in such a giant pot of manky doo-doo right now. Do you know why? I don't think you do. It's because the power to make money worthless but only give it to a few, selected people lets you create this appearance that the collapse of a non-scarce resource like fiat currency is not the enormous and destabilising problem that it is, and within 2 years is gonna see all your first world comforts disappear before your very eyes.
I just want to point out, to those who think some aspects of communism and it's attempt to abolish currency as a medium of exchange cannot be pointed to as a valid example, in any way, whatsoever.
https://steemit.com/economics/@l0k1/when-shtf-what-criteria-determine-the-safest-places-to-be
As I discuss in this article, the famous Vladimir Lenin instituted this fancy thing he called the New Economic Policy. The legacy of this policy still exists today. Most farms in Eastern Europe and Russia are tiny little concerns. A family in typical eastern europe outside of the cities tends a block around 5-10 acres in size, on average.
There is one thing that makes those stuck inside a cage more dangerous than anything else: starvation. Consequently, a scarcity of food is the most destructive low-supply scenarios you can have an an economy. Guess which parts of the world are gonna have a bigger problem with this than others? Yes, those where the farms production is more centralised on the first leg of its distribution route to the cities, where most of the buyers are. In many parts of Australia, most of the USA, and Western Europe, these distribution nexuses are very sparsely distributed.
The same cannot be said of those parts of the world where Lenin's policy was instituted. And Lenin did this because he wasn't stupid, he realised that if people have full bellies, they are less likely to jump up and down and burn down government buildings. Despite the overall poverty of the Communist Blocs, this is how they seemed to be less of a problem in general.
Anyway, just because 355 people think that your ideas are great, there is 70,000 people here, and when the ideas you put out there are proven wrong, where are you going to spend your twenty five hundred dollars? I hope you are going to buy a decent car so you can drive, before everyone else does, to the grain silos sparsely dotted around the parts of the world where in these times such impractical ideas have gained currency again, in spite of their ineffectiveness in the real world.
When the Sages say, what good is gold when there is no food to be had, I'm gonna be sitting here in this alleged backwater of the world, where I know that the food supply is still so broadly distributed that within 100km (about 2.5 days walk, from my extensive experience of doing this kind of amount of walking) I will be able to find food, stacked up and dangling off trees, and no trucks to drive it into the city. I'm pretty sure that most people in this country I live in will not be in nearly such a dire situation as you in the 'first world' are gonna be.
It's not sour grapes at all. It's already better now. I pay 1/3-1/2 of the prices you guys pay for your food already. What is even better, is that not only is food cheap here, so is bandwidth, so we will also be able to send you pictures of our still existing food markets, while you line up for rations and the silos rot or are burned down by lunatics.
I really need the bookmark button in Steemit to save articles like this. There are many interesting thoughts here. These kinds of essays are what I want to see much more on Steemit. And Reddit can keep all the funny images.
I use the bookmark feature in Chrome and add to my Steemit folder and create subfolders that match concepts of the post I save links to ... works for me anyway !
"YEAH, WELL, THAT'S JUST, LIKE, MY OPINION, MAN."
Yeah i do the same.. just would like something that's in steemit so i can access it whenever without relying on my browser.. :)
Yes the bookmark button is much needed.. glad you enjoyed the piece! :)
An actual example of a free lunch.
I put solar panels on my roof, they cost me so the energy isnt free, but I bought them to power my home. They often produce more power than I can use.
The excess power runs my computer, my computer in its spare capacity runs BOINC projects. The BOINC projects are using my computer to solve humanitarian problems like disease research, which are too expensive to run on paid resources.
My computer runs cryptocurrencies like Gridcoin and Solarcoin, that I often give away small amounts of.
Free lunches come from re-purposing resources, that on their own have no other valuable use, and therefore have no opportunity cost.
Join me, give.
That's awesome that you're putting it all to good use! Well said :)
This is a very well written article, but still reeks of post-scarcity high tech communism, like venus project, and this article discusses some major faults in that kind of thinking.
https://mises.org/library/venus-needs-some-austrians
Yup I've been inspired by TVP a long time ago, however I'm not fully onboard with the idea. Things definitely need to transition from and stay betweem fiat-crypto before a complete redefinition of money-value. There's no one size / ideology that fits all anyway.
Exactly what I`ve been feeling, but thanks to your words I am thinking it now as well. Mind. Blown. Thank you!
Thanks.. glad you enjoyed it :)
I believe that every sociopolitical ideologies are noble in its intent, - I simply cannot agree with this one. An ideology that explicitly advocates for bureaucratic control of peoples lives has no noble intent. An ideology that puts nationalism or "The Mother/fatherland" over the lives of people has no noble intent. An ideology that concentrates power in the hands of a few has no noble intent. None whatsoever.
Second, noble intent counts for absolutely nothing when the results are disastrous.
Third, you have to thin k for the world we live in. If ideology is " lacking technical solutions to achieve its aspirations." then it needs rework. Humans are what they are, you cannot plan for something else .
TAANSTAALF means in everything there are trade-offs, and this is not going away. It is a fact of existence. Beyond economics.
Magnanimity "personified"
Venezuela needs some of this
the political ideologies chart is kind of hilarious. I think i live somewhere in the "four corners" region of jews, rich ceos, productive capitalists and ron paul worshippers.
that said, lunch or otherwise, nothing is free. You might not always pay with money, but you always pay. thats the way the world works.
Thanks, this was a great read!
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it! :)
Great article. Well researched and written. Thank you!
Thank you too @team101 glad you enjoyed the piece :)
Amazingly, but before I saw your post, I explosively was discussing this theme!
Write a post about!! :D
While there is a lot of abundance in the world, there is also a lot of scarcity in the world. For one, everyone's life is limited. We don't live forever. And we cannot be everything for everyone in one lifetime.
Second, land, gold, and such resources are scarce. In steemit marketplace, steem is scarce. You wouldn't be motivated to write this article if it wasn't incentivized with money, no?
While I totally get the "decentralization" point, and esp in steemit "attention is money" is certainly true, therefore "everyone's minds are money" makes sense.
There is still scarcity in many resources. And no matter how much the technology improves, it will still take some work for that lunch to be served.
So yes, there is no free lunch.
But as market and technology develops, a lunch gets cheaper and cheaper, so more people get out of the poverty cycle and have more time and opportunities for higher pursuits.
yup, exactly, lunch gets cheaper and cheaper, and mining is no longer based on physical resources, but rather energy which is in abundance :) Thanks for your input, I will certainly consolidate it with some of my thoughts regarding the subject matter :)
"The sun and planet never asks you for money, not even a single penny." lol, I'm using that one.
Hey, if I see a free lunch, I take it, dammit; as quickly as possible to save on time.
FOLLOWED
Lol glad you enjoyed the piece :D hit me up when you've post referencing that line :D!
Hi @kevinwong, Awesome post here. Have you read the nature of value? I think you can develop your free lunch idea based on the constructual law of the universe (Phi Flow) and Entropy dissipation. A lot of mathematicians and physicists do like this evolutionary approach way of defining an open system panarchy. Which the world, our systems are a sub-set of.
Nope I have not :) Thanks for the recommendation - will give it a read after I get my hands on it! Thanks, and glad you enjoyed the piece :D
Those 50 hours were time well spent. This was such a pleasure to read!!! Thank you so much.
I appreciate your view on this subject Kevin. It is really the focus of my life at the moment. I have taken an in depth view, some would call it going down the rabbit hole, of the banking system for the last 3 years. What I found was so distasteful that I pushed against the banksters regarding my mortgage. It resulted in a better understanding of how the administrative courts really work, and them stealing my house from me with their "legal" bullying tactics. The good thing about it is for over two years I lived free of a mortgage/rent and was able to see what it was like to have enough income to enjoy life for once. It also brought me into the understanding that life was suppose to be more abundant for us all. We do this to ourselves by accepting the limits that are put upon us. Follow me and I will be posting more of the ideas that I have collected regarding sustainable living, doing what you love, sharing/gift communities, and anarchism.
Good comment +1 I hope you came to these conclusions by way of (imho) a GREAT starting point of research, "The Creature from Jykell Island". If not please read the book or listen to the audiobook ... it will most certainly open your eyes and more than likely change your life!
Read More, Reason More ... JTS
Thanks for dropping by a good word @ajavajive . Glad that you've come through with your own investigations about the social structures all around us. Yup i've followed, can't wait for your articles regarding sustainable living :)
Thanks for another thoughtful and well-written post, @kevinwong! At the Garden of Eden, we're big on sharing, and we offer free food, clothing, shelter, and education to those in need. Even though we choose to freely share our "free" resources, there was a cost associated with them. Our food is free (either grown, donated, or foraged), but someone had to spend their time procuring and processing it. Clothing is free (either made or donated), but someone has to manage it. Our housing is free in the sense that the materials are donated or salvaged, but someone has to spend their time and use their skills to transform them into livable shelters. Education is free, but that's because we've invested time and energy in educating ourselves.
We see how abundant life is; lack is just a mindset. For us, it makes sense to share our great abundance because we find the laws of karma reward us for doing so. We don't ask anything of anyone...it's nice that people contribute what they can, but we'll feed even the "lazy bastards" because in truth there's more than enough of everything! We find that in the grand scheme of things, the community is strengthened and we're ultimately rewarded for investing our precious man hours in expressing our values and creating a healthier and more sustainable world for ALL!
For us, one of the revolutionary aspect of Steemit lies in this exchange of ideas and inspiration with great minds speaking directly to one another. It's icing on the cake that we can be compensated for the values we bring to the table! https://steemit.com/community/@gardenofeden/a-delicious-taste-of-the-abundantly-free-life-in-our-sustainable-community
Good point ! +1
I used to say "Education is free, it is getting that 'Sheepskin" that is not. But I have to say your quoted sentence is a contradiction. Education is NOT free if it takes time and energy to get that education. but i do agree with your premise.
Read More, Reason more ... JTS
wow, cops in the garden ... what a drag man ... I plan on doing what you have done in mexico, IF these bastards will let me leave here. Got to get a passport McSoon ! (Mexico is deporting folks with no passports now) The USA IS a cage bro !
You and Yours will ALWAYS be welcome to MY garden in Acapulco ... (WHEN I get there) Honest Bro, PLEASE consider moving the garden down south .. where FREEDOM is "REAL"
Great article
X-Press2 feat. David Burne__Lazy.mp3 =))
Good!
Order is but a temporary pattern alignment in the chaos of Balance.
but i love the Heinlein reference! Mike would be proud, or should i say "Adam Selene"...lol
goofball. TANSTAFL does not assume a closed system - just a system in which activity costs effort.
Very thought provoking post ! Sorry, I got so caught up in the comments I realised I had +1 you but had not responded to your post. As usual with your post ... liking them ! keep up the good work ! I am still weeks behind on reading all of your post ... ( the sad Life of a Noob ! ) lol
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