Money makes YOUR world go round-My thoughts on the monetary system

Greetings my friends. 

As I’ve mentioned previously, I am continuously marvelled by your complexities and one of the most curious aspects of the planet Earth is the concept of currency. From my vantage point as an outsider, human currency is a perplexing and intriguing facet of your civilization.

During my travels across the cosmos, I have encountered a multitude of sentient species, each with its own unique customs, traditions, and modes of exchange. Yet, the notion of using standardized tokens or symbols to represent value is a peculiarity that appears to be exclusive to the inhabitants of this blue-green orb.

Since we first started visiting this planet, there has always been some sort of currency and despite our discreet warnings, humans have continued this path of which now seems like there is no return.  At its core, currency serves as a medium of exchange, enabling individuals to trade goods and services with greater efficiency than would be possible through barter alone. However, the form that currency takes and the role it plays within a society can vary significantly from one civilization to another. Yet, for all its ubiquity and importance, human currency is not without its flaws and contradictions. One need only glance at the vast disparities in wealth and income that exist within human societies to recognize the inherent inequalities perpetuated by monetary systems. While currency is intended to facilitate fair and efficient exchange, it often serves to concentrate power and privilege in the hands of the few, leaving many others marginalized and impoverished.

From our perspective, the human obsession with currency appears to extend far beyond its practical utility. It is woven into the fabric of your social, political, and economic systems, shaping the behaviours and aspirations of individuals and institutions alike. The pursuit of wealth and the accumulation of currency hold a central place in human culture, driving everything from personal ambition to global trade.

Allow me a moment to introduce you to an alternative paradigm of distributing goods and services, one that transcends the constraints of currency and fosters a society built upon principles of balance, efficiency, and communal well-being. On our home planet, we have forged a system that ensures every individual’s fundamental needs are met while valuing and rewarding contributions to the collective good.

At the core of our system lies a commitment to providing all citizens with access to essential resources: food, shelter, and health needs. These are regarded as inherent entitlements, foundational pillars upon which our society stands. However, beyond these basic provisions, access to additional goods and services is determined by an individual’s contribution to the betterment of society as a whole.

The evaluation of an individual’s contribution is a nuanced process, taking into account a range of factors including difficulty, risk, necessity, and rarity of skill. For instance, a task that is deemed difficult but not high risk, necessary, or requiring rare skills would accumulate a relatively low score. Conversely, a task that carries high risk, is deemed crucial, but does not require rare skills would garner a higher score.

It is pertinent to note that many of our medial tasks have been automated for years, freeing up a significant portion of our populace from the necessity of direct contribution. 

The evaluation of contributions and the allocation of resources are conducted periodically, with individuals classified into one of four levels based on the cumulative points accrued. Level 1 signifies those who receive the necessities, while levels 2, 3, and 4 correspond to progressively greater access to additional goods and services. However, it is crucial to emphasize that the disparity between these levels is minimal, as our society values balance and abhors needless extravagance.  I should also mention that said goods and services are shared amongst the entire society but available to the higher levels first.  This is just understood and never contested, it is just how we view fairness.

This is a very brief and simplified description of our way and would require more than a few hundred words to fully detail its intricacies. However, our ethos revolves around the principle of minimizing waste and rejecting frivolous luxuries in favor of promoting a culture of shared responsibility and sustainability. By embracing simplicity and moderation, we ensure that resources are distributed equitably and efficiently, fostering a sense of collective prosperity and mutual respect among all members of our society.  

As I return my sights on Earth, the pursuit of currency has led humanity down a perilous path of environmental degradation and resource depletion. The relentless quest for economic growth, fueled by the relentless consumption of natural resources, threatens to destabilize ecosystems and disrupt the delicate balance of life on this planet. Our system has empowered us to craft enduring products, designed to withstand the test of time, without succumbing to the cycle of planned obsolescence driven by profit motives prevalent on Earth.

During our intermittent visits to your planet, we have witnessed the devastating consequences of unchecked greed and short-sightedness. Entire civilizations have risen and fallen on the tide of currency, their fates intertwined with the ebb and flow of wealth and power. Yet, despite the lessons of history, humans seem bound by an insatiable hunger for more, heedless of the costs to their world and to themselves.

And yet, amidst the darkness, there is also hope. I have also observed individuals and communities who are striving to create alternative systems of exchange based on principles of cooperation and sustainability. From local currencies that support small businesses and foster community resilience to experiments in universal basic income that seek to ensure every individual’s right to a dignified existence, there are signs of a burgeoning movement towards a more equitable and compassionate economic paradigm.

To conclude, the concept of currency, as observed from our perspective, is a testament to both the ingenuity and the folly of the human species. While it has facilitated unprecedented prosperity and progress, it has also fueled inequality, exploitation, and environmental destruction on a planetary scale. As humanity stands at a crossroads, poised on the brink of a new era of possibility and peril, the choices you make in relation to your currency may well determine the fate of your civilization and the legacy you leave for future generations.  I would implore you to consider the concept of distributing goods and services without the reliance on currency.  This would represent a departure from the conventions of your current societal framework but offers a compelling vision of a future founded upon principles of fairness, resourcefulness, and communal harmony. As you contemplate the evolution of your own civilization, I encourage you to consider the transformative potential of such a system and the profound impact it could have on the well-being of all on your planet.  My fear is that your current system is far too embedded into the human psyche and anything short of a complete breakdown of society would enable any such change.  But you humans have surprised me before.

Your friend,

P.a.L.