Attitudes About Money

[Jeff Duvall]

Recently I have had to start looking more closely at my own attitudes about money.  Recently I have had lots of discussion with persons who hold conservative and religious views about sex.  In a sense, they think sex should be restricted, hidden, only encouraged in very limited contexts.  I have come to refer to this as Kosher Sex.

 

I have long known that our society often treats money and sex as though they are the same.  But I do not really think they are the same.  But I do believe that some of the attitudes surrounding them are the same.

 

I do not support Kosher Sex.  I don't think sex should be restricted in the ways that social conservatives usually want to.  Usually these ways are rooted in some sort of moralistic dualism's, and a whole bunch of neuroticism.  The views seem rooted in fear, and some need to claim moral superiority.

 

I have had so many discussions about these matters recently that I think I am starting to feel what it must look like to the other side.  I am seeing that the conservative views about sex, are rather like my own views about money.  That is, I believe in something like Kosher Money.  I do want to claim moral superiority.  I do fear uncontrolled seeking of money and spending of money.  I am uncomfortable with many aspects of it all.

 

So I am finding it necessary to examine closely my attitudes about money, to articulate them, and examine them.  Most of all, I need to look at how practical it really is to try and regulate people, and how presumptuous it is of me to claim to know better, and at my own need to claim moral superiority.

 

Rather than be a moralist in the area of money, i think it better just to make my own choices.

 

But several days ago a common occurrence made me think about all of this even more.  Specifically I saw someone driving a real head turning automobile.  It is one of the flashiest yup mobiles currently being sold.  It is something greatly sought after by an entire social cast.  It is not that practical of a car.  It is greatly overpriced.  This all provoked strong feelings in me.

 

First of all, the car has a strong appeal for me too.  In certain ways I like it.  But in other ways I don't.  I don't think it is well designed.  So I don't think it is in good taste.  Too heavy.  Too many gadgets, as it is designed for mainstream taste.  So driving it is mostly an expression of having money and wanting to show it off.

 

I don't like this.  Never have.  Conspicuous Consumption, Conspicuous Display, are bottomless pits.  If everyone pursues these, you have senseless consumption of resources, and senseless completion to get money, for no important purpose.  Does that sound to you like the world we live in?

 

But can you also see my fear here.  I fear that if there are not some constraints, or at least some social stigma, then the world will go to hell.  Doesn't that sound exactly like the views of the sexual moralists?

 

Some day I would like to build my own automobile.  It also might be one that turns heads and has some similarity.  But it would be well designed, done in a way that I like.  So it would be in Good Taste.   But can you see how this amounts to playing into the same social vocabulary, and so it is reinforcing the same system, and it is based in the same kind of good vs bad moralism?

 

Much of my discomfort with the automobile I saw is rooted in my knowledge of how it is priced.  It is priced real high, so it is difficult to afford.  This pricing is arbitrary.  The high price is to, in the classic Veblen sense, make it more desired.

 

My feeling is that people who do "honest work" could not afford something like that.  See again the moralism.  What I mean is people who do work that produces commensurate social value are usually not paid enough to buy something like that.  Generally those who are paid that well are engaged in some sort of stock market scam, selling stuff to increase conspicuous consumption and consumerism, or involved in something that is itself senseless consumerism and conspicuous consumption.

 

So it is a flywheel.  The person who buys that kind of car is getting their money out of the same sorts of ventures!

 

But can you see how moralistic my views are.  Also, I may make my own choices about how to get and spend money.  But I should not have to take a morally superior position.  My feelings are based on a contempt for popular taste.  They are also based on the feeling that the society has to be regulated somehow, kept Kosher, in its handling of money.

 

But is it anything like that now?  Has it ever been?  I think not!

 

So I have to reexamine my own views.  I need to look at how the whole syndrome of consumption, and the pursuit of money should be addressed.

 

Throughout most of my life I have had more freedom in what I do, because I do live at a lower consumption level, and so I have a somewhat reduced need to get money.  I feel this is important.  But it does not gain me the kind of social recognition that driving a flash car would.  So again, like the sexual moralists I have a distruct of popular inclinations, and a desire to claim moral superiority by virtue fo a kind of restricting.

 

Generally I have looked down upon people who get money from things which don't offer either utilitarian or aesthetic value, but simply come from pandering to consumerism.   But I make an exception for things which promote sexual freedom.   I also notice that women often view things differently and I make allowances, or maybe I just lower my expectations, for them.

 

Again, my pursuit of this reflection is based on having had numerous public and private conversations with conservative moralists who hold views about sex that I find disturbing.  I think there is similarity to my views about money.  I really do need to think more about these matters.