The relativity of values causes us to use money irrationally. I go to the supermarket to buy a $15 pen, and the clerk smiles and says, “You can buy this pen for $7 if you walk 5 minutes from here.” Then, most people walk five minutes and buy a $15 pen for $7. But if you want to buy a $1,000 jacket and the clerk smiles and says, “You can get a $992 jacket in five minutes from here,” most people simply buy the $1,000 jacket. Reasonably, walking for 5 minutes equals the effort, and the profit of $8 is the same. However, people might go to a store that sells pens cheaper, but not for the jacket, because the discount rate is too low. In other words, the relativity of comparing values makes us act irrationally. The pen’s discount rate is 55%, and the jacket’s is only 0.8%. Yet, the total amount is the same for all $8, and the effort to gain that profit is identical. Attitudes and misconceptions about consumption influence how we build wealth. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
Anthropologist Margaret Mead emphasized “fracture” as a more relevant concept than using tools as markers of human civilization. When an animal is fractured, it becomes easy prey for predators. However, when humans are fractured and unable to function, they rely on the support of their neighbors. Unlike animals, which show no evidence of broken bones and can reattach, humans leave physical marks. Notably, the birth canal of women is narrower than that of other species, complicating the process of giving birth without assistance. Thus, it is incredibly challenging for anyone to bear a child independently. This fact underscores that human childbirth inherently necessitates social interaction. Anatomically, humans have socialized since birth. While women physically bring children into the world, it is society that nurtures and supports this life. Therefore, the core and utmost value of civilization is LOVE for our neighbors. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”