An asset is the foundation of all economic activity. If you have assets, you can run a business and settle your debts. The ways to create assets are ‘how one works,’ ‘how to receive gifts from others,’ and ‘how to purchase assets made by others.’ There is a way to steal, but it is a crime. If you don’t initially own an asset, the simplest and almost the only way to create one is to produce something with your own labor. Whether the product is a service or a good, it must be produced unconditionally. Trading products creates added value. Thinking about trading later and making products first is the fastest and most basic way to escape poverty. Therefore, produce even the smallest things every day. Knowledge, records, art—whatever! - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
When we exchange what we need, we use money as a medium instead of trading ‘ goods for goods .’ In this context, money acts as a means of exchange . When we exchange what we need, we also build wealth by passing on added value to each other. In other words, money functions as both a medium of exchange and a measure of value , as well as a tool for accumulating wealth. But isn’t this a bit strange? Although exchange value comes from goods and surplus is generated from this exchange value, the object used to measure and accumulate wealth is money, not goods. This is because money alone has the privilege called ‘ compulsory circulation power .’ In other words, even if value is created, added value cannot be realized unless it’s exchanged. The ability to enable such exchanges is what we call ‘compulsory circulation power.’ - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”