Compared to the era of a self-sufficient barter economy, everyone’s happiness is greater in the exchange economy, where each person divides their labor into what they do best and exchanges what they produce. This is because the division of labor is more efficient than self-sufficiency in productivity and can further reduce production costs. At this point, a means of exchange agreed upon by society is required, which is called money (currency). In other words, in the exchange economy, specialists who excel in one field are more advantageous for survival than ordinary people. An all-round player is more likely to face starvation. Therefore, a generalist is only advantageous for survival when they can organically integrate their diverse abilities in a specific field or situation, while also managing and restricting the scope of their activities and conditions. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
Let’s say someone bought a building with a bank loan. If the landlord fails to pay the interest, the bank is forced to pay the principal. If the principal isn’t paid, the bank can put the building up for auction, even though the landlord owns it. Interest is the cost of borrowing money over time. The reason I can purchase a building without using my own money is that I can leverage time through interest. When we say time is money, it doesn’t just mean to save time and live diligently. It emphasizes that time truly represents money. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”