Only when there is a surplus can new things be created. Surplus means having more than what is necessary. Creating something new requires an initial investment in advance. Whether it’s labor or capital—that is, whether labor is purchased with capital—energy can only be used for new work if there is a surplus. Only with prior investment can something entirely new, never seen before, be made. The existence of something that did not exist before in this world results from someone putting in their surplus first. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
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”