Joseph's "Just My Thoughts"

Unless you are self-sufficient, you must trade your products for those of others to survive. An exchange economy was established for the efficient survival of humanity. Economic activity leads to wealth accumulation, so for wealth to exist, there must be a counterparty. This means you cannot thrive on your own. However, having many counterparties also means that some of them could compete with your business. Exchange becomes straightforward only through the establishment of a price, which acts as an indicator of competition. Trading at a high price could generate significant wealth, but competition can hinder success. In other words, I survive because of others, while my survival is also threatened by them. Business inherently involves competition. This is why any business plan must include a strategy that considers competition. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

When I take out a loan from the bank, the bank lends me money, and when I repay the loan, I owe that money back to the bank, plus interest, on the repayment date. However, when I sell my used car, a debt arises in which the buyer must pay me cash equivalent to the price of the used car, and I incur a performance debt in which I have to hand over the used car to the buyer. When these two different debts are exchanged, a transaction is completed. The goal of business is to make debt well and pay it back well over and over again. A transaction must create debt without exception, but a transaction that generates debt on only one side is an absolutely unfavorable contract for someone. That’s the essence of a loan agreement. There are good debts and bad debts depending on the type of debt I have to pay (or fulfill). If you do not make this distinction clearly, you are more likely to fall behind in the social system. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

The identity of the messenger is more important than the message itself. In other words, it’s crucial to consider whether the messenger’s identity is reliable. It matters more to others that they know who I am and recognize me than how well I have built relationships and interacted with them. Identity begins with my proclamation, and credibility only emerges when others acknowledge that proclamation. If there is a significant gap between my declaration and how others perceive me, I will need to invest considerable time and money to bridge that gap. Similarly, if there is a significant discrepancy between the message I intend to convey and my declared identity, it also requires a substantial amount of time and money. Consumers are acutely aware of these differences, yet they often remain silent about them. Asking others to share their inner self-assessment is as burdensome as expecting them to reveal their true selves. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

The case of solving complex problems with surprising ideas and new perspectives is exemplified by Alexander the Great’s ‘Gordian Knot’ or the ‘Egg of Columbus.’ If you have tried using the same perspective and approach but have not achieved your goal, you must tackle it from a completely different perspective and method. Nevertheless, the reason we continue to cling to our previous perspective and direction is that we focus too much on the method. If you get caught up in the method, you lose sight of your purpose. If you lose your purpose, you may end up trying the same method again. If the will is strong and misguided, it is possible to repeat this. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Most people study in school, yet the education system does not provide financial education. Even though it doesn’t take long for us to realize that finance is an essential element of survival, isn’t it strange that schools don’t offer financial education? Economic activity is a power game where someone wins and someone loses. One person’s loss is another’s gain, and my sacrifice is someone else’s fortune. In other words, economic activity embodies the harsh reality of deciding between discomfort and the uncertain odds of a game that determines who occupies a position, even though that position has already been predetermined. This issue is further exacerbated by the fact that people have different productive capacities and society mandates that the means of value exchange is cash (fiat currency). To survive, you must first understand how social systems function. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

A ‘transaction’ is an act of debt between parties. The seller owes goods to the buyer (performance debt), and the buyer owes money to the seller (monetary debt). A transaction is considered complete when the debt is settled and the promise to owe each other is called a ‘contract.’ Thus, a good trader or businessman excels at making and repaying debts. When it comes to debt, the type of debt matters. Anyone who misjudges this should not engage in business. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

“I can live well alone!” is not correct. If I live alone, I can survive to some extent, but ultimately, it is hard to survive, and “living well” is even more challenging. This is because the economic principle is established not by ‘alone’ but by ‘many people.’ If I live well, it means that someone has become poor because of me or is living well with me. The fact that through value exchange, or transaction, we can meet each other’s needs and store the surplus from that production is both true and real. Trading is not done in isolation. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”