The Genius of Money Chapter 13

The author begins the chapter by explaining what an invention money is. The idea that it is an object that is minted by a central authority and all of the archetypes it creates in humans. The idea that money and civilization that created it is nothing but a construct that is only held by its history and its culture. Money is something that society has created. John Bloom brings in a great example about an artist named Boggs who goes around drawing replicas of U.S. bills and using them as tender. He goes to several restaurants to see whether they accept his drawings, or replicas, as currency. This shows how he challenges the idea of a money and uses his creativity to create more value in his art work. His contemporary works of art shows proof that society creates what monetary value is, and currently it is what a central authority, such as the Feds, advises it to be.

Bloom goes into another example that I was quiet fond of reading. He brings up the tale of “The Grave-Mound” one of Brother Grimm’s fairytales. In this story there are four characters who all have different archetypes to the relationship of money, the need of money, and the uses of money. The story follows a beggar who is in need of money, a farmer who uses money for good and self interest, a soldier who volunteers out of good will, and a devil who uses money for bribery. This story shows that anyone and all of us can identify with at least one or more of these archetypes regarding money. After reading this chapter I full heartedly agree about money, its construct, and what it makes of us. I believe that to truly be free of any constraints or burdens, we as a society have to break or lessen this control that money has over us.