In my attempts to dream up a vision for a new world economuy (sans money, but based on energy) in which everyone has everything they need and desire, for some reason I thought of electrons flowing in a battery. I did some research and re-discovered that electron charges move from the positive (surplus) side of the battery to the negative (deficiency) side. What a perfect description for a well-functioning economy: those who have a surplus of something distribute it to those who have a deficiency. Farmers likely have a surplus of food, but a deficiency of art; herbalists have a surplus of tonics, but a deficiency of computer savvy; dancers have a surplus of kinetic energy to share, but may be deficient in housing. Of course, the list goes on, and involves the concept of paying it forward, because very few exchanges will be between the same two people.

See: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/423/the-invention-of-money for more about the fiction of money.

Tags: Energy, money

Posted: Monday, January 10th, 2011 at 6:13 pm