Madame Pickwick Art Blog Art and media blog of the unexpected

“Money is the blood of society, Mr. Gurdjieff told us, and one of life’s driving forces. Neutral in itself, neither good nor evil, the power of money permeates our social and personal relationships, openly and in myriad guises, and this makes it an essential subject in our study of ourselves. The aim is to expose the subterranean layers of belief, of imagination, dreams and fantasy that give money its power over us.”( Lillian Firestone )  One of society’s most common misunderstandings about money is that it is an object, when it is actually an agreement of trust. According to Lewis Lapham, author of Money and Class in America, “Money ranks as one of the primary materials with which mankind builds the architecture of civilization.”

Thornton Wilder. ---At the Prieuré, Gurdjieff greets him with what Wilder describes as "buffoon joviality" and introduces him to an American lady. "Smell him and see if he have money," Gurdjieff tells her, sniffing at Wilder. "Yes, I smell him. I think he have money." Wilder sees this as "brilliant" for he suspects Gurdjieff of pressing people for money. There are some twenty-five people at dinner, all served at one vast table. Before each place is a bottle of cognac. The principal dish is a sheep brought in on a large platter, its head still on, and lying in a bed of cooked fruits. Gurdjieff is noisy, jovial and clowning, and constantly toasting Wilder with cognac. The other guests are muted, meditative, and withdrawn. "Gurdjieff and I," says Wilder, "were the only happy people at the table." After dinner Gurdjieff offers to let him read the First Series, telling him that when it is published it will cost five thousand dollars.---

Is money the root of all evil or is the lack of it to blamed? Its an old question that is emotionally charged, and polarizing; but at least its divisiveness crosses almost all creeds and colors on the human spectrum. Marx talked about a utopian society in which people work based on their ability and get rewarded base on their needs. Money would not be necessary.History told us differently.There is a recognition of the importance of society based on trade, rather than the only real alternative: violence.

The A-Team on the hunt for printers of "unbacked currencies" Hofert:My reaction was, “So what?” Currency hasn’t been backed since the collapse of the Bretton Woods system in 1973. Until then, you could get a dollar’s worth of gold from the Federal Reserve for each dollar bill you turned in. Now, all you’re likely to get in exchange from the Fed is another dollar bill (and a puzzled look from the person behind the counter). What actually supports a paper currency’s value? Nothing, it turns out, other than our steadfast belief that it is “worth” something. The entire, vast international monetary system is built upon this self-fulfilling confidence. Inflation — when a currency is losing its value — reflects waning confidence in that currency. This would logically mean that deflation’s lower prices indicate a currency has risen in value. In other words, our confidence in it as a store of value has increased. But this is one of those times when logic and reality remain far apart. Read more: http://opinion.financialpost.com/2010/10/13/

Money and wealth is one of the most dividing issue in history, with all revolutions generally being because the ruling classes have hidden money from the poor.Like it or loathe it, civilized society cannot function without money, therefore coming to terms with it may be in our interests:the desperation and greed caused by unlimited wants, unequal distribution of resources and a restrictive means(money) of getting anything are cause enough.It is a central  cause of stress,frustration,anger,rage and thus most crimes. Now you might argue that lust and the want of possessions is not the same as the want/need of money, but money is a means to that end. Everything has a price tag; money is a social interface of provision, a tool for engaging with others to satisfy needs.

As many people uncover their own behaviors and attitudes about money, they realize the way they that relate with money is often the way they relate with most everything in life. Lyn Twist, in her book, somewhat paradoxically titled, ” Soul of Money”, writes, “Money is a current, a carrier, a conduit for our intentions.”

Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand. :"Run for your life from any man who tells you that money is evil. That sentence is the leper's bell of an approaching looter. So long as men live together on earth and need means to deal with one another--their only substitute, if they abandon money, is the muzzle of a gun. "But money demands of you the highest virtues, if you wish to make it or to keep it. Men who have no courage, pride or self-esteem, men who have no moral sense of their right to their money and are not willing to defend it as they defend their life, men who apologize for being rich--will not remain rich for long. They are the natural bait for the swarms of looters that stay under rocks for centuries, but come crawling out at the first smell of a man who begs to be forgiven for the guilt of owning wealth. They will hasten to relieve him of the guilt--and of his life, as he deserves.

Selfish desires are burning like fires
among those who hoard the gold
As the continue to keep the people asleep
and the truth from being told
Racism and greed keep the people in need
from getting what’s rightfully theirs
Cheating, stealin and double dealing
as they exploit the peoples fears

Now, Dow Jones owns the people’s homes
and all the surrounding land
Buying and selling their humble dwelling
in the name of the Master Plan…( E Pluribus Unum, The Last Poets )

"Generosity softens people up-to be deceived. By gaining a reputation for liberality. you win people's admiration while distracting them from your power plays. By strategically spreading your wealth, you charm other courtiers, creating pleasure and making valuable allies. Look at the masters of power - the Caesars, the Queen Elizabeths, the Michaelangelos, the Medicis: Not a miser among them. Even the great con artists spend freely to swindle. Tight purse strings are unattractive-when engaged in seduction, Casanova would give completely not only of himself but of his wallet. The powerful understand that money is psychologically charged, and that is is also a vessel of politeness and sociability. They make the human side of money a weapon in their armory. For everyone able to play with money, thousands more are lockied in a self-destructive refusal oto use money creatively & strategically. "

The dollar means a lot to people, and is probably one of the most well-known symbols around the world. It is the reserve currency of the world. However as a marketing symbol, and a brand it may be time to hit the refresh button, according to some in the design world. The last re-design was eighty years ago, but, when there is no competition…. The dollar does touch on an interesting aspect of American culture, since money is such a potent symbolism of materialism. There is an unwillingness to let go that runs deeper than nostalgia; something rooted in the founding principles of the nation. But, the times they are a changin’.

John T. O'Neill:“Does any American want to create the currency that reflects the real State of the Union. I did, and it's attached for the world to see. My graphic rendering of an appropriate redesign for U.S. currency is simple and I think we as American's should stop and reflect. Description: A currency stating the obvious: ‘In God we once trusted.’ – Colors: Blood red lettering for those who gave their lives for freedom – Barcode: Chinese Hologram: As of May 2009, the US owed China $772 billion. In total, lenders from Japan and China held 44% of the foreign-owned debt. Our currency is their currency – Denomination: We might as well bring back the thousand dollar bill since $100 doesn't go very far any more.

“The cat was really put amongst the pigeons when we posted Dowling Duncan’s entry – Relative Value – in August. Within a matter of days people went nuts at the idea of President Obama’s face appearing on our currency. The populace cried: ‘Illegal!’ ‘Unpatriotic!’ ‘Stupid!’ Then the hate mail came thick and fast. People posted obscenities and accusations on…” ( Richard P. Smith )

…Cos paper money is like a bee without honey
with no stinger to back him up
and those who stole the people’s gold
are definitely corrupt

Richard Smith believes one of the fastest and easiest ways to boost America’s sagging economy is to start with an aesthetic overhaul of its currency.”The U.S. dollar symbolizes the epicentre of something that needs to be changed,” says Smith, a self-described “creative strategy consultant” who is hosting the Dollar ReDe$ign competition for the second year in a row. The tagline: “It’s time to rebrand the buck.”

Juan Arreguin design. "Smith cites the euro, once again, as an example of a successful currency relaunch: The change in itself generated a lot of press for the European economy, which in turn made its citizens excited to use the new money, which subsequently boosted the economy. Its value, for the most part, has steadily grown since it debuted in 1999, and it has a relatively low rate of forgery, compared to the U.S. Read more: http://www.financialpost.com

Right now, there is some consideration being put into the creation of a local currency for El Paso County in Colorado. It would operate in a similar manner to Berkshares, the Plenty, The Lewes Pound, and The Icatha Hour.In dozens of communities across the United States, complementary currencies (CCs) are becoming powerful tools that generate resilience in local economies. CCs are created in a variety of forms including time hours, mutual credit systems, precious metals, and even seed or energy-backed coupons. Like national currency these new CCs are not mere coinage, they are a whole system of value transaction, exchange of credit, and agreement of mutual trust. Complementary currencies exist parallel to the national currency, and by design, fulfill a different role. CCs enable relationships and behavior to develop to match unmet needs with underutilized resources, providing a way for people to engage in the local economy that is not limited by their access to dollars. Because diversity is a key element in resilient, which are able to adapt to change and reorganize wisely, these new exchange mechanisms reflect an evolving economic strategy of regions to encourage trade of local goods and services. ( Crystal Arnold )

Micah Perez:The goal of the El Paso Pound Project is to establish a local currency for El Paso County, Colorado. A person would be able to trade in $0.90 for every £1.00, participating businesses would accept the Pound at face value, which gives the customer a built in 10% discount. There are numerous benefits of implementing a local currency system and the El Paso Pound would have these following benefits: Vision: We envision a strengthened and self-reliant local economy that provides essential goods and services to local consumers, resulting in the creation of a greater sense of community within the citizens of El Paso County. Mission: To strengthen the Local Economy through a local currency program that gradually replaces imported goods with locally produced items, giving Local businesses a chance to effectively compete with national organizations.

…The laurels of peace and the arrows of wars
are clutched very tightly in the eagles claws
filled with greed and lust,
and on the back of the dollar bill,
is the words IN GOD WE TRUST

But the dollar bill is their only God
and they don’t even trust each other
for a few dollars more they’d start a war
to exploit some brother’s mother
Then there’s the pyramid, that stands by itself
created by Black people’s knowledge and wealth
and over the pyramid hangs the devil’s eye
that stole from the truth and created the lie…

ADDENDUM:

Andreas Hofert: Has the financial crisis really made us more confident in our governments and central banks? Some well-regarded economists argue that the Fed can print as much unbacked currency as it wants. As long as this money doesn’t find its way to the public, through loans made by financial intermediaries, they say it has no impact at all. The Fed and the other central banks are just “pushing on a string,” as the much-used metaphor goes.

This is rather a half-baked thesis, in my view. Carried to its logical conclusion, it would mean that countries without financial intermediaries would never face inflation, which simply is not the case. Such countries are usually very poor and the printing press has always been a major source of government revenue, and inflation. The technical term for this type of revenue comes from the Middle Ages: seigniorage. It describes a situation where only lords (in French, seigneurs) had the right to mint coins, which allowed them to profit from the difference between the face value and the intrinsic value of the coins.

In a similar vein, governments in very poor countries often use unbacked currency to pay their bills. This practice tends to erode confidence in the value of their currency and, thus, fuel inflation. In the developed world, when we read press reports that, “under quantitative easing, the Fed is buying U.S. treasuries,” it sounds like rather serious high finance. In fact, it is good old seigniorage. It comes wrapped in more complex terminology to hide the fact that things may no longer be quite under control.

My view on the ongoing deflation/inflation debate is that, yes, due to various misperceptions, deflationary pressure may persist for a while yet. But in a world awash with unbacked currency, the inevitable outcome of running the printing presses is inflation. As Colonel Hannibal Smith, leader of the A-Team and played by the redoubtable Liam Neeson, tellingly says, “There is no Plan B.”

Now ANNUIT means and endless amount stolen over the years
and COEPTIS means a new empire of vampire millionaires
And NOVUS is a Latin word meaning something new
an ORDO means a way of life chosen by a few
SECLORUM is a word that means to take from another
knowledge, wisdom and understanding stolen from the brother

Roman numerals on the base of the pyramid’s face
tell the date they began to exist
when they established this branch of hell
in seventeen-seventy-six

Now there are thirteen layers of stone of the pyramid alone
an unfinished work of art
for thirty-three and a third is as high as a mason can go
without falling apart

Thirteen stars in the original flag!
Thirteen demons from the Devil’s bag!
Thirteen berries and thirteen leaves!
Thirteen colonies of land-grabbing thieves!
Thirteen arrows in the eagle’s claws!
Sixty-seven corporations wage the Devil’s wars!
Thirteen stripes on the eagle’s shield!
And these are the symbols on the US seal!….