Bartering is Better

I have recently decided that this world would be a much better place if everyone bartered. Now, I know that this is a blanket statement, and as such, it is likely a foolish thing to say. Since I have acknowledged this fault, you are now obligated to read the rest of this post and examine my arguments, because obviously, I don't think it is a foolish thing to say (otherwise, I wouldn't have said it, hopefully).

Bartering forces us to take into account the other person's humanity. When we have to exchange goods, we have to acknowledge the needs of another. A student needs tutoring, I need food. I will give instruction, she will give me baked goods. But to realize these needs, we have to communicate and we have to know something about each others lives: she discovered that I am good at algebra, I learned that she is a great cook.

In contrast, money removes that relationship with relative ease. I don't need to know the needs of the checker at Target. I just need X amount of dollars to recieve the goods that I need (or want). The checkers bad day doesn't really effect me. She may sound a little gruff or frown at me, but ultimately I get my goods and am on my way (and probably rather quickly, depending on her mood). I am independent. I am alone.

Of course money is convienent: things move along faster so we have more time for other things, there is less (people) to deal with, etc. Of course, we must remember, much of today's technology was designed with convience in mind, and we are just as busy as we ever were, if not more so.

A friend pointed out to me that the masses will never be up for it. Money is convienent. More than that, it is also an easy way to show profit. And bartering would be very difficult to work out on a global scale.

No matter. Bartering is still the way to go, even if the world doesn't like it.