444 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 43 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing Summarizing
General News   

The FED: Will you survive the coming crash?

By       (Page 1 of 3 pages)   1 comment

Melinda Pillsbury-Foster
Follow Me on Twitter     Message Melinda Pillsbury-Foster
Become a Fan

For most of us money means more that we really want. Security, unfolding possibilities stretching out into a future that brings delicious excitements and pleasure instead of pain.. Without it the world is fraught with fear. For Americans money is that folding green stuff; the line of numbers in our accounts; the knowledge that the plastic we use will keep working.


Money, that stuff the provides the useful tools of fungibility, stability of value, and ease of storage, is essential to the present system. But the present system is dead, barely twitching as the last, vestiges of value are sucked out. What will Americans do when they realize that their money was a lie?


The idea of money began as iconic representations of commodities; shards of pottery on which was inscribed the things counted. Sheep, cheeses, and other commodities were among these. That lasted about as long as it took some people to figure out they could make their own. Since then currency has moved through several incarnations as outlined in this poem. (Nice when you can get some real utility out of one of there.)


No. 51 From Shards to Light - for John Hix

From an insight of convenience they drew marks on shards of clay
The goats and sheep and cheeses thus were counted up each day.
And trader's lives were better, as barter was replaced.
With mites of fired pottery that bore each items face.


The marks and shards were money; more fungible to hold
So trade and space were easier; what was owned was sold.
But then a cunning taker thought to make his own
The shards went out of favor, replacing coin wrot gold


Issued first by temple and then anointed King
So fungible the medium it built a wealth in things.

Accumulation beckoned the greedy onto thrones.
Through money all were shackled, the people could be owned.

A flow of current holdings, in increments of gold
Created flow of currency, and ever more was sold.


Price now marked in shiny bits they trusted not to lie.
But men saw ways of stealing from weight the coins would buy.
So England then replaced them, their coins had reeded edge.
Clipping and the shaving, made obvious instead.

Next Page  1  |  2  |  3

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Rate It | View Ratings

Melinda Pillsbury-Foster Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Melinda Pillsbury-Foster is the author of GREED: The NeoConning of America and A Tour of Old Yosemite. The former is a novel about the lives of the NeoCons with a strong autobiographical component. The latter is a non-fiction book about her father (more...)
 
Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Follow Me on Twitter     Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Sociopaths - They Prey on All of Us

Restore the Constitution; Indict Thomas Anderle.

Phyllis Schlafly's career as a NeoCon

The Octopus, Promis, and their offspring, molding the future of America

Mitt Romney Desperate to Hide Truth - Debate to take place

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend