a transaction was once thought to be
an exchange between buyer and seller
but that’s like saying that banking
is just about the teller
now we know there’s a whole lot more
that goes in to each transaction
every purchase we make
sets off a chain reaction
of how we create more supply
to comply with every demand
and who does what with what we’ve got
but we’ve got to understand
that not all demands are worthy
and we need not cater to them
some resonate with lower vibrations
and scientists have proven
that life exists outside the bounds
of our mythical free market
and a higher quality of life
should really be our target
as we stand here in the now
and aim into the future
can we envision our species as more
than merely mindless consumers
while it’s true
that when you appeal to our base desires
and spur it along with manipulation
we’ll follow along and buy what you’re selling
and we’ll often give in to temptation
when you inflate and deflate our egos
and mix in some manufactured scarcity
and promote greed and fear and competition
it’s the perfect recipe
for taking advantage
of the selfishness we’re born with
and the instinct for self-interest
but if there’s more to life then there’s more to us
and there are ways that can be different
what if we built an economy
on the abundance that we have
if we realize life is more than a market
there’s no limit to the things we can
achieve when we realize who we are
at our very core
we are friends and family and community members
and the people that live next door
we are the relationships we cultivate
and the environments we maintain
and if the power went out
and all the money was gone
we are what would remain
and here we are on this life-giving planet
and for this moment we exist
i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again
life is such a gift
imagine if we had the power
to direct the flow of our transactions
what if we could guide our money
to make what we want happen
what if, when we were paid
our money was channeled automatically
because when it all comes down to it
it’s only information and energy
what if we can use it more wisely
than the models to which we’re beholden
where the elite have all of the money and power
so they also have all the control and
the rest of us don’t have much say
on how we move forward together
but based on the human innovation i’ve seen
i think we the people can do better
considering how we’ve balanced things out before
there are four variables to our economy
how we practice the art of living
through our business, citizenry, and community
so let’s begin with the end in mind
and realize we’re all one big global community
the spirit of life infuses us all
and now may be all we’ll ever know of eternity
but we know we’re all connected
we know we’re all sisters and brothers
and if we’re going to realize
a life of resilient abundance
there’s no need for so many to suffer
so let us all agree right now
the things we do have consequence
what if every economic interaction we make
serves to lift up human consciousness
as churches have done for ages
with their tithes and other offerings
what if 10% of every transaction
went to heal the world and alleviate suffering
we don’t have to be religious
to want to give back and help out the needy
and when you’re living a truly abundant life
there’s just no need to be so greedy
since each of us are different
and we each have different passions
we each get to choose what we support
which endeavors, organizations, and actions
what if we could change how much we give
because some of us may want to give more
some of us have realized the joy that comes
by serving the homeless, the sick, and the poor
the truth is we’re already doing this
but we can do it much more fluidly
because if we want
the money in our economy to flow
we’ve got to treat it like a currency
if we automate the golden rule
by channeling some of our energy
to our community
what if we also participate in the world
by channeling some of it to our citizenry
as it stands, governments take our money
to pay the house and senate
they do a lot of things we don’t want them to do
as they decide how they can best spend it
with bigger countries, there’s a lot of waste
as they let the money trickle down
to the people who really need it
but what if we could turn that around
what if we could decide where our support goes
what if we start from the bottom up
what if we invest first in our local communities
would the system be less corrupt
if we could choose
the initiatives we want to support
and have public servants who follow the will
of, by, and for the people
was how things were promised
but we’re still trying to fulfill
the potential of those people
and the power of participation
it could very well be that democracy
is going to require a bit more engagement
most of us have the wherewithal to know
that governments should work for humans
but we’ve still got quite a few tweaks to make
before this is a more perfect union
for quite a long while
we’ve been led to believe
that to be a good citizen
is to support the government
but there’s a greater loyalty we should consider
with our planet we should make a new covenant
while we should patronize our various governments
for as long as they are relevant
as good citizens
we should take better care of the earth
and try to use some more intelligence
on how we use the resources we have
of time and space and nature
and for all that we’ve screwed up so far
we should start buying it back by the acre
what if we expand our forests
plant more seeds and let life grow
invest in wilderness and diversity
just imagine what we could sow
while it’s true we’re a global community
life’s about much more than humans
embracing that knowledge is a very big part
of the wisdom revolution
This is an excerpt from the book Steve McAlphabet Explains ABC Squared Economics. Go to https://stevemc.xyz/books/steve-mcalphabet-explains-abc-squared-economics/ to find out more.
