Money: The Gift & the Curse

Money: the abstract illusion of finite value given to otherwise worthless objects; an idea that our 'modern' society is both plagued by, yet hinges on. Constantly, we hear phrases like "time is money" and "money makes the world go 'round", and have almost been brainwashed into believing so, attesting to its effect on civilization over the last several centuries. As an item given a set exchange value, the concept of money becomes closely tied with …

…Money is, ultimately, a phenomenon that was introduced to make our lives easier, but we as a society have allowed it to control our lives and the way we see the world. Works Cited: Kopytoff, Igor. "The Cultural Biography of Things: Commoditization process". The Social Life of Things: Commodities in Cultural Perspective. Ed. Ibid. Cambridge University Press, 1986. 64-91. Simmel, George. "Money and Commodity Culture". Simmel on Culture. Ed. David Frisby, Mike Featherstone. London: Sage, 1997. 233-254.