What do Old Hippies think about money? Is it the root of all evil or could you stand to have a little bit more of it? Do they have any advice to younger hippies about how to make it, handle it, or look at it? Do Old hippies invest in earth-friendly companies???
Well, I'm not qualified nor authorized to speak for all Old Hippies, but here's what I think.... I look at money is an medium of barter. At one time, long ago, your family group either made or grew or bartered for what they needed. That is still what happens, except there is very little making and growing, but a lot of barter. The difference is that instead of a direct exchange of goods &/or services for other goods &/or services, most folks barter time from & out of their lives in exchange for money and then use the money to get the goods &/or services they want or need (or think they need). Of course, there is still some old style bartering. I do it all I can, it makes up maybe 25% of my personal economy. I even barter some of my tomatoes & peppers with the local small grocery store in exchange for flour, salt, coffee, sugar, etc. But bartering just won't work for everything, the electric company isn't interested in basil & mint in exchange for my power usage. No, they want money in exchange for my power usage. Of course the less power I use, the less money they want. Which leads me to this ... "how to make it, handle it, or look at it" As Thoreau said, "Simplify, simplify, simplify". My experience and observation has lead me to believe that the more you simplify your life, the less money you need and therefore the less time you must give up to get the money. And of course, the less time you spend from your life in exchange for money, the more time you'll have for yourself. More time you can use to read, write, draw/paint or enjoy drawings/paintings, more time to listen to or make music or both, etc., etc.... There are, I think, two key points to be made here: First (and I think most important), if at all possible, the time you spend out of your life in exchange for money(aka.: a "job"), spend it doing something(s) you like. Very obvious and easy to say, but it can be hard to do. The main reason it's hard to do: (1) It can be (strangely) hard to find/figure out what you truely like to do. There's just so very, very many choices. (2) There may not be a market for what you really like to do. But like I said, there are lots & lots of possibilities. Be honest with yourself (also not always easy), search, try things... look and you will probably find that there are "jobs" that fit you (the true inner you) better than others. Second (harder to explain and with apologies to the anti-capitalists), out of all the things you like to do & all the choices for things to do (again, "jobs"), diversify & do (at least some) things that make you the most money per hour. Personal example: here on my little farm I do many things to make money. I define my farm as an industrial complex of cottage industries. If I only did one thing, for example grow peppers, and it was a bad year for peppers, I'd be screwed. But I do lots of things, that limits my risk and means that I'm doing a variety of "jobs". Also, I can grow pretty much what ever I want, but I don't. I grow several things, but only the things that make me the most money per hour and/or make me money when other things aren't. Example: I could grow okra, but I don't. Okra is grown by lots of folks around here, so there's lots of competition, and okra only produces income 6 weeks or so per year, and is very labor intensive (lots & lots of hours for little money). Instead, I raise shiitake mushrooms, much more income per hour and makes money many months per year. Now I know I'm using a lot of farm examples and most folks aren't farmers. But the same things apply to life in the city. Do what you like & makes you happy, don't do things (for any amount) that makes you miserable, and within what makes you happy, make as much as you can per hour (or day or etc.). I've know people who were making $15 per hour and hated every second of it. That spilled over into their personal time and had a bad effect on their family life. They then got jobs making less, but doing things they liked, and they & their families were much happier. I've know other people who were making $7 per hour, 40 hours per week. After a little "soul searching" and looking around they changed to having two jobs, 15 hours per week each at $10 per hour. More money, less time at the jobs, more time for themselves. Yet other folks who were making a reasonable amount per hour, but got additional education & training and ended up making a good bit more per hour, doing more good for more people, in less time, and (once again) were happier. I've always thought that one of the most interesting "old sayings" is, "Time is money". It implies that "Time = money", and that's just not true. If you spend your money foolishly, squander it, you can get more money. But if you spend your time foolishly, squander it... well, all the money there is can't buy back yesterday. "Do Old hippies invest in earth-friendly companies???" I don't know, but I feel sure some do. But although you can't buy back yesterday, you can, and I think should, invest in more & better tomorrows. Now I know it's cliche: stop smoking (tobacco), eat right, exercise, get enough rest, all that stuff... well, it's all true. For me, my earth-friendly investments are to organically build up my garden's soil, to be a good steward of the land, and leave the Earth and it's occupants better if I can. "Is it (money) the root of all evil" No. What some people do for money is. What some people do with money is. That some people spend a lot of their life unhappy while pursuing money is. But I've rambled on enough for now. Peace, poor_old_dad
Poor Old Dad, you are a Rich Wise Elder, rich in wisdom, rich in intelligence, and wealthy in every way that really counts. I totally was enriched by reading your informative and enlightened post,(it was long, but I read every word-twice), and feel you hit on every point of coming to terms with all the different aspects of money, and understanding that you can choose how money affects your life. It in itself is not evil, what you do with it, that robs you of peace and harmony, is. My life is similar to yours in that my family has made simplicity an important part of our lives, and also doing the things we love, and seeing that the money will follow. When given the choice over acquiring more possessions, and having the leisure time to enjoy our days, we always choose that our time is more important than most anything else, and live what most people would consider a life of poverty, but they really don't know how "rich" we really are..!!!!!!!
Namaste Thank you for your kind words... It really did put a smile on an old hippie's face. Yes, it was a long post, but I think you may have stated it better in far fewer words: Peace, poor_old_dad
I saw a great quote on this forum, I cant remember it word for word but it went something like this: "When all the land has been used up and all the game has been hunted and all the waters have been polluted only then will you realize that you cannot eat money." (Some old Cree proverb I guess) I liked that one. This also brings to mind a poem in the book Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. Its about a farmer who grows crystal grapes, and opal oranges, golden apples and picks platinum weeds. But at the end of a long day of harvest all he's dreamin about is one real peach.....
