Take it or Leave it?
There are takers and there are leavers. There are also makers and deceivers. Take what you need – but leave enough for others. Appreciation means to increase in value. Value is NOT the result of scarcity and limited supply or access. Worth is subjective – and a product of perception. To make the most of anything begins with awareness and an attitude of gratitude – for what is and what it offers. This is one of the “keys” to creating abundance. Making more – than enough – allows others to share – without creating artificial scarcity or using “money” as the measure of anything. People who do this are either deceiving themselves, others, or both. Money is the most common and often quickest means of controlling people.
The Federal Reserve Bank is now creating an unending supply of currency out of nowhere – thus devaluing every dollar in existence. The reason given? So that home values will not fall! But by increasing the total currency in circulation, the “price” (and cost) of houses and everything else will only increase ONLY due to the artificially induced “inflation” rather than anything to do with the supply or demand of quantity or quality. In essence, “Quantitative Easing” is deceptive manipulation of the paper and electronic fiat promissory bank note currency people think of “money” and call “dollars” (rather than the fictitious debt-creating I.O.U.s they really represent) to give the illusion that banks are actually solvent and able to lend (in amounts far beyond their limited fractional “reserve”).
Although there is already more existent fiat currency than ever before, most people have less and less of it, and banks are becoming less likely to lend what little they claim to have – even though they would not actually “lose” anything if those they “lent” to did not pay them. As a result, spending will decrease, and people will buy less, businesses will hire less, and the entire “economy” (or allocation of “scarce resources”) will “contract” – and many individuals and society as a whole needlessly suffer. If too many needs are not met, people tend to react violently.
Violence will not solve most problems. Sometimes killing can create new possibilities – but death and destruction without a ready replacement of a more acceptable alternative offers no real benefit and not only may create new problems but make existing issues worse. People need to shift from revolution to evolution.
People should stop thinking of houses as “appreciable assets” or including them in their “net worth”. People should also stop focusing on the arbitrary “amount” of anything asked or paid – especially regarding “value” and “worth” – and look at the TERMS, and conditions, and “results”.
It does NOT take money to make money. Why do people believe they must “borrow” – with compounding interest – and go into debt in order to go into business? Any business idea that is any good can be pre-sold – thus seeing both what their customer “market” really responds to and will pay for and raise any necessary “capital” for products, services, and information desired without going into debt or giving away control of the company to lenders or investors. If what is promised can’t be fulfilled and delivered, just return the money – and nobody is out anything. People pre-pay for all kinds of things – if they think they will actually get it, may get a better price by doing so, can “customize” their order, and don’t have to wait TOO long. Dependence on banks and borrowed money (even “Other People’s Money”) seems quite foolish, irresponsible, and usually unnecessary. Unfortunately, it seems to be the accepted and encouraged practice for most individuals and businesses to borrow and pre-spend beyond their means (usually for things they don’t even need) and thus incur debt (and a net loss) that they may or may not be able to compensate for and eventually over-come.
Profitability is actual PRO-FIT-ABILITY – suggesting the ability to be financially fit. The ONLY thing that matters in business is PAYING CUSTOMERS. No name, card, license, storefront, website, inventory, employees, or anything else is required. No matter what you may have, without people paying, your are NOT in business. Sales is NOT marketing, advertising, branding, or positioning – not is it influencing or convincing or closing anything. Sales is accepting “receivables” – as in payments collected. It is the people who pay that make a business what it is, and NOT whatever the business thinks it offers or provides. The people who pay usually want a SOLUTION to some problem, want, need, or desire that what is bought, sold, and paid or traded for promises it is a MEANS to (being, doing, or having).
Businesses should STOP focusing on themselves and what they think they offer, sell, or provide and concentrate more on their “customers” – who are NOT simply “consumers”, but “clientele”. The “custom” should be to “customize” the relationship with each in a way that they become “accustomed” to paying – and playing the role of “patron” and “partner” with a vested interest in the success of the business they “patronize”. Even “competitors” can be “customers” or “cooperative collaborators” who “consolidate” mutual PRO-FIT-ABILITY.
That’s my perspective. Don’t just take it or leave it. Take what may make sense and works for you, and leave what may may not. To make the most of either, add what is uniquely your own. Please consider sharing – starting with posting a comment below.
© 2012, Oren Pardes. All rights reserved.
Tags: profitability, Quantitative Easing
