Money and Manna

It's time for an alternative currency.

It’s easy to blame money for all the world’s problems, at least greed for money. Pick any problem and we can usually “follow the money” to discover what’s causing it.

• The economy: obscene disparity between super rich and starving masses,

• Health/sick care: money made from suffering, suppression of simple home remedies.

• Politics: lying, manipulating voters, maintaining and increasing control.

• The environment: routinely releasing toxins and hiding the harmful effects.

I recently heard a podcast host ask his guest if he had any solutions for all these problems and he said, “Yes, here are three or four powerful solutions but we won’t do any of them.” Why not? He explained: because everything is log jammed. Operational systems in every field are tightly locked in place and maintained that way by individuals and organizations that depend on things staying exactly the way they are for their financial survival.

When I propose an alternative currency, I’m not thinking of a substitute for dollars, like cypto or some other “form.” Any form we might create would inevitably be corrupted by those ruled by greed. We won’t ever regulate them into behaving better! So, the solution - is to create and use something entirely different, something beyond the reach of hacking and manipulation.

Actually, we don’t need to create it. We’re already using it. I’m talking about the currency of generosity and we’ve all experienced this, both giving and receiving. I’ve long searched for a name to describe this “substance” which, although invisible, is very real. I decided on the word “manna.”

Here’s the official definition:

noun

1. In the Bible, the food miraculously provided for the Israelites in the wilderness during their flight from Egypt.

2. Spiritual nourishment of divine origin.

3. Something of value that a person receives unexpectedly.

The manna mentioned in the Bible couldn’t be stored overnight. It would rot. But more would show up fresh every morning. This illuminates the fundamental difference between manna and money. Money can be accumulated and used over time. This means that it has to be protected because others might steal it. And, the more you have, the more power you have over those who have less.

Manna works the opposite way. It can only be enjoyed and shared. Immediately. It can’t be leveraged for control over others. Here are a few examples of manna in action:

• A neighbor asks if he can borrow your wheel barrow to move some dirt. You’re happy to bring it over and help him out.

• A friend calls at 2am from the hospital, needing special support. You get dressed immediately and drive over (I got a call like that, went over, and a few of us helped save our friends life by getting him shifted to a better hospital for the care he urgently needed).

• You find a wallet and arrange for its return, never thinking to keep it or to steal the money/credit cards. You need no reward for doing the right thing.

While we can’t accumulate manna the same way we can store money, giving and receiving with kindness, generosity, and no strings attached, does develop our reputation and deepen our friendships. While there’s no official obligation created in voluntary giving, such an act does inspire giving in return, not necessarily back to the one who gifted us but to someone, somewhere in our world.

In response to the rising hysteria around an imminent financial market crash, I now suggest that we examine our portfolios and make some balancing adjustments. Here’s how I diagram doing that:

The Money First Model:

The Manna First Model:

There’s nothing wrong with money when we use it rather than letting it use us. But when we put manna first, our wealth expands exponentially and we find ourselves less dependent on money for our survival. Friends help friends! It’s the oldest economy there is. It’s time we got back to what has always worked for we humans - mutual generosity!

This is the “sacred weapon” that can succeed against the money-sick manipulators. We don’t need to fight them. We just switch currencies and heal the madness of greed with the currency of love.

Me writing this and you reading it is a perfect example. I take time to research and write and give away what I write free to you. A few of you offer some money in the form of a paid subscription but the vast majority just read for free. But that’s not a problem because receiving that way creates a sense of obligation to give back, somehow. I’m thrilled to know that my readers do give back, in unique ways. I don’t need all the rewards coming back to me! It’s about enriching our world through no strings attached generous giving and receiving.

Thanks for helping to pioneer this gift economy. It is, I do believe, the answer that we’ve been looking for. And it’s entirely available to us, no matter what others do. I am free to give and receive and so are you!