Money

Learning to develop a healthy consciousness about money in a materialistic society is very difficult. These times necessitate some adjustment for many people. There has been a great theft. The middle class and the poor have been robbed in broad daylight by money/credit manipulators. Now the money/credit manipulators themselves have become tangled in their own webs. An international economic collapse looms.

While I do not subscribe to the antisocial mentality of Ayn-Rand-inspired Libertarians, I do believe that money should be managed from a perspective of independence from debt as much as possible. In other words, I think it is wise to live within my means. This is part of my daily practice. 

Living within my means does not require constant self-deprivation. However, it does require self-discipline. I avoid accustoming myself to things I cannot afford. By maintaining modest appetites in all areas of my life, I maintain a consciousness of appreciation of what I do have. This constitutes part of the foundation of my humanism.

Enabling the greed of others is simply a way to excuse the greed within us. This cycle has visible consequences everywhere in today's news. Taming personal greed is the first step to fairness in action. Fairness in action on a societal level creates a culture of equal access to basic human needs. Until all human beings have equal access to basic human needs, there is no fairness in society. Those with too much know their excesses. Those with too little are held back by the excesses of those who have too much. 

Money may be a necessity for an overpopulated human species. No longer can everyone barter with another for services with good faith that both have a vested stake in peace and prosperity of the community they share. Currency has replaced community. As a humanist, I try to practice a responsible use of money in my life for sustaining myself and promoting good in the lives of others. Doing this without incurring debt to live beyond my means is a real contribution to the common wealth.