1. What did you think about the text?
Catherine: I thought that very beginning of the introduction was so interesting because Goodchild points out the almost hypocritical nature of Jesus’ and the church’s demands and ideologies about wealth throughout history. Good will mentions how despite wealth being viewed as something evil, “Jesus, by contrast, warned against wealth while feasting and drinking himself” (7). He also talks about taxes from both the church and temple. The text overall, while being quite lengthy, is interesting and introduces new concepts about the church and its monetary history that I had not considered before.
Ashley: I really enjoyed the text, I actually kept reading into the actual chapters until I realized that we were only supposed to read the introduction. I thought it was very well written in the aspect of first defining religion and theology, and then merging them together through the means of money. This perspective on money was relatively new to me, so I was extremely intrigued by the way that it was so radically described ex: “Money is only an extreme and specialized type of ritual.” (Pg. 19)
Nick: The text was interesting, and I like the idea of substituting "Money" for "the devil" in the opening. Goodchild does a good starting at "money is the root of all evil" and evolving it. Additionally, I liked how he analyzed money in a way that I never thought of.
2. What do you think about the quotes on page 4 of the handout?
Catherine: I think the quote that begins with “money is indeed the most important thing in the world…” and ends with “money controls morality” is so interesting, and in so many ways is completely true in today’s society (America’s). We put such an emphasis on the importance of accumulating wealth and power, and those goals definitely drive our goals. I mean, we are all in college and I would assume that that is probably to help us become more intelligent adults to help us get a better job and eventually build up our own wealth
Ashley: Phillip Goodchild presented an almost introduction to the introduction with the quotes and parables found at the beginning of his work. The Emerson quote is my favorite of the two, alluding to the alluring attributes of money/credit; he emphasizes the dangers of money with the comparison to a rose: while they are beautiful, you might hurt yourself if you do not handle it properly.
Nick: I especially like the Herbert quote, as I think that it supplements the idea that states that we deal with money differently when we have it than when we simply think of it hypothetically.
3. God v money?
Catherine: “God and wealth are set in a competition for time” (pg. 11). I think that quote is so true. It definitely feels like people – especially getting older – either go towards fulfillment with a career and building up wealth, or can find fulfillment through religion.
Ashley: I don’t necessarily think that there is a “god vs. money” complex, I think that religious folk tend to create a larger issue than it really is. Trade naturally evolved into the concept of credit and physical money; I think the issue lies with the extreme abuse of money.
Nick: I feel that this complex comes from a literal reading of biblical text. God and money can certainly coincide, and I therefore think that Goodchild was going for a stretch with this particular idea.
4. The reinvention of money in 1694 (credit functions as coinage) thoughts?
Alex: I think this is where our modern sense of materialism and obsession with money really came into being. With the age of colonialism and imperialism in full swing there was a plethora of new goods people could buy, and with credit they were able to. People were able to get individual loans from banks in order to buy land or property at a level and means that was never possible before.
5. Could modern society survive w/out credit?
Catherine: I don’t think it could. I mean banks are starting to charge fees for people/companies to keep physical dollars in their vaults. We are getting to the point where credit and a sort of theoretical/unseen way of maintaining money and wealth is dominant. And in some ways that seems okay with me, as long as credit is monitored and the system makes sense.
Ashley: I do not think that modern society could function without some form of credit, due to the speed of development and the materialistic mentality of today. Everyone wants things now, so naturally if they can get it now, people will be more inclined to take that choice. Also some things need to be on credit. Part of my family is in the housing industry, and financing building homes is virtually impossible without lines of credit.
Nick: Once credit was introduced, there is no way to return to a life before it. Even as people see others becoming broke due to their careless spending, many continue to aimlessly spend anyway. To even be able to manage it, people need to understand that credit is a temporary and not permanent means.
6. "Where god promises eternity, money promises the world."
Ashley: Honestly, this is a very loaded quote. To some extent this may be true, but it all rests with how you treat both god and money. They have the potential to give you both theoretically, but you may not be happy with the outcome of either one.
7. Does $=modern religion?
Catherine: I think that nowadays money definitely is starting to look and feel more like a religion. The same way that people would be devoted to their religion, we see people being devoted to their assets and wealth. I don’t think this is the case for everyone in the world, and certainly not for every society, but for a lot of people without a strong hold on a religion belief I can see how money would become a substitute for that (or vice versa, with religion becomes a substitute for lack of wealth).
Ashley: I don’t think that money is our modern religion. I think that people can become obsessed with it just like with drugs, but it is an avenue to get what we want. Money allows us to build communities, however it also allows us to destroy them. Money is a tool that can be employed for good or bad.
Nick: Money is probably the number one religion in America. We tend to worship those who have it, and put all of our time and attention into it as Americans. Money ties many together, as religion does, and tends to set morals for many. As much as I personally do not approve of this lifestyle, it is very relevant in our society.
8. Do you think $100 in your hand is more powerful than the concept of $100 say on a debit card?
Ashley: I think that hard money is more valuable than credit, partially because I am very “hands on” anyway, so I would rather use cash than credit. The fact that you can see your money being taken allows people to think about what they are purchasing more, than say a little black card. The physical aspect of money also represents security and confirms the agreement between the seller and buyer. I think physical money is more valuable the higher the $ amount, due to the fact that the dollar amount is backed by physical means upfront.
Nick: Personally, I spend more money when I am able to simply swipe a card. With actual money in my hands, I find it harder to spend, and therefore I tend to think twice before making a purchase. It's a sad feeling when I have to break a larger bill, and often I will skip out on a luxury just to avoid doing so.
9. Would you want to read this book?
Catherine: I would want to read this book. It’s very interesting, but the reality is that it would take me SO long to read, so that could become an issue.
Nick: I would read this book just because I am interested to hear what his opinions are on topics mentioned later in the introduction. I may not agree with some of his thought, but I feel that this book would at least give another perspective on the topic.
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