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A poll I once read described the
fears people are experiencing in these
unsettled
economic times.
The things listed that people fear
include: losing their job, not being
able to pay the bills, and losing their
retirement money.
We all know that there are lots
more economic things to fear than
just those, unfortunately. For example,
many people fear being evicted for
not keeping up their mortgage payments.
Others fear that the value of their
own home is declining. People fear
not being able to pay their tuition
next semester. Many people are deeply
in debt over their credit cards and
are paying high interest rates. People
are afraid that they will be unable
to afford medical treatment. People
are afraid that they will be cheated
on the internet. People fear having
their identity stolen and their money
spent by someone else. A few people
even fear that their bank will fail
taking their money with it.
Of course, in a non-POM economy
one would fear none of these things.
One might be asked to stop working
with a particular group of other
people. But that would not prevent
one's working at something else or
with other people. One never has
any bills at all in a non-POM economy.
There is no debt in a non-POM economy.
One doesn't pay for education or
medical treatment. One might fear
damage to one's home as in a flood
or storm but one never fears for
it's market price.
So is life in a non-POM economy
care-free? Is there nothing to be
afraid of in a non-POM society? I
don't think anyone would go that
far. One still has the world of physical
reality to deal with. One can still
be injured or killed in an accident.
One can still get sick. There will
still be storms and earthquakes and
volcanoes and other of nature's upsets
to deal with. There are even crazy
people in a non-POM and though people
would be paid for seeing that those
suffering from mental illness do
not damage others, there is still
that chance. Parents in conflict
with their teen-aged children might
worry that their children will run
away. After all, they will have no
trouble getting the necessities of
life without money. They will not
have to turn to crime to survive.
So there might be more runaways.
Of course, the computer system would
easily keep track of where they were
and how they were doing so that would
be a consolation.
But these fears are all things which
are independent of economic systems,
things which no economy can prevent.
What kinds of things might one fear
that are aspects of the unique system
of the non-POM economy?
One can fear that the special luxury
item one wants will be all sold out
before one gets to the store. (Then
one might have to wait a while or
work out some trade with someone
who bought eariler.) One might fear
that one's wife might leave since
she is no longer dependent on her
husband for the necessities of life.
One might fear a lack of discrimination
in one's favor since discrimination
results in lost income.
Yes, I do have to struggle to come
up with things that are threatening
with non-POM. Probably I am biased.
But when money cannot be taken against
your will that releaves lots of worries.
When your necessities are provided
at no cost to you, that is very reassuring.
When other people can get money as
a result of doing something good
for me, that feels very good indeed.
It's really nice to be able to expect
everyone to be on my side.
So though people (being human) will
still wory about things, their worries
will be "high class" worries.
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