That’ll Cost 4 Hours

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Welles
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That’ll Cost 4 Hours

Post by Welles »

An idea came to me a couple of days ago. I was entranced by the simplicity and utility of it. The world isn’t ready for it so please, if you find your mind telling you why it wouldn’t work just ignore the chatter. You see this is an idea for a new world; one built of Love where spiritual values are embraced by choice because we understand them by experience. It is an idea for a society in which every family unit has the right to a non-taxable home site; a society in which you could only become a steward of other lands or resources by social agreement for they would be considered human commons. This isn’t an idea for today so don’t tell me why it won’t work. I know that.

In the far distant future there will be no need for money at all. Our scientific knowledge will allow for decentralized and independent systems of energy, manufacturing material needs and food creation. Sound like a dream? We can see intimations of that reality in nano-machines, 3D Printing and other technologies right now. Remember that the future will make our present knowledge base look child-like. Yes I know we think we are modern. We have history to prove it, just like most everyone who has ever lived.

Between the collapse of greed and that ideal of self-sustaining freedom provided by human intellectual advancement and spiritual development, there will still be a need for some type of currency it seems to me. Actually I believe it will be needed for a long time. The idea that came to me is that the currency would be called hours. The inherent value of it would be based upon hours of human effort. Think about it. Anywhere in the world we would be trading hours. The elemental unit of currency would be one hour. That would be the value of an hour’s effort by an untrained worker or apprentice.

As this thought came to me I immediately realized how practical a worldwide currency of hours would be. Regional exploitation would be diminished or eliminated altogether. An hour is an hour. Money would be created when we purchase the work of others. We would earn before spending. Banks would ensure value and facilitate exchanges.

Obviously some people’s work is worth more. There would quickly be created social agreements about the relative values of creative output. A 10x multiplier should be the highest pay rate for those exceptional people who are deemed of great social merit. We would be awarding each other hours for value added to life by creative effort.

Society would generate fees from licensing resource extraction as well as participatory taxation. Think of the possibilities! Mothers could be paid for childrearing. Cherishing and loving future generations is the foundation of civilization. It is also demanding work. That social economy would also help pay to alleviate suffering when disasters strike.

Those are just a few of the ideas that popped into my mind. Imagine, though, if you went into a store and saw a price of ḫ32.25. You would know exactly how much effort that purchase price of thirty-two and one quarter hours was costing you.

Of course in the far future a gift economy will eliminate the need for counting hours. The price of that economy will be living in the now … eternally.

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Download a PDF Version with Hours Currency Symbols
Last edited by Welles on Fri Oct 03, 2014 4:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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The Hours Currency Symbol

Post by Welles »

Every currency needs an easily recognizable symbol, a new glyph that would be easy to add to existing fonts. Ideally it would imply an obvious meaning. Using an H for hours seemed a good start. Then I thought about hours being equal and incorporated the idea of relative equality by using an equals sign = in place of the single crossbar. My final thought was to use fonts with an inherent sense of motion to imply the activity of exchange. In the case of less dynamic fonts, using italic or oblique typefaces would suffice.

As I’m most familiar with the dollar symbol $ which has the cents symbol ¢ as its diminutive partner I thought the prices of items or services should use the upper case hours symbol to indicate a price of one hour or greater and the lower case symbol to indicate less than one hour in cost. In thinking about of change for an hour several schemes could work but I generally favor a quarter, a half and three-quarters as the currency breakdown between whole hours.

To test out the graphic concept I used Apple Chancery for the font with a sense of activity built in and ITC Avant Garde Gothic as my test sans serif font, which means I used the italic font style. On the next page you can see the results of upper case and lower case experiments.

I think believe this hours symbol would be easily incorporated into any font that uses variants of the Latin alphabet.

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Welles B Goodrich
Oct. 2, 2014

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Re: That’ll Cost 4 Hours

Post by Sandy »

Hi Welles,
Your thoughts on hours has stirred a bit of excitement in me... a hope of a funny kind of sort. I know that sounds strange but so much around us in these times needs fixed and it can be overwhelming. So much so, that sometimes a sense of hopelessness can set in if we aren't careful to remember that we are not alone in the void of space and we are forever surrounded by the wisdom and power that fuels star systems. You have reminded me that hope for our world is found in the physical domains as well...within inspired individuals such as yourself, whose ideas might sound foreign at first in comparison to what we have grown up with, but obviously, they might be just the ticket for a socially productive satisfying way of life. Science and spirit is providing wonders some of which I can't even begin to fathom at this time and someday sooner or later they will be accepted as normal.. and even vital parts of civilization.

Please do keep the ideas flowing... these gifts of inspiration.
:loves
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Re: That’ll Cost 4 Hours

Post by Seeker13 »

Dear Welles,
The trade of hours is a very intriguing concept. So the hours would be accumulated and kept in a bank. How would they be doled out, like on a debit card or something? It's not like in bartering where I would trade my goods for your labor. And in this society built on banking hours, how would that work for children, the disabled and the elderly? And how would hours be exchanged? Would I accumulate hours from different people until I have enough of them to purchase a large item? Or only my personal hours could be used? Boy I don't think I have enough time now?

Please forgive me if I've missed the point, I was in the social work program in college, had to drop out of econ or flunk. made no sense to me what so ever!

Kim
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Re: That’ll Cost 4 Hours

Post by Welles »

Hi Kim,

I’ve had to think about your questions for a couple of days and still don’t know that I can provide adequate answers. While pondering your questions I’ve had a number of interesting realizations stimulated by your interest. Thank you for that.

The idea of hours is to give currency some real foundation of value. Right now the foundation of almost all currencies is debt. Debt = slavery. It is supported by the delusion that owning enough of the material sphere will satisfy the inner craving for security that we all experience. Material goods never will satisfy that which only spiritual growth attains. However the practitioners express their right to greed at the expense of others and the earth with such fervor that it has been elevated to “The Divine Right of Greed.”

That has to stop. It is no longer optional. The earth is being destroyed right before our YouTube eyes. The idea of human effort as the basis of exchange seems sensible to me. Of course prices for goods include materials that were obtained by other people’s effort. The earth provided them so the cost of the effort to maintain her well-being has to be factored in as well. All of that takes human effort.

I suggest that hours might be accumulated in a bank. The banker would be the person who validates the reality of exchanges on a local level and acts as a guarantor for that value. Their position in society would be very important. Moreover banks would issue script, physical currency for normal exchanges. I suggest that the artistic merits of such artifacts would be one of great fascination and you would find hours traded from all over the world just for the curiosity factor. After all they would be equal in spendable value.

Here’s a good look at a new world banker in action. It is at the beginning of this video on economics in Greece, which has been bankrupted by the old system incorporated in the European Union and the Euro, a dismal failure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y9R0v96K48

Remember I’m imagining a world where greed isn’t an issue although I’m sure some people will be prone to try it out. That means that cons and scams, forgeries and frauds would be so rare they would be obvious. In a world of service people would try to use money as little as possible in favor of giving of their efforts to one another. Why? Simple. It is more efficient than wasting time keeping score. Think of this. If we each sought to do the best we could for one another in each of our dealings we wouldn’t have to look out for ourselves. I figured at least 75% of human effort right now is wasted on wars, self-protection, mitigating the results of greed (think of all the diseases caused by nutritional failures called food by industrial providers of packaged junk) etc. Would it be instant heaven? Nope it would just seem like it by comparison.

As to how hours would be used. Many details would be needed to custom fit in each community. I can’t begin to guess the specifics. In thinking about disabled, remember that we currently are in the throes of a crisis of the collapse of the family unit. Families would be the bottom line support system. For those without some network of support there would need to be social support. That would be paid for by local taxes. Health and education I believe will be considered two of the most important social foundations of any progressive civilization.

As to children; within the home money would not be exchanged for the gift of love can not be bought and sold. Of course they might be given an allowance. The home would be the exemplar of the gift economy. However I would encourage the idea that children should be given the opportunity to earn money by exchanging work with their neighbors as soon as practical. Keep in mind that when you learn to make much of that which you need with your own skills the satisfaction you receive from that creative activity is far more valuable than merely purchasing stuff. The sort of rabid commercialism in which we live now would not exist.

Hmmm, I’ve rattled on enough. Keep in mind that the world is not ready for these ideas at present. Enough people will have to embrace some new vision that makes sense to them before there is any real change. I’m just thinking about possibilities. Here are a couple of other musings. One is about bankers (before I got the currency idea) and one is about government. I still like ‘em.

http://www.theoreticsinstitute.org/foru ... tewardship

http://www.theoreticsinstitute.org/foru ... ossibility

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Re: That’ll Cost 4 Hours

Post by Seeker13 »

Dear Welles,
There were numerous items in your post that struck a cord with me. It is so interesting the depth of thought you must have put into these issues. The video in which the town in Greece chose to institute a system of bartering gave me hope for humanity. Maybe that is what it's going to take to turn our messed up system around. Small communities around the globe finding new solutions to old problems. Or maybe it's the other way around, seeking old solutions to new problems.

Okay, I've almost gone off on several tangents of my own just trying to respond. My time is up and would like to continue this discussion at a later date. Thank you Welles for your detailed explanations. I won't pretend to be able to comprehend every point, but am happy for the questions they evoke.

Kim
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Re: That’ll Cost 4 Hours

Post by Geoff »

We have a card in Australia called BarterCard. I never looked into it, because as an It guy I could not see how I could balance out. But a lot of tradesmen used it, because a plumber and an electrician and a builder can obviously swop hours. Probably you can find some details on it on the web, I would do so but this is an IPad.

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Re: That’ll Cost 4 Hours

Post by Welles »

Thanks Geoff. I'll look into that.

On thing I've noticed is that people all over the world are developing localized alternative means of exchange. This is preparing the foundation of some new economic and banking system, I believe. Systems that are proven to work and seem sensible to others will be emulated and the best ideas will be used because people understand them and the value they offer.

On a world scale we need to "Iceland" the current money/banking system and stop institutional violence. (Throw the bankers out, forgive most, if not all, debts and start over.) It should happen slowly, I believe, over a course of ten years or so. The result would be a conscious change from ownership to stewardship etc. It is blindingly obvious that we are only very temporary tenants on this planet and stewardship reflects the recognition of that reality.

Yes the obstacles are massive but not insurmountable. I believe that the following hundred years should see humanity spend it's time mitigating the destruction to the earth that has been the legacy of our "Divine Right of Greed" years. Desertification could be completely reversed in that time, family units would be revitalized as social fragmentation is diminished and every family is afforded the right to a homesite.

The world can change for the better. Change is a constant. The choice if one of Love or fear. The world of fear is a loser. It stinks.

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PS Once we make significant strides on our own we can expect a materialized celestial presence to be a beacon of Light and Life, I believe. I doubt I'll see it but some who are alive now will!
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Re: That’ll Cost 4 Hours

Post by Seeker13 »

Thanks Geoff,
I'd never heard of it. I took a cursory look at the website. In Australia it's been around for 23 years! Began in the US in 2012. That's amazing.

You know Welles I believe the influx of Indigo and Crystal children are here to give humanity a boost in the right direction.

Kim
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Re: That’ll Cost 4 Hours

Post by Welles »

Seeker13 wrote:You know Welles I believe the influx of Indigo and Crystal children are here to give humanity a boost in the right direction.


I certainly seems as though there are some younger people who innately grasp spiritual principles that I had to struggle for fifty years to attain. It's exciting and hopeful beyond faith. They are the future of old Planet Dirt here. :hithere Hi kids.

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Re: That’ll Cost 4 Hours

Post by Sandy »

A couple weeks ago I was diligently delving into the candidate offerings for my absentee voters ballot. It was discouraging to say the least as I read the platforms of the candidates and I wondered...when will the two major parties get it? I did find candidates off the grid so to speak whose platforms were progressive, exciting and with a step out in faith I gladly followed my heart. Of course, many people would say I threw my vote away, yet in good conscious I couldn't vote for any candidates this time around that did not embody compassionate, evolutionary and progressive platforms. Anyway as it usually happens a day or two later I began to worry, :roll: "Did I do the right thing? " ...and it has remained in the back of my mind. And yet, last night re reading this thread and in an article that came to my attention this morning I feel a bit better at the state of things... about our eventual future.

From Paul Lenda, Social Transformation_Like Ripples In An Ocean

http://wakeup-world.com/2014/10/24/soci ... etresponse
"Each person, no matter who he or she is, can influence the future present of our timeline. There is no cause that does not effect. Influence is constant. No person should feel that he or she is unable to participate in the process of social transformation. We’re all able to do our part. With ignorance being replaced with awareness, more and more people can become understanding of the current state of humanity and the positive and progressive potential that it has.

Our actions and reactions are like ripples in an infinite ocean, spreading out and affecting all that is beyond them. In this same way, even the simple existence within the feelings of happiness or joy can positively affect others and make others feel happy or ecstatic

I am encouraged be it hours or some other world economic reform that we can will it into existence... we already are. :D
Love,
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Is it Time for a New Monetary System? — by Rod Morin

Post by Welles »

Rod simply and concisely gives a provides a clear understanding of the world's monetary system and makes it plain why we need a new one. Needless to say I'm on board.

Is it Time for a New Monetary System? — by Rod Morin

http://cultureofawareness.com/2014/10/2 ... ry-system/

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Nohing new under the sun....

Post by Welles »

I recently purchased and started studying Jon Rappoport's massive data dump entitled The Matrix Revealed. I'll just say that for me it was worth every penny. Anyway in one of the PDF interview transcripts was a brief mention of Ithaca Hours. I'd never heard about it before. It has dwindled in use recently but the concept was implemented in 1991 and had some real success. The hours concept was based on even earlier currency experiments of relating exchange to work. Wikipedia has an excellent entry on the subject.

Ithaca Hours — in Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaca_Hours

  :!: There's nothing new under the sun.
  :idea: Hours is still a good idea!

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Re: That’ll Cost 4 Hours

Post by Sandy »

Hi Welles,
I missed this a few days ago... very interesting. I can see where Ithaca notes would encourage local usage benefiting local merchants and businesses.
I am wondering though, what happens when one needs to travel outside the area say on a vacation in another state? Is there some provision for other monetary notes?
(Out of my depth here. LOL)
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Re: That’ll Cost 4 Hours

Post by Welles »

Hi Sandy,

That was one of the limitations of Ithaca Hours. In fact that is a limiation of all local currencies. The upside is that because you aren't using debt based money you have greater spending power.

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Re: That’ll Cost 4 Hours

Post by Geoff »

Dear Sandy,

Some Americans don't actually know there are currencies other than dollars. LOL. But I guess they only travel in the US.

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Re: That’ll Cost 4 Hours

Post by Sandy »

Dear Sandy,

Some Americans don't actually know there are currencies other than dollars. LOL. But I guess they only travel in the US.

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LOL That would almost have applied to the former me. But mostly in the way I never really understood the way currencies strong or weak controlled economies or at least aspects of a country's economy. I am a real weakie in this area. Luckily George is interested and researches economic happenings all over the world. (I still zone out a little bit, though, when he discusses it. :oops: )
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