Practicality of Consumption

Spend Wisely.

Money carries a lot of weight wherever it circulates. It garners respect across borders, cultures, and ideologies. It compromises principles, corrupt souls, and just the same inspires great accomplishments.

It is said to be the root of all evil. In its pursuit, many atrocities have been committed in its name. It has been worshipped as life itself, and to some, life is deemed not worthy of living without it.

The mystique is valid because the perception and value placed upon it are so very real. It is the basis of operation in modern society, but its use is still not understood by the multitudes of people who stalk and chase it in their daily pursuits. Furthermore, the time and effort spent in its acquisition is often not reflected in the time and thought given in its consumption and how it is expended.

Money is the basis of existence in a material world and can bring riches and favor beyond its face value even if it can’t buy you, love. Make no mistake about it money is power and respect; the more money you have, the more of both you will receive.

Ever stop to wonder about the value and power of money. It has no value. It is a measurement representative of value but has no value other than that perceived and manufactured to be accepted as an assigned worth or denomination. That is where its power is in the acceptance and significance placed upon it.

The ruling power or government assigns a value accepted as a unit of exchange or buying power, replacing a bartering system to regulate the consistency of its value. It replaces trading cows and livestock for goods and services. Before money, wealth was judged in a much different way, primarily by how much livestock or land one owned.

As time progressed and personal services were offered, money was the exchanged consideration used as payment to establish a uniform value for services by its acceptance in exchange. It is a matter of supply and demand, determined by who has it and how badly someone else wants it.

Money is known as currency because it is expected to “circulate” as a unit of trade equivalent to the value of your goods, time, or effort. That is where the gift and the curse lie. Depending on which end of the currency you are on, the giving end or the receiving end. We are conditioned to accept that the power is all on the giving end, but that is not an absolute truth.

Those on the giving end have consolidated a position superior to yours because they have something that you want, and you must meet their expectation to receive it. Once it is received, then the “flow” changes, and the power switches.

Now they need you to put it back into the survival of the system for their wealth to increase and the cycle to continue completing the circuit. You earn it, they pay you, and you spend it back into the system, starting the process all over again.

Money like water must circulate or flow to remain vibrant, just as a current of electricity must flow to produce power, but when stagnant becomes a hazard, so it is with the currency of money. Circulation is the key to its value, the velocity of its turnover.

The velocity of money is the rate and how often it is circulated. Since the control of the source of money is much smaller than the need to get it, there is a small window of transfer of power.

The collective power of the “flow” must be concentrated for the impact to be felt. The effectiveness is not in spending it but in where, how, and what you spend it on. The economic strength is in the fist and not the fingers for economic impact to be felt and concessions to be offered or demanded.

Smart money will offer concessions before being adversely influenced, but the majority will only bend to the inevitable when left with no other monetary choice.

I once held a job that I liked very much, but it was not economically feasible for me, and promotions and pay raises seemed to elude me, forcing me to seek other opportunities. When it became known that I intended to leave and gave my two weeks’ notice, only then were offers made to retain me only because I was leaving.

I did not have the same value to that entity until it threatened their objective. I still left because I felt that if I was as valued as now claimed, then why was I not straightened out before now and given what I deserved to retain a so-called valued employee. The same is true with buying power.

Many consumers have been refused accommodations which would be goodwill and smart business practice until you threaten cancellation. Only then customer retention offers you a much better deal to keep your business.

The question is, what were they doing to you before if this was available to you but withheld? Cell phone and cable companies were good for such practices until consumer dissatisfaction gave rise to other alternatives to address the problems. This created competition that had not existed before but threatens their bottom line now.

I state that to say, if you fear a void will exist for a product, service, or quality, then history and economics have proven that someone will create an alternative. Someone will most likely improve upon that product to meet consumer satisfaction and expectations. Whatever you can’t do without, ask yourself how you got by before it and what if it became unavailable?

It is most likely a matter of convenience but mostly a preference rooted in status and prestige as a psychological separation elevating your self-worth comparative to others. That elevation is externally influenced by making your economic decisions habitual rather than rational. For example, if any clothing manufacturer went out of business, you would merely find another manufacturer to your liking.

Current trends often make the decisions for you. So why can’t you make these decisions for yourself about how and where you spend your money? I know but do you really? How you spend your money should be a direct reflection of what you had to do to get it and what is the value of what you spend it on.

There is a vast difference between cost and price. At what cost will you pay the price for what you want. If you feed it, it will grow, and if you starve it, it will wither or adapt. That is the collective power of how you spend your money. Feed that which feeds your needs outside of the purchase itself. That they gratefully recognize that you have other choices according to your personal values.

What incentive are you giving them to value your economic voice if you do not recognize or, more sadly, will not exercise your discretion? What cost to them for their disregard of it?

The strength of the intertwined vine or collective voice is the “bottom line” language that is spoken all around the world. In all languages, financial survival speaks loudly and causes economic mountains to yield.

Why would you enrich those who have offended you or your culture if they stand categorically opposed to your interest except to receive your money? This is funding the opposition.

It reinforces their disregard for your voice in addition to assuming an entitlement to your money because you refuse to sever a dysfunctional and abusive consumer affiliation. This is functionally funding your opposition and fueling their continued resistance to your significance or concerns.

Old heads knew this and would often state they would not spend their money with those that did not support their interest or respect them, their ideology, or culture. Those who offend your ideology should not be supported or patronized to encourage their opposition to your position. This spans from a personal or cultural resistance to include ideological resistance.

A prime example was the Washington professional football team. They have for many years refused to change their derogatory name. Instead, they would declare they do not embrace racism. They didn’t embrace racism; they were a symbol of it.

Yet, all those who patronized them, did business with them, or freely sign with them were complicit in their racism. This is the reason they continued it because there was no fiscal accountability. Fiscal accountability, not public sentiment, finally pressured a change of position.

The Indigenous People, the true forefathers of this land, don’t have the fiscal power to force change monetarily. Civil discord has not gotten change done. Aunt Jemima, phonetically ain’t that yo momma, has been recognized as offensive, and despite her endearment to millions of breakfast tables, she has finally reached retirement age.

They could no longer risk the fiscal fallout and moral objections among Black folks and those whose ideology would no longer condone it. Instead, it moved them to suddenly examine the actual costs and act in their fiscal best interests.

 Marginalized were once such groups as the LBGT community, domestic violence victims, and others. Those native to this land whose voices are muffled need similar support or incentives exercised for them. We cannot discount grievances based on race, but we must also embrace grievances based on ideology to raise the tide for all of those in our midst afflicted.

We have at times thoughtlessly contributed to the oppression of others because they are not us. To support any degradation is to invite continued coercion, discrimination, and exploitations that have gone on far too long. It is way past time for a correction and concerted effort to improve the narrative.

We should spend our money where our core values and decency are reflected. Fiscal support should be withdrawn where change is not provoked. The flow of money is the twist of the arm that receives the most immediate and comprehensive adjustments.

The fiscal survival of these entities that support systemic racism and other discriminations is dependant on our funding. Public or private depends on our “flow” of currency and our silent agreement to continue hurting our collective good.

The flow or circulation must be strategically directed or removed. Money like blood circulates, and lack of circulation leads to amputation or death. The consolidation of economic power is the most efficient and effective tactic because it forces their voluntary change to sustain their survival. It has been proven to work just as it has been effectively used against us.

The queen of soul said it best when she SANG “R E S P E C T find out what it means to me.” First, we must declare where there is no respect for me or my culture; then, you must be paid by those who agree with you, never by those you oppose. The personal fiscal policy and funding by those who sincerely reject racism and discrimination against whatever historically marginalized and exploited group should be to first listen.

Listen to that group about remedies and redirection of collective resources for the removal of those restrictions. Of course, propaganda and atrocities have been committed, and it is true that perhaps the worst has been committed in bygone days. But that does not justify the continuation of discrimination and privileged entitlement by those who are now living.

By your participation, you are roundly condemned. By its continuation, you condemn yourself just as those before you have been. Put this shameful past behind us, not by denial and misconceptions but acknowledgment and realization of remedies.

The persuasion of the people’s economic patronage when focused ensures our money should never go where our influence cannot go, provoking a fair labor/wage exchange.

P.S. Please reconsider accountability for these manufacturers, designers, and fashions that have been overtly offensive. I am sure others make quality products that deserve the chance and our business.

Wearing and being seen in these costumes exposes the psychological dependency and cost you are willing to pay for pretentious prestige or status.

Spend your money where you are respected and appreciated, especially if there can be collateral good done. Then, if you must, you get it started. It has to start somewhere, be a real trendsetter. Be the straw that stirs the drink! Spend wisely and responsibly.

Thurston K. Atlas

Creating A Buzz