Week 1 – Thomas
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My name is Thomas Gerhardt, and I am currently living in the U-district as I prepare for medical school at the University of Washington. As a junior now in bioengineering, I will graduate in the spring of 2012 with a much greater understanding of medical technologies for diagnostics and therapeutics than I started with. Today, I am currently working in a research laboratory under principle investigator Narendra Singh to investigate the anticancer effects of artemisinin, a compound isolated from a plant originating in China and extremely effective for use in treating malaria. My plan is to complete my senior capstone project by studing the synergistic effects of artemisinin in the presence of low intensity magnetic fields.
Traditionally, money was a measure of an individual’s worth, his or her efforts and ability to produce something useful and desirable for society. Considering the days of bartering, people would trade goods or services with one another, and the importance of that good or service determined its worth. Today, money has become more abstract to include things like credit, stock, bonds, and loans to borrow money or invest, taking advantage of the current market and its trends. This kind of money no longer serves the purpose of simply proving worth, but also wealth. If it is known how to invest properly, one can earn money without direct labor. The economy is the sum of its parts, being the consumers, individuals, businesses, government, and foreign influence who each strive to increase their own wealth by interacting with one another. The most profit is often made by creating and distributing the best technology, education, health care, service, clothing, merchandise, and food. The stock market provides a general map of these today to find who is providing the most desirable products to society.
Do you think that money is the only thing that defines worth and wealth or do you mean that it is a good indicator of worth and wealth? Also you seem to be favoring the idea that money is more for defining a person rather than an good is that right?
I mean that money is generally what we think of when we want to know about a person’s worth and wealth. There are so many things in culture today that are status symbols. These allow a person can buy something expensive to show off his or her worth/wealth or to appear worthy/wealthy.
Also, money is certainly useful for purchasing necessities and merchandise. I personally don’t feel that money doesn’t define a person, but culture has built this up to some degree.
Thomas, I like how you connected the development of money from a stand in for the exchange of goods and services to the more nebulous concept of credit. To sorta spin off your response, would you say it is better to spend money to appear wealthy, or save up and be able to provide a foundation for your children?