• leo
    882
    The fear of not being helped by others. So when we help someone, we demand proof that we will be helped in return (money). Then when we need help for something we give that proof to someone willing to help us.

    Without such fear there is no need for money to help one another.
  • Pfhorrest
    4.6k
    Given that such reciprocality is obligatory, such that if someone helps you you are in their debt, then yes exactly, because money is a way of tracking debt, who is owed what. It’s also a unit of such account, a way of quantifying exactly how much some help is worth: helping a neighbor carry in their groceries probably isn’t worth them donating an organ when you need one, but how much is each of those worth, how can their value be measured against each other?
  • Nils Loc
    1.4k
    Without such fear there is no need for money to help one another.leo

    Fear certainly is a motivating factor that gives money value. Our society leverages artificial scarcity to prop up, conserve and concentrate wealth. If there are too many houses the value of your house goes down...

    If I could just ignore my hunger or the need to sleep, sit out in the snow and die peacefully, there would be no need to help or be helped anymore. Some people don't mind that push and pull of background motivating factors, the avoidance of pain and the pursuit of pleasure, while others are tormented by it.
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