Dehumanisation

The men shown sold their kidneys.

.

Not because they wanted to but because that was all they had to sell.

.

And they were desperate.

.

Today there is a market and a price for everything.

.

Or in other words, that everything has a price. 

.

Yet when residents of the Rocky Mountains were polled on how much money it would take for them to accept air pollution in their area, they said that no amount of money would be adequate compensation for their loss of fresh air and clear views.

.

No amount of money they said and meant it. 

.

According to economics, this is a profoundly irrational response. 

.

But I am sure that your answer would be the same if asked how much money you'd take in exchange for your vision, your right leg, or your child. 

.

Indeed, when such things are assigned a monetary value the consequences tend to be monstrous as in the kidney example shown above. 

.

What else could we expect when the infinitely precious is reduced to a finite sum? 

.

A fundamental assumption of economics is thus shown to be nonsense.

.
And at worse anti-life. 
.
So come on, how much do you want for your health? 
.
For your friendships? 
.
For your self-respect? 
.
For your hours? 
.
For your life?
.
And here we have one of the nonsenses of modern life.
.
Yes all of the above have been assigned a monetary value.
.
So how and when did this come to be accepted and by whom?
.
No surprise.
.
By those who can make money from these arbitrary assignments of monetary values.
.
And because we have accepted this we now have dehumanised lives.
.
Dehumanised because we are all just digits of a monetary value to economists mind games.
.
Mind games used by industry and governments alike.
.

Games used to justify outrageous decisions.

.

Game is not the right word maybe, cynical, hypocritical, dishonest, lying, feel more appropriate.

.
But how to bring some sanity back into a world where prices have been assigned to things that are or should be held to be priceless?
.

A starting point is to make our objections felt wherever and whenever we can.

.

This we can all do through many modern forums.

.

Your move to make your feelings felt.
.
Notice also that the things that bring real pleasure year in year out are not quantifiable in monetary terms although the money men are trying their best to do so.