Proposed outline
Executive Summary
Exploring how humans began by using trade and barter and eventually created money and how the application of money had evolved (been abused) over time. Money is a ‘technology’ or technique humans created to ease the trading of goods, and to reward other humans for their output or labour.
Money is perhaps the root of all problems from the financial crisis to our environmental woes. However, is money by itself bad? Or is it the way we choose to utilize money and apply it that need an urgent makeover?
Background
Illustrate how money had no inherent value by itself and yet was given values by the commodities, which its value is pegged to.
History
Describe how humanity used trade and bartering when we became more than hunters and gatherer. Discuss how money came about and the evolution of money along the way.
Explore the adopting the use of money and the difficulties.
Discuss the paradoxical nature of different currency. Bring in the idea of usury as the very basis of our financial industry in the current world.
Current
Research on how money had played a part in the rise of corporations, giving power to them.
Discuss how money had become a commodity in itself through trading, stock markets and forex trading.
Discuss on we had tried to put a price tag on even social behaviors and political decision.
Interesting examples of use of money beyond its supposed purpose
Future
Discuss how I think regulations had to be put into place to restrict the abuse of money, the power of money and corporation.
Ultimately, how we have to let money return to its true purpose of valuing goods and commodities.
Might be a bit broad but will try to not digress.
Interesting topic! Something that we all take for granted, but an innovation nonetheless! Though I think your topic is too broad. I think you should streamline the innovation to a specific area and elaborate it in the past, present and future. Right now it seems like you are discussing 3 different areas in the past, present and future.
ReplyDeleteI think you really considered all aspects though! Looking forward to the rest of your report :)
I will probably investigate more into the abandoning of gold standard which pegged value of US currency to value of gold. Will discuss how people are adopting trade and bartering, 'time banking' and pegging of the value of commodities to each other increasingly. Thus, discussing how we are abandoning the use of money =)
ReplyDeletePerhaps for the streamlining, I will focus on how different important aspects of money evolved over time (adaptation, availability, stability, inability to be forged) and its advantages and disadvantages
Ray, Gan Kee Lui
This is a good topic, one I had considered myself but was unable to finish through. I really like how you considered the use of money in things beyond material wealth, such as social behaviors. Interesting spin-off!
ReplyDeleteYou have a lot of substantial points there, I think the only thing you would need to note is to maintain the focus. With such a topic, you can go on writing about so many things in so many ways!
Other than that, the outline looks promising :) Good luck!
- Michelle
Hey,
ReplyDeleteSorry for the late posting, i dont know why I just cant seem to comment on ur blog unless u change the settings...
Ok, Pretty interesting topic of Money as a technology advancement. I really didnt thought of money being a technology itself. Seems quite weird but I guess it works... Probabaly u can talk about the problems and implications money brought about, how did it become the root of all evil... It'll be interesting to discuss n dwell more into the future n possiblities. And yea kind of broad in ur guidelines so lets see how u can make ur topic more focused.
Cheers,
Charles