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i don,t think it is a myth, i do it all the time, living almost entirely without currency. digital technology only makes barter more easy and accessible. conv
by forgotmypw77 6y ago
i don,t think it is a myth, i do it all the time, living almost entirely without currency.
digital technology only makes barter more easy and accessible.
converting every trade into numbers and back is an outmoded method, which i think will become less used with time.
- 317070 6y agoThat is basically what the book is telling. You are probably not tit-for-tat bartering, but taking on debts and returning things you owe in some more vague approach. History went through multiple cycles where currency went in disuse in favor of just tracking and settling debts.
- forgotmypw77 6y agoactually, i,m gifting without asking for anything in return. when i need something, it is offered or i ask.
- 317070 6y agoExactly, that is the alternative system which was the default. It has gone through a number of cycles in history and is not always thought of the same way across different cultures (which is why there is a whole book on the topic). But it is a recurring theme in history, and most (all?) monetary systems were traded for this alternative within 1000 years. For me, in Western Europe, this was 500 years ago between roughly 1000-1500. The churches were fitted with gold roofs, and because of the lack of coinage and currency, most people lived their lives with this alternative approach, only rarely coming across money, currency, accounting and debt.