Carrying on that bank evolution idea

Response To The Ponzi Allegation | Stephen C. Rose

Say a savings bank deals interest on deposits according to two measures. First participation by percent of deposit. Second by level of total deposit. The lower the total the greater the return so that the lower moves up at a greater rate than higher amounts. There is extra credit given to the extent that a person's account is active on the spending side. Spending can consist of more than consuming things or purchasing services. It can also be transferring money to others. Jesus suggested this sort of notion in his parable of the talents. He faulted the lowest recipient who refused to invest his or her meager single talent and rewarded the one who had made good use of his or her original ten talents. The moral of this is that the person with one should not have been afraid to circulate it. Now if the person with few resources is rewarded both for participation (circulating) and and in proportion to the amount of his stake we establish another Jesus principal - that the last shall be first. We make possible the raising up of the bottom floor of the world's economies. The rich of course continue to do well but at a rate that means that their wealth is shared, If the highest rate for the pauper is 20 percent or even more, the topmost rate might be less than one percent. But less than one percent of a million is hardly chump change. Once we think in this direction, we can begin to talk honestly about work as a privilege and jobs as an option and exercise of creativity as the right of each human being.



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Value systems evolve

I've been reading the late great Robert Nisbet on the 19th century and its widespread thinking about evolution. Darwin was hardly alone in seeing us in a chronological development. Some observers saw progress. Others broadcast alarm. The 20th century showed that the alarms and the visions coexist with reason. Little attention has been given to the fact that values evolve. Actually do you know what a value is beyond a worth that you give to something. I argue that we have for millenia confused characteristics and virtues with values and that values are what we act upon because we ascribe worth to such actions. In other words we do not always know what values we hold high, particularly if they are not admirable. I maintain that the evolved value system that is universally valid consists of three active values - democracy, tolerance and helpfulness - and a core or root value - non-idolatry. When I say this is evolved I mean that the terms I am using are a reflection of what can be grasped now. In fact, these are values that were implicit in the teaching and actions of Jesus and of many others throughout history. I believe all values should be identified and criticized. Because we are actually free to consciously identify and choose the values we will live by, Things like gay or straight marriage may well be values we act upon but I would argue that democracy, tolerance and helpfulness trump any value based on a cultural choice. Well enough for now,
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