What Does Money Say?

For a very long time I've explained money to people as a measurement. Like length measures space, and seconds measure time. Yards and meters work like different currencies, measuring the same thing, but in different units.

So what is it measuring? The word we use is value, but what does that mean? Well again we come to the First False Dichotomy. Certainly we all agree there's value in a loaf of bread, but that value is very different based on how recently you ate, and what your relationship with carbs happens to be.

But perhaps it's enough to say there is a thing called value, but it is relative to the individual assessing value. A transaction happens when a buyer and a seller's value for a good or service meet. That seems reasonable to me.

But of course value to the absolutist tends to imply that a more valued thing is better than a less valued thing. But to the relativist that's not the case. It's quite easy for the relativist to say that highly valued things are often wasteful and dumb.