Contemporary Issues

This Thursday, 10/29, we will discuss the "people's economy". This is sometimes called the "Main Street Economy", to distinguish it from the "Wall Street Economy". The stock market may go up or down. Big business may raise prices, lower salaries and fire personnel, but somehow we all have to live. So we need to focus on economic activity that we can do to help ourselves, our families and friends, and our whole community THRIVE.

Some ideas include:

Give gifts. (Give with no "guanxi" expected, no profit taken -- just to help and love. If people get used to receiving they will start to give. When everyone is happy to give, everybody will have enough.)

Barter. (I'll give you 10 kilos of tommatoes for your old tape recorder.)

Grow food. (You can grow a lot of food, such as sprouts, tomatoes and beans on a small apartment balcony. But you can grow much more food by renting a community garden plot.)

Cook meals at home. (If you cannot cook, learn. If you can, save money by cooking more meals at home. You can also share meals with neighbors and friends.)

Save energy. (Change to LED lighting, ride a bicycle instead of motor vehicle, open a window instead of turning on the aircon, wear a jacket instead of turning on the heater...)

Learn to make stuff. (Start out simple, making things for yourself and friends -- like clothes, furniture, toys, greeting cards, bags -- and when you're really good, you can sell or trade them to improve your personal economy.)

Sell or trade what you don't need. (Flea markets and garage sales are common in America. There are also websites such as Craigslist and Freecycle. E-bay is another way to profit from stuff that is no longer important to you.)

Buy second-hand stuff. (From books to automobiles, you'll get more value for the money, buying good-quality used equipment. Flea markets and similar venues are a great way to pick up stuff you need very cheaply.)

Pay off debts and avoid new debt. (Paying interest -- up to 20% on some credit card debt -- steals from your family's economy. If you need to borrow, get money from friends and relatives, at no interest, and pay it back right away. That way, everyone has enough money.)

Substitute inexpensive or free entertainments. (Going to the beach might cost only a few NT$, and be more fun than an expensive movie. Playing basketball is free. The library offers art books, novels, movies, music and much more -- for free! Enjoy parties at home and games with family members. Vacation near home: Hualien or Taitung may be as interesting and enjoyable as Thailand or Bali.)

I'm sure you can come up with other ideas. Please make a presentation of 5-10 minutes on one good way to improve personal economy, outside of the money economy. We all know that the money economy is controlled by rich people who get richer every day. By withdrawing (even a little) from the "Wall Street Economy", we can begin to build a "Main Street Economy" that helps everyone and allows us all to THRIVE.