It is like a war

elantan

oh i'm glad this ones back have wondered a few times where it went to

dizzy_lizzie

Just read every post and agree a great thread. Just a thought but my job is in school and for some reason quite a lot of the children, I'm talking ages 6 to 7 here have great difficulty in grasping the concept of money. They just can't seem to understand about 'change'. For example something costs 35p you hand over 50p how much change is there. Believe me it's not through bad teaching we are trying every which way here but my theory is this....when I was a little girl, granted a few years ago now, I remember asking my mum why the lady in the shop was giving her money back when she'd just paid, hence the beginnings of my understanding. But what do a lot of people use now...plastic. Children don't see money being handed over like we did when our parents went shopping, they're growing up in a plastic culture and unless it changes are we sowing the seed for our childrens future where real money just isn't used? If you see what I mean...hopefully

ZTD

dizzy_lizzie wrote: »

Children don't see money being handed over like we did when our parents went shopping, they're growing up in a plastic culture and unless it changes are we sowing the seed for our childrens future where real money just isn't used? If you see what I mean...hopefully

Yes, I see what you mean. But that has already happened. What you call "money" - isn't money.

You've grown up with it, heard every one call it "money", you call it "money" yourself and you believe it to be money - but it isn't.

It will be no different with your children and plastic.

dizzy_lizzie

You're right... I did grow up with 'real' money not plastic and yet it has me in its grip too!!! I know it's absolutely crazy but even when I have enough money on me to pay cash I will sometimes hand over my card as if I'm getting it for free and yet I 'know' I'm not....why do I do that...um don't answer, I already know...I am crazy

mossstar

Great thread!

I saw a poster the other day i thought a few of you might enjoy, it said:

Consume

Be silent

Die

... so true.

My ds's are 3 & 6 and getting rid of the TV a year ago was the BEST thing we ever did. I almost feel guilty for allowing them it before that - no more do they have constant messages telling what they should be/like/have/want/need/look like/consume etc. Now they're free to be THEMSELVES.

Vive la revolution - tee hee!

x

Pobby

One book that has really influenced my thinking and indeed helped me put in order some of my thoughts is this http://www.lewrockwell.com/french/french35.html

I would really recommend it if you have an interest in the subject.Link to a review of``Empire of debt``

ZTD

dizzy_lizzie wrote: »

You're right... I did grow up with 'real' money not plastic and yet it has me in its grip too!!!

But you didn't (unless you are at least 65). That's the point I'm trying to make. You're worried about your kids being brainwashed into accepting "credit" as money. But it's already been done. You call credit "money". Your parents call credit "money" - so why shouldn't your kids?

The credit is now in plastic rather than paper form, but it is still the same old credit.

dizzy_lizzie

ZTD wrote: »

But you didn't (unless you are at least 65). Your parents call credit "money" - so why shouldn't your kids?
The credit is now in plastic rather than paper form, but it is still the same old credit.

Um bit lost here. My parent didn't have credit cards which is what I mean by plastic and I grew up with them paying for their things with cash which they had, not on credit or with cards. And I'm not anywhere near 65.
The point I was making re: the classroom was children don't see visually 'real' money being handed over only cards, hence why they seem to have a hard time dealing with coins and money in our lessons, it seems an alien thing to them.

mrsmortenharket

we have my dd saving. She gets £1 per week pocket money. Also she gets £1 per tooth lost. Also she may get the odd 20p for doing a chore. She wants a fur real kitten. She is really learing (I hope!) the value of saving for something she wants rather than just getting it wothout the hard work of saving.

My ds (age 5) has no concept of money. My dd (age 7) didn't either till fairly recently.

As far as my views on credit cards, I think they are fine if people realise what they are & that is credit & use them wisely. For instance if my washing machine broke beyond repairable I;d have to get one on my credit card. But I wouldn't go on a spending spree on one. Many people still see a credit limit as their own money, not something that they are lending.

Lisa

ZTD

dizzy_lizzie wrote: »

Um bit lost here. My parent didn't have credit cards which is what I mean by plastic and I grew up with them paying for their things with cash which they had, not on credit or with cards. And I'm not anywhere near 65.

Take out a note - I have a tenner here - and read what it says.

"I promise to pay the bearer on demand the sum of 10 pounds" with a signature of "Andrew Bailey" Chief Cashier. So what do we have:

The first party: "I" AKA Andrew Bailey.
The second party: "The bearer" AKA me.
The promise: "Promise to pay" "On demand"

With a signature.

What is that? What has all those elements?

It's a credit agreement.

What you call money is not money - it's debt.

In days of old - this bit of paper meant you were owed 10 troy pounds of fine silver - worth approx £840 today. In days of old - £10 was worth a lot of money, and you could redeem it for that amount of silver. Ten pounds of silver is heavy - so take a bag.

Now you can't redeem it for anything other than another bit of paper with the same (empty) promise on it.

It's transferrable, but no longer redeemable.

That's what I mean by being brainwashed. Your children will call plastic credit "money", just like right now you call paper credit "money". And they won't know the difference either.