An Interview with Lynne Twist

On her journey of life, Twist discovered one important concept: the idea of sufficiency and having enough. In her current work with the Hunger project and working with the indigenous Anchuar people, she is able to see how there is no waste in the rain forest and how there was no ownership. Money does not exist in this world because everything is shared. Every one made everything for everyone else. Although there is still competition in nature, it is only used for the survival of species and not used explicitly to destroy others.

Apply this idea of having enough to our current financial structure and we will be able to appreciate the resources we have rather than have a fear of depleting resources. These ideas really hit home in today’s consumer economy because we always want more and more. We spend hours of our life to obtain money so that we can spend that on materialistic goods. If we only work until we have enough or spend until we have enough we will not over consume and over produce. As a result, we can focus our efforts on working towards the greater good whether it is hunger, environmental preservation or peace.

Genius of Money Chapter 13: Money and the Modern Mind

Money consumes time and mental resources more often than we would like because of the power and control the implied value of money holds. Bloom says that if we take a hard look at the values and intentions for why we need money, we will be able to resolve our personal financial conflicts. He poses a several questions to consider:

- Where are the opportunities to explore these deeply significant issues of money and the modern mind?

- Why does our culture hold such a long-standing taboo against money?

- What will create the leverage for long-term transformation for individuals and for culture?

To answer these questions, Bloom uses the example of J.S.G. Boggs, a contemporary artist who drew a $20 bill on the back of a napkin to present as payment for meals he’s eaten at restaurants. If the restaurant accepts this “money” as a form of payment, he will record the date, time, people involved, receipt, cost of transaction, and even ask for change. His art exhibition later goes back to buy the $20 bill” for the gallery. Boggs' form of payment shows how fictitious and perception-based our normal monetary value system is.  Money is what we make of it, and if we are able to think outside the box and pay with something other than the currency issued by the Federal Reserve, then we can solve many of our financial issues.

Bloom also uses Brother Grimm’s fairytale “The Grave-Mound,” where four characters represents a different archetype, to examine the relationship of money, the need for it, and its uses. A poor peasant begs a rich farmer for money to feed his starving children. The rich farmer’s consciousness questions what choices he’s made with greed and generosity, and give the peasant more food than needed on the condition that the peasant watches over his grave for three nights after his death. A soldier voluntarily joins the vigil on the third night and tricks the Devil who tries to use money to bribe off the two so that he can take the farmer’s soul. At the end, the Devil fails to take the farmer’s soul, the peasant turns greedy and wants to split the money that was bribed, and the soldier reminded the peasant to be humble by giving away his share so that they can live peacefully off what is left.

All of us can identify with a single character in this story, but at some point, we also identify with all characters. Simply said, we can either let money control us, or control money ourselves and only use it where it is needed or use it for the benefit of others. If we examine our inner values, our relationship with money and what we use it for, we can free ourselves from its control and the way it is used in our worlds.  

Genius of Money Chapter 1: Tribute Paid: At the Intersection of Spirit and Money

“The realms of spirit and religion, engaged as they are with the non-material world, nevertheless must find a way to work in a world that trades in money” (John Bloom). There has always been a duality between money and religion where religious followers are told to not be greedy and let go of material possession. Bloom argues that a third realm exists where both money and spirituality intertwined.

Using examples from the Bible and Stafford, Bloom says though taxes and interest rates are needed to share the costs of well-being the government provides (i.e. Medicare, Social Security, Public goods), religious institutions are exempt from these monetary policies. Jesus endorses taxes when a tax collector asks Peter for money, but tells him to instead pay the man with a fish, which will have a coin inside. On another occasion when approached by a tax collector himself, Jesus refuses to pay taxes because the coin is inscribed with Caesar’s name. Therefore, tax collectors should only collect what belongs to the state and what belongs to god, the state is not entitled to.

We agree that both money and spirituality are not mutually exclusive, but must work alongside one another for the well-being of individuals. If taxes are too high with not enough benefits, it affects our ability to give more because we don’t have that much to give.  If we do not have enough taxes, government projects will not operate sufficiently. Though taxes should also not be imposed on religious institutions since making profits is viewed as greed, money generated from government taxes should be donated to said institutions so that they may operate.