On humans, currencies and emotions

Mr. A: "Which is the strongest currency these days?"

Mr. G: "It must be Euro, although there might be a temporary set back due to the current European debt crisis."

Prof. T: "There is one currency that is always the strongest. It never fluctuates with time, economic situation, or for that matter any other material factor."

Mr. A: "Professor T! Could you please elaborate a bit? I cannot imagine a currency so stable."

Prof. T: "The currency I am referring to is Emotions. "

Mr. G: "Excuse me??? ... How can you consider Emotions as a currency? What do you buy with Emotions?"

Prof. T: "Well, let me explain it to you. The nature of currency and its utility lie in the fact that it enables you to quantify cost. Do you agree?"

Mr. A: "Yes."

Mr. G: "I guess."

Prof. T: "Now, you have to ask yourselves; what is the most important of all human needs? ... I would say it is social contact i.e. relationships of all sorts. And what is it that you invest in a relationship? ... Emotions! ... It is an emotional investment. It incurs the highest of costs, and emotional bankruptcy proves the most challenging in terms of recovery. It has always been the staple currency for all of mankind."

Mr. A: "But Professor T … one’s emotional state varies from time to time. How can you then consider Emotions as stable?"

Prof. T: "Ah, but an individual’s emotional state is not analogous to currency. A shift in the emotional state of an individual does not alter the value of Emotions.  The significance of Emotions remains the same for all of humanity regardless of what an individual may experience. And it is this stability that I am referring to."

Mr. G: "But what of Economics then? How would you relate this to Economics?"

Prof. T: "Economics is a science of the artificial. It is a humanly creation that interposes structure and order into the fabric of society. However, it is one of infinitely many possible solutions to introduce order into chaos. Emotions on the other hand emerge from the complex interactions within biological and physical processes that befall the human mind. Emotions dwell at the highest branch on the evolutionary tree. They are the work of nature; they make us human. If you look closely, you might observe that emotions play a significant part even in rationalizing Economics i.e. perhaps Emotions are responsible for our understanding of right and wrong; profit and loss etc."

Mr. A: "hmmm ... But do you think the general populous perceives the significance of Emotions in the same manner that you do?"

Prof. T: "Oh, you have asked one tough question there; I must admit. I honestly do not know the answer with any amount of certainty. However, my observation is as follows: with any hierarchical design that utilizes multiple layers of abstraction, the only link between two non-adjacent layers is the layer that lies amidst them. As a result, only adjacent layers are visible to each other, even though they do not provide each other with the whole picture. I think technology today, to some extent at least, serves as a sort of layer between human interaction. While the true currency is Emotions, they are not as discernable since the technological layer is what we really see. The mediative role of technology appears to accentuate technology itself, while at the same time trivializing Emotions. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why we feel more attached to gadgets than fellow beings."

Mr. A: "I see. So what do you think is the solution?"

Prof. T: "I am not even sure if there exists a problem to begin with. I have merely presented my perception of reality. Yet, how am I to judge what the true nature of reality is? ... It all appears to be a matter of perspective, point of view, and the angle of observation. After all we are limited in perception by our senses."

Mr. G: "Perhaps."

Mr. A: "Some food for thought at least."

Prof. T: "I must take leave now. Beethoven is playing the electric guitar today … I hope he is in some Universe :-). See you guys later! ... Chao!"

Mr. A: "Tschüs!"

Mr. G: "Hej då"