Hatrack River Forum: The Barter System

This is topic The Barter System in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/main/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=034522

Posted by HesterGray (Member # 7384) on :

Is anyone else all for going back to the barter system? I'm tired of dealing with money. Trading goods and services makes a lot of sense to me.

For example, I will be accompanying some voice students for their end-of-the-semester evaluation next week. I needed someone with a nice voice to narrate my documentary. So I made a deal with one of the guys: I'll accompany him for free if he does my narration. You see? It works out.

Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :

I'm all for bartering as an addition to the current money-based system.

The problems I see with a system exclusively based on bartering are as follows:

1. You may need your toilet fixed, but there may not be a plumber who needs anything you have to barter with.

2. You may be the best plumber, but you need legal services NOW and the lawyer doesn't need your plumbing services. He might be willing to take a plumbing credit in exchange, but before long you've got 3 months worth of credits extended to various people who may all suddenly need your services at the same time. Or what if the lawyer doesn't need a plumber for 5 years? What if in that time period you move away?

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

quote:
before long you've got 3 months worth of credits extended to various people who may all suddenly need your services at the same time.

In that situation, the plumber would be wise to take care of the lawyer first. [Big Grin]

Posted by HesterGray (Member # 7384) on :

quote:
I'm all for bartering as an addition to the current money-based system.

Yes, I see how money comes in handy for some situations.

Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :

quote:
In that situation, the plumber would be wise to take care of the lawyer first.

True, true.

Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :

Yes, the bartering system really is the best. If I make bread, and need my hair cut, the stylist can be paid in bread. Unless she doesn't want bread. But the plumber does want bread. I don't need my toilet fixed or anything however. Hey, the stylist has a plug in her sink from all my hair! Okay, I give the stylist my bread, she gives it to the plumber to fix his sink, and she cuts my hair.

It's so complicated, though... if only we could have some sort of certificate or piece of paper that could stand for the bread and other services, so we wouldn't have to find someone who provided what we needed AND was interested in what we were offering.

What sort of crazy backwards world am I thinking up here?!

(I do hate money, though. Stupid stupid money.)

-Katarain

Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :

*adjusts adam's subtleOmeter*

Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :

Money, you say?

How droll!

Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :

"Congratulations, You are qualified for the new Visa Barter Card. You have a credit limit of 20 Pigs, or 35 Chicken, simply by calling...."

Posted by romanylass (Member # 6306) on :

I barter for us much as I can. Most of the kids Christmas presents are home made items made by craftier than I moms, in exchange for candies or soaps that I make. i have gotten some cool, unique presents that way.

Posted by Talison (Member # 7935) on :

I barter when I can, but I use cash too [Wink]

I can see it being very difficult to make a barter system work in the modern world at large. Only so many things could be bartered internationally for instance.

Kim Stanly Robinson has a very interesting sci-fi trilogy (Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars) about Mars, and social engineering that deals extensively with a barter system in a technological society

Posted by jebus202 (Member # 2524) on :

Freedom-hatin' commies!

Posted by mothertree (Member # 4999) on :

I was listening to some Suze Orman today. She talked about how people can throw away $5 worth of bad veggies or donate a $20 sweater that they never wear to goodwill, but they have a great deal of difficulty destroying a $1 bill. The story of the lobster platter almost made me cry [Frown]

Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :

You guys know there actually are community barter groups using "hours" which are paid in certificates or IOUs, and can be exchanged within the group for other goods or services, right? For instance, a woman babysits for three women in the group, and gets an "hour" for each hour she spent watching their kids. She can then give one of her "hours" to a woman who spent an hour baking home-made bread for a loaf of bread, and four of them to a man in the group who fixes roofs for him to spend four hours fixing her roof.

[ May 05, 2005, 07:58 PM: Message edited by: ketchupqueen ]

Posted by Talison (Member # 7935) on :

There are also nudist communities [Razz]

The biggest form of daycare in my area right now is the co-op daycare. Parents work hours at the daycare in exchange for hours that their children may spend at the daycare.
I don't think any of us were denying that bartering works, many of us said we barter when it is an option [Wink]

Posted by Zeugma (Member # 6636) on :

quote:
You guys know there actually are community barter groups using "hours" which are paid in certificates or IOUs, and can be exchanged within the group for other goods or services, right?

Yo.

Posted by Enigmatic (Member # 7785) on :

So the community groups have certificates and IOUs for "hours"... Again, little pieces of paper representing a certain value, therefore Money.

The difference seeming to be income tax evasion, since no one is technically employed or paying for anything.