Something that just came to mind, after reading much anti-market and anti-money commentary this week. It seems that these folks assume everything connected with money or markets originated in an attempt by some people to screw over other people. E.g., someone quoted David Graeber saying the first person who thought of money must have been a thief eyeing a house full of goods. And others treat all employment as an exploitation of others.
But why such an assumption? What if we assume the origins of money and markets came out of, at a minimum, motivations that were neutral to others?
Why can't money just be a way of trading away today something I don't need (say a catch of fish that will go bad quickly), but for some future gain because nobody around has anything I want right now. Money allows me to complete my exchange at a more propitious time in the future, as well as allowing me to expand my range of future trading partners. It's to my advantage yes, but it's not to anyone else's disadvantage.