I recently read an article about the real value of money. What is this thing we all love to have more of but sometimes have mixed feelings about? It's a big topic, often controversial as it's not always associated with good virtue. According to Mark Manson, it's a means for the exchange of experiences. That's all there is to it, money is neutral. It's simply a tool for us to exchange experiences.
So what is an experience? Travelling is a good example, you pay money for a travel experience - to be in an unfamiliar place. Or it could also be a sense of contentment when we have purchased that new car or the new suit so that we can show people at work. Essentially it's an emotional state we are really after. So the value of money really comes down to the 'value' of the experience we will be getting when we trade our money. If the experience is of a greater value (how emotionally satisfied we are) than the money we have exchanged, then we will probably be pretty happy. If the experience doesn't justify the money amount we have spent, we probably won't feel too good about it. The question we should probably ask ourselves is, is the experience worth it? How long does this feeling last?
I don't think there's one answer, we all have different standards and expectations. The important thing is that the experience should be profound and meaningful, and hopefully, long-lasting too. My guess is that it should allow us to express who we really are as individuals as well as feeling a greater sense of community and love. Whatever it is, the experience is an emotional one and we should acknowledge that. But one thing is for sure, real value will not come from tangible goods themselves, it's always about the experiences they bring us.
When we make a purchase next time, perhaps we should ask ourselves, what exactly are we buying?