Michael L. Love: On value and money, molecules activism
Molecules activism could be viewed as the promotion of uncommon knowledge of commonplace things. The aspirin, the parsley, citrus fruits, all of which are commonplace things, readily in view and at hand. They all have little known properties which are highly valuable, although perhaps not in the shallow sense of monetary value. Common nuts, roots, and berries, which are sometimes valued little above the dirt that they sprout from, have unknown riches inside of them, not necessarily monetary wealth, but richness of health and strength. Such power is clearly not beyond our grasp, but it is merely unknown to us. We must establish such knowledge. Table salt is a much derided molecule, but it has been indispensible for its ability to preserve food, a little known property perhaps. The economic impact may be small and ambiguous, but it has arguably saved countless of the lives of our very forebearers. That is wealth that transcends money. Similar things could be said about other commonplace minerals and chemicals. such as; bleach, lime, and even oxygen, all of which have many important uses beyond the commonplace ones, and properties beyond those which are commonly known.
Similar things could also be said of many ordinary spices; cinnamon, dill seeds, fennel, thyme, and common vegetables, such as tomatoes, and olives, as well as fruits, such as grapes. Many of these have preservative properties, but also they preserve life itself or increase our intellectual faculties, a vast and extraordinary richness indeed, beside which money is worth very little!
Some will brush this argument aside saying that everything I have referred to costs money, and sufficient money will get you any of it. Although this is a commonplace sentiment, it is also widely recognized as a foolish one. Moreover, such arguments are made by people who would like to diminuate the value of our very lives, which is rightly a subject of much outrage. I say that money cannot possibly be compared in value to things like life, intelligence, and posterity.
It is clear that there are riches unbeknownst to us at our very fingertips, and ever before our eyes. It also becomes obvious that the withholding of such knowledge is akin to a crime, and there are those of us in the movement who believe that the release of such knowledge should be MANDATORY. At least, those of us who are engaged in molecules activism will be doing our part to make such knowledge public, by the establishment of prior art, by publishing such knowledge, and by affixing it to the public common. Examples are many and growing, and they include this blog and the Molecules site. We will be generating more and more.
Regards,
proclus
http://www.gnu-darwin.org/
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on Google BuzzPublished Tuesday, February 23, 2010 12:07 PM by proclus
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Regards,
proclus
http://www.gnu-darwin.org/
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