Saturday 29 November 2003

Pic of the day: "Against our own weak hearts!" That's the fight that counts, is it not? Picture from inspirational anime Bottle Fairy, episode 7. (Incidentally, I did the highlight, as the text transferred poorly to the picture. It is not that ugly in real life.)

Money and me

"Man is the measure of all things", and money is the measure of a man. The keen interest in money is these days rarely caused by the basic needs for food and shelter. Instead, it is mostly social needs that drives spending. At least here in Norway, where there is very little poverty.

Half a month ago I was paying my bills, as I usually do in the middle of the month. (Incidentally, I actively hate the recent trend of sending out bills with a two weeks due date. Lots of people get paid only once a month, and I sincerely believe that these companies use such short notice in the hope that people will not be able to pay on time. Then they can slap a huge late fee on the bill. This is pure profit for them, they don't even bother to send a reminder; they just add a line to the next bill. I have particularly noticed that Telenor, the former telecoms monopoly here in Norway, do this. They had the temerity to call me a few days ago and try to get me back as a voice telephony customer. And I actually did not laugh at them. I guess I have after all spent that much time in the company of 21st-century Jesus[1]. I guess the divine wrath is likely enough to hit them for their cruelty without my help. Of course it helps that they can no longer pull that trick on me.)

Anyway, as I was saying, I was paying my bills. I had come to my credit card bill when I suddenly realized that the amount I was about to pay would be far more than I owed them. I was basically about to attempt to deposit money on my credit card. I don't think that would have worked!

From last year to this, I have changed from 100% to 90% job, so it is not about earning more money. Spending less, however, is more likely. It is not even like I am actively trying to save money. Rather, I guess I care less. I have bought almost no clothes this past year, and no furniture (unless you count this computer, which I think I bought approximately a year ago). I am less and less inclined to try to impress the kind of people who can be impressed by the use of money. Think about it: That's pretty primitive, right? If people are that superficial, then the less they think of me the better. (Well, as long as they don't actually attack me, just shun me.)

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That said, it is not like I don't feel that pull from an empty credit card. I haven't exactly reached divine nature, passed beyond the veil, transcended my humanity and so on. As regular readers will know, I have a healthy respect for credit cards. I think of them more or less like those magic swords in some fantasy stories: Once you draw them, you cannot put them back to rest before they have taken a life. Soul drinkers. They can do great things, but at a terrible cost. And they have a will of their own... ^_^*

(And since nothing goes without saying, let me hurry to clarify that I do not actually believe objects outside us have the power to compel us. As the Bible so aptly puts it: "Each is tempted when he is enticed and pulled by his own desire." It is our own heart that looks for an excuse to go wandering. And in a touching fit of agreement, Krishna says to Arjuna (in the Bhagavad Gita): "It is desire alone", when Arjuna asks him what causes a human to sin, as if bewitched. Indeed.)

So there you have it. My economy has been slowly improving, although I am sure this will come to an end if I have to move out of here. (I am only renting, and the landlord is old and frail.) I guess it would be prudent to save up a little bit for emergencies; but that goes very much against my grain. If I don't need more stuff, surely someone else does. And if not, I would be happy to work even less. And less and less... but that's a story for another time, perhaps.

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[1]: According to Psychology Today: "Kind, wise, tolerant and attentive, the 21st-century Jesus is more like the perfect, chaste boyfriend than a remote godhead." Ooh! I want to be like that too!! Of course, it helps that I have no chance to be a remote godhead in the first place. But even so, it is a noble desire, is it not? ^_^*