Coffee Talk #9: The Concept of Monetary Value

After at least five years of undeniable steady service, it became clearly evident the time to replace it has come. Two employers ago I unboxed it, and from that point on, I carried it with me to just about anywhere. To the office, to the stores, to bars, restaurants, cinemas, the gas station, the train station, airports, and abroad. Everywhere and beyond. I had it repaired exactly once. Its screen was broken to such a degree, I was collecting shrapnel with my fingertips every time I swiped. Since it was still fully operational otherwise, it made enough sense to have it repaired instead of replaced. But as of now, the charger input hardly works, making it a challenge of Olympic proportions to avoid the dreaded empty battery. And throughout the course of time, the battery life has deterirorated drastically. In all fairness, I do not mind a phone that's turned off. Not at all. But figuring out all kinds of wire twists and weird angles to put the phone in, just to resurrect it back into a working state,?is something I'd rather go without. Hashtag phone charging athletics. So the time has come to settle for a new one.? ?

But even though I knew this moment was coming for about half a year now, it actually still feels like it's one of the worst ways I've ever spent my money. And it's not a brand new device I settled for. I've gone down the refurbished items route this time around, opting for an iPhone that's been on the market for almost two years now. It took me back a whopping 380 Euros. Which is still sinking in at this point. Don't get me wrong, I'm in the fortunate position where I can say I can afford it without missing any meals or skipping on a bill or two. But with price tags falling in this range, I somehow need to compare it to other moments I spent? a similar amount of pennies. Ultimately resulting into some form of self-affirmation, and not thinking I've gone crazy. And that's where recollection comes into play. Realising I once scored a two-way ticket from Amsterdam to Ho-Chi-Minh. For 40 Euros less. A lucky deal, that's for sure. But if I need to pick between travelling to a destination where I'm surrounded by Asian people, who are speaking their Asian language, have an abundant selection of Asian food to choose from, as well as the occasional Asian beer to try, or, I'm buying into a piece of technology (ironically manufactured in Asia), which taps into the endless stream of information and entertainment we desperately do not need, setting up the most subliminal connectivity trap in history, as well as defiantly lowering IQs (still needs to be scientifically proven, but you get the point) since the smartphone's?conception in 2007. I'll always choose the trip. Within a heartbeat.? ? ? ?

Another comparative approach: earlier this year we had our car serviced, which in the end took us back a bit more than this new phone. One of those expenses you know is coming when you own and rely on a car. The oil was changed, new filters and new spark plugs were installed, and some other typical maintenance checks were executed. You know it's needed. You make the appointment. You pay the bill. No questions asked, and life is lived happily ever after. A far cry from the experience of spending money on a new phone. Extending the lifespan and safety of our car, versus enslaving oneself to a symbiotic relationship with a screen. The car wins.

When I was 18 years old, I spent the entire summer working in a greenhouse. A typical summer job for youngsters in my neck of the woods. And after a couple of weeks of stashing crisp 50 Euro bills in an aluminium box I kept hidden under the mattress, it was time to make my first relatively large purchase: a pair of Ray-Bans. Given the box office successes of The Matrix and Men In Black, you can imagine the younger version of myself wasn't drawn to the Aviators yet. The moment I swiped through my card at the register, a seemingly endless stream of eggplants flashed by my eyes, making me instantly second-guess whether or not I did the right thing, severely feeling the gravity of how much the pair costed. There's a bit more story to tell about visiting this store, but I'll save that for another day. As luck would have it, the pair of shades grew quickly on me, and was definitely worth its money. After a few years of serving its purpose, I found my way to a pair of Aviators, which have been my go-to ever since. But since I'm not the type to get rid of items that aren't broken, and after years of being tucked away neatly in a drawer in my old bedroom, my mom found the relic I had almost forgotten about. And under her care, it served as an emergency pair of sunglasses in the car. Say what you will about the typical weather conditions our Banana Republic is known for, but anyone driving over here will tell you that having a pair of sunglasses? stand-by in the car is a sensible necessity rather than a luxury. Needless to say, the extra mileage my parents put on that pair of Ray-Bans made it an even better purchase. Those eggplants came a long way.

Fortunately, my wife and I have enough common sense to approach these expenses in a down-to-Earth manner, and any negative afterthoughts of sorts typically do not linger around for long. In some cases, she's more easy-going and accepting, and in other cases it's me. A perfect balance, in which we more or less share the same values we adhere to our spending patterns. And with parenthood in the mix, I cannot help but find the world my son and daughter are growing up in, to be completely different than what I experienced decades before. While my wife and I came up shortly after the introduction of debit cards and ATMs, we were accustomed to visiting our bank's local branch office when something needed to be arranged. Good luck finding a branch that's still open nowadays. Smartphones enable you to pretty much check your balance from just about any place in the world. All you need is the banking app provided by your bank (easy), an internet connection (easy), and a charged battery (not so easy). I can still vividly remember the pre-cursor to internet banking: an automated phone line service you could dial in. A computer voice would read out your balance, and you were able to transfer money between your checking and savings account. Explaining this to my son will most likely result in disbelief, with the facial expression of someone seeing a flying horse. And who could blame him? The era of withdrawals and deposits has practically come to an end by now, making almost any type of purchase or transaction a digital undertaking. Without a doubt, it has become a lot easier and quicker to access your finances compared to decades ago. And with permanent accessibility establishing the norm for entire generations to come, the concepts of piggy banks and allowances playing a fundamental role in conceptualising monetary value that were part of the generation I grew up in, might just as well deserve a technological savvy upgrade that withstands the revolutionary advancements the future has in store.? ? ?

But for now, coffee and contemplation. Will the concept of monetary value for the next generation come down to a purely digital perception? Will we pass on our values to our kids, or will the fast-paced changes of society leave no room for them?