The Natural Law of Value

In a small village nestled in the hills, there lived a wise old carpenter named Thomas. Thomas had spent his life creating beautiful furniture and buildings for the people of his village, and he was renowned for his skill and craftsmanship.

One day, a young nobleman came to Thomas and asked him to build a table for his family. Thomas agreed and set to work, carefully selecting the finest wood and crafting the table with care and precision, as was his way. He poured his heart and soul into the work, spending countless hours designing and refining the piece until it was perfect.

When the table was complete, Thomas presented it to the young nobleman with great pride. But to his shock and dismay, the young man refused to pay for the work. “I don’t have to pay for this,” he said haughtily. “I am a nobleman, and you a common carpenter. Consider it an honor that I even bothered to commission you.”

Thomas was heartbroken. He had poured so much time and energy into the piece, yet he was cheated out of his rightful payment, simply because of his social status.

From that day on, Thomas never touched his carpentry tools again. He was too heartbroken by the betrayal and too disillusioned by a world that did not value his contributions. The village mourned the loss of his skill and talent, and after his quick demise, many regretted not supporting Thomas.

The world was a colder and less comfortable place without his continued inventions, and how often does a similar story play out in life? How many people are direct victims of this abuse of fair play? Imagine if something similar had occurred with Thomas Edison or Michelangelo! What inventions were we denied because of the mistreatment of Nicola Tesla, a man famously abused in this regard? Are we not all a victim of abuse in these instances?

As humans, we have evolved to share duties and create value through equitable trades. Pair bonding and tribal living allowed us to specialize in diverging tasks and become more efficient, while currency facilitated more complex forms of trade and exchange. Today, technology has allowed us to take this concept even further, creating unprecedented opportunities for individuals to create value and exchange their services in equitable trades. But what happens when someone cheats the system and takes more than they contribute? This is not only unethical, but it’s a violation of a law of nature —?the natural law of value.

The natural law of value argues that it is trading value — fulfilling one’s commitments—that has led to all of the benefits of mankind. From the earliest times, humans have engaged in reciprocal exchanges of goods and services, creating a system of value that has allowed us to progress and prosper, taking us from caves to mansions.

When someone breaks this law, for instance by taking your money but not painting your house, they are telling the very universe itself to fuck off. They are saying that they do not value the contributions of others and that they are entitled to take more than they give. This disrupts the natural balance of exchange and is a clear violation of the law. Enough of this behavior and mankind starts moving backward in our social progression.

Cheating value can take many forms. It can be as simple as not paying a fair wage for someone’s services, or as complex as manipulating markets to gain an unfair advantage. Regardless of the form, cheating value is harmful to individuals and to society as a whole. It creates a culture of mistrust and undermines the very foundation of our social and economic systems.

In contrast, creating value and trading value is a virtuous cycle that benefits everyone involved. When individuals fulfill their commitments and trade value equitably, they create a system of trust and mutual benefit. This is the foundation of a healthy society, where individuals are able to thrive and create opportunities for themselves and others.

One of the most common ways that people cheat The Law of Value is by not fulfilling their commitments. This can take many forms, such as not paying bills, skipping appointments, not showing up for work, or not delivering goods or services as promised. When we do not fulfill our commitments, we are not only cheating the person we made the commitment to, but we are also cheating ourselves, our friends, our family, and indeed all of society!

A second equally common example is the corrupting influence of avarice — greed, for those of you educated in America. When we focus solely on our own self-interest and ignore the contributions of others, we create a culture of competition and mistrust that is harmful to everyone. Greed leads to a “winner takes all” mentality that undermines the very idea of equitable trade and mutual benefit.

To truly create value and trade value, we must focus on creating win-win situations where both parties benefit. This requires empathy, compassion, and a willingness to see the value in the contributions of others, as well as an appreciation for what happens when we do not. We must be willing to put ourselves in the shoes of others and understand their perspectives and needs and be unwilling to break the law of value.

Key Takeaway

The natural law of value is a fundamental law of nature that argues that society cannot progress without mutual value exchange. By creating value and trading value equitably, we create a system of trust and mutual benefit that lifts everyone’s standard of living. However, when we cheat value, we undermine the natural balance of exchange and harm ourselves and society as a whole. By honoring this law, we can create a world that is fair, just, and prosperous for everyone.