everything can be free

[lord molly]

in an ideal world is it possible for everything to be free?because if everything was free, and i mean everything; people wouldnt have to pay for things because the people they are buying the goods or service from would not need the money, because they would never need the money to pay for goods, as everything was free.

[mibn2cweus]

NORMANTHEDOG, Could I see that list please?

[Octavius]

It wouldn�t really work because such a society would transpire where some people would sit around doing nothing and getting everything for free, whilst others worked their bottoms off to provide free things to them. Not only would the workers get fed up and demand something in return, you will also have a lack of supply to match the demand because of those doing nothing. In the event of this, a bidding war would start where survival of the species was the key and you might have aggressors controlling supplies through malice. After all, if everything was free, why would anyone work to provide anything? If you consider that all things are a trade-off then that, in effect, makes it a commodity of �value� and therefore something that requires payment in some form or other. Eventually you will find a useless band of people (probably lawyers) who can�t really provide anything of worth but will still want something in return anyway.

[Loosehead]

Well this is the aim of socialism/communism unfortunately as pointed out by Octavius it cannot possibly work because it requires that human nature be changed.

I see what you are getting at but if we had that system from the start then we'd still be living in caves. If adopted it fom here then what Octavious said is what will happen.

The basic issue is that, life is not fair, there will always be those who work hard for themselves and those who skive and live off the backs of the others. There will always be those with ideas and endeavour to create wealth.

[dawkins]

Do you mean: should we abolish money?

Nothing is free in an ideal world or otherwise. Trade is a way of making the cost of living peaceful.

[lord molly]

its just a thaught a thaught....... wud be good if it worked

[mibn2cweus]

Money is what makes advanced civilisation work. It is how we keep track of the exchanges we make between our production and consumption. The only thing that can be and should be free is trade and money is the preferred tool of exchange between those who understand that anything of value must be earned by exchanging it for something of equal value with others who share this understanding and appreciation for the cost in terms of the thought and effort required to produce something of value.

The alternative to free exchange is stealing, taking by force or giving it to someone who has not given something of equal value in return, in which case nothing of value is created and eventually there is nothing left to take or give. This is the dead end of production that money is designed to circumvent but this requires the respect for money and the value it represents that is the natural consequence of the process of creating that value.

Not even freedom is free but if you appreciate its value than you will do what is necessary to maintain it. The value of freedom is appreciated by those who have worked the hardest to earn their right to exist and who through their efforts have learned to enjoy the process as well as its product, the creation of something that through trade add equally to the value of the life of both contributors.

[Llamatron]

It would require a fundamental shift in the human psyche.
We would have to go from an 'every man for himself' outlook to being totally altruistic. But it's not just about human nature it's about survival of the fittest and what's programmed into our genes.
It's just not how evolution works.

[EDLEE]

How often, throughout history has this question been asked? Probably not as often as you might think! In truth, everything one needs is free. Air is free. If you are cold, walk south(swimming when needed). Clothing is optional, as is medical care. Food is easily obtained, insects are quite high in protein and are very plentiful. This seems ridiculous and so it is. My point is that there are reasons that things have a cost. If we desire them we must be willing to pay that price. Everything has a price, even faith takes effort and commitment. Love may not be hard to obtain but it takes effort to keep it.

sorry about that. I seem to have started down another road entirely. It seems I was trying to answer a question not asked.

[joko]

who would be making the goods and who would be providing the services?

and if anyone was, why would they ?

would you spend hours upon hours building and making things and then just give them away for nothing?

didn't really think this through, did you?