I think I would like to live in a world where people wanted to maximize value and they did not want to maximize wealth.

But in the world we live in, people make a lot of money by actually reducing value in the world. And some people earn very little or no money creating a lot of value. Value and money can be very different from each other, and money is not often a good indicator of actual value.

What do I think is valuable? Caring for each other. Families and raising children. Nature and the environment. Friendship. Beauty and art. Eradicating diseases. Peace.

What do I think is not very valuable? Cryptocurrency. Pennies. Luxury name brands. People being mean to each other. Hatred. Taking advantage of others. Wealth building upon wealth in an inexplicable way. Reputation.

I don’t get paid for the most valuable work that I do. That’s just how it is. But I’m not seeking to maximize my wealth–I just want to be able to be self-sufficient and not worry about money much, and then be able to pursue those valuable things.

Some people really seek careers that add value, but it’s hard to do that when many careers that add the most value often don’t pay that well (like teachers). But if you go into management and finance, suddenly you get paid so much money to make all these decisions that don’t actually improve anyone’s life.

Some people want to maximize wealth and then think they can add value–if you’re really rich, you can do a lot of philanthropy. But I still think there should be value added along the way, and that those on top can make sure to support those who are supporting them.

If people were concerned about maximizing the things that they actually value, the world would improve at a much faster pace. But if we only think about money as value, we get things all twisted about, and we end up destroying what good value there is.

Further Reading: The Value of Everything by Mariana Mazzucato