Why Do We Work So Much to Survive?

The question is not, “ How do you pay for it?” The question is, “ What do you want to pay for?” We finally boarded the ship in Barbados 4/7/25.

Explore women’s impact on the economy and the concept of a parallel currency. Learn how these ideas shape sustainability and equitable financial systems.

The purpose of government is not to make profit, it is to protect and defend its citizens. Government is not a platform from which a business deal is made. It is carefully structured to sleuth out the most important needs of all its citizens and provide for them. When it operates as it is built to do, its citizens are generally content. When it is gamed, in bad faith, for personal power and wealth, things fall apart and the government and its citizens have to move to defend themselves. The necessity to do this should never have evolved. But a well functioning government depends on people working in good faith, who are honorable, who seek truth and have guiding morals. As we know, sometimes people get into positions of power who don't have these qualities. The unfortunate development of political positions being won by individuals who have the most money to spend has placed a significant number of people in Congress and some Presidents in the White House who have no moral compass. We see the influence of unimaginable amounts of money on campaigns. Made worse when corporations were found to be citizens. Let's dive down the rabbit hole of history. In 2010, when Obama was president, the Supreme Court found in the case called Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission that corporations have 1st amendment rights to free speech and political spending. They named this “ corporate personhood” which holds that corporations are associations of people and have certain constitutional rights. This allows, among many other things, corporations to make independent political expenditures and allows corporations to spend unlimited funds on elections. Also, a corporation is allowed to exist in perpetuity. Even Voldemort would have envied this! So, here we are. Both Democratic and Republican administrations have pushed more and more power and wealth into the hands of the few and in turn the recipients of this largesse have shown their gratitude by paying into more and more autocratic governments that will continue to protect their economic and business advantages. This is not hard to see. It is very hard to live through. And even harder to reverse. But this has been done before and can be done again. Good government is not a given. It has to be watched carefully (thank goodness for bureaucrats). But everyone needs to play a part and feel they can be effective. At Renew the Earth, renew the-earth.org, we have been developing over the past 20 years a concept that allows choice within our World Economic System. We call it a Parallel Currency. This separate currency can only be used to provide basic human needs, food, shelter, education and health care. It cannot be invested or hoarded and will not cause inflation because it is destroyed when it reaches a bank.  Susan Caumont, President, Renew the Earth

David Brooks made this statement in reference to recent events that may threaten the existence of our democracy. Is this where our country is going? Or are we going to stand up for our “inalienable rights”, Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness? “To secure these rights, governments are instituted among men.” Governments guided by laws and run by Bureaucracies. When we look at our “inalienable rights” one at a time, we understand the profound intention of our Constitution. Life. All people are created equal and have the inalienable right to life. To have life, each person has to have the elements that sustain life; food, shelter, education and health care. Liberty. Freedom of movement. “Free from oppressive restrictions imposed by any authority on one's way of life, behavior or political view.” Pursuit of Happiness. Not just to try to be happy, but a guarantee of happiness. This is an “inalienable right” not just a quest or pass time. We negotiate the inevitable disappointments and tragedies of living but also experience the joys that keep us alive. And the resulting happiness, in its fullest reveal, is a good life. This good life also depends not just on the happiness of one person, but all citizens, including immigrants and refugees. We suffer and rejoice together. Government must ultimately guarantee basic needs to all citizens; food, shelter, education and healthcare. Most World Constitutions include these guarantees, but cannot afford them. There is a way to pay for all human basic needs without creating inflation and debt using a Worldwide Parallel Currency dedicated only to the basic human needs. You may ask, “How do we provide basic human needs to 8 billion people Worldwide?” “Is it possible?” If a majority of people agree that this is something that needs to happen in order to preserve our survival on Earth, it can be done. We already have invented all the tools necessary. We need more than a patchwork of aid that can be interrupted by a statement from the president. We must build a permanent infrastructure that conveys efficiently and consistently the human right to live in the form of basic food and shelter, education and healthcare. Efficient systems that get needs where they have to go can be designed by already existing computer intelligence. How much, where it needs to go, what kind of transportation is available, how long it will take per shipment, all these things are calculable and apply to food and medicine and building materials. Education needs shelter, and schools will be built where they are needed. We can do these things on a “small scale”. We know how to do it. We do this in our Military. Now, we must think Worldwide and ramp it up. This is where AI can become a hero! Ultimately, we do live in a “Small World”. As Bucky Fuller once put it, we are living together on “Spaceship Earth.” We glide through the dark in the company of stars, our orbit warmed by the sun and encouraging life. We are connected by visible and invisible strands, tracks and roads. A thread is plucked somewhere and reverberates Worldwide. Our fates depend on each other.

Money is fluid, it has perceived value, and can be manipulated subjectively toward stupid stuff or toward important stuff. With a separate parallel currency it would be possible to buy basic human needs, Worldwide. The closed loop of a parallel currency dedicated to providing basic human needs can produce whatever amount of money necessary to fulfill human needs, (food, shelter, education and healthcare). This money will circulate generally after its initial use but when it reaches a bank it is destroyed. It cannot be invested or saved. It will not create inflation. Savings will also be possible for taxpayers, because most social services will no longer need to be paid through taxes. The currency that is presently used in each country will continue to function as usual, toward profit making and investment. The result is two currencies functioning simultaneously, in parallel. The intent is to treat Human Needs as essential, as a Right. And to be able to afford them.

Introduction: Rethinking the Meaning of Wealth In traditional economic systems, success is measured primarily by Gross Domestic Product ( GDP ), stock market performance, and financial wealth. These indicators focus on money flow and profit generation but often fail to reflect the true well-being of people and the environment. At Renew the Earth, we believe that an economy should not only be about financial transactions but also about human welfare, sustainability, and equitable resource distribution. This article explores why our current measurement of success is flawed and presents a new framework for defining wealth in a way that serves both people and the planet: a parallel currency, which is one currency that provides basic needs to all humanity and runs next to all other existing currencies.

Balancing Markets to Protect Democracy Market economies have driven progress and innovation for centuries, but they also have inherent flaws that, if left unchecked, can erode democratic values. At Renew the Earth, we advocate for a supplemental system—a parallel currency focused on fulfilling basic human needs like food, shelter, education, and healthcare. By addressing the shortcomings of market capitalism, this approach could safeguard democracy and ensure a more equitable future.

Overcoming Inequality Economic inequality and environmental degradation are two interconnected global crises. As wealth becomes increasingly concentrated among a small minority, millions of people struggle to access basic needs such as food, shelter, healthcare, and education. Simultaneously, the planet faces unprecedented challenges, from climate change to biodiversity loss, largely driven by the overexploitation of resources for profit. At Renew the Earth, we believe in a transformative solution: the introduction of an Energy Currency—a parallel economic system designed to prioritize human and environmental well-being. The Limitations of Traditional Economic Systems Modern market economies , while efficient in driving profits, often fail to distribute resources equitably . Wealth generated through financial speculation rarely circulates back into the real economy to benefit communities. Instead, it exacerbates inequality, leaving many without access to essential services. Moreover, the focus on continuous growth comes at the expense of the planet’s health. Unsustainable practices—such as deforestation, pollution, and overuse of natural resources—accelerate climate change and threaten the survival of countless species, including our own. Without intervention, these dual crises will only worsen, pushing societies toward economic instability and environmental collapse.

Discover how game theory reveals insights into sustainability and economics. Learn strategies to balance resources and shape a sustainable future today!