"The Ascent of Money"

SDMuscleBuddy · 07-09-2009, 10:34 AM

A four-part series started last night on PBS explaining the history of currency, credit, bonds, and stocks. I had no idea, for example, that the Jews were used by Christians to be their lenders because they considered it a sin to charge interest (usury), and the word "bank" comes from the Italian for "bench" which is what the Jews used to sit on to conduct business.

You can see Part One and check the schedule for the rest of the series here:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ascentofmoney/

psamty · 07-09-2009, 10:47 AM

Thanks broheim. Seems interesting. Repped.

AtleastItried · 07-09-2009, 11:00 AM

I knew parts of it, but still good reads. reps.

YARDGORILLA · 07-09-2009, 11:06 AM

Ends justify the means to sum.

SDMuscleBuddy · 07-09-2009, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YARDGORILLA

Ends justify the means to sum.

Love the irony in your spelling, and hate the truth of the statement. Reading Matt Taibi's article last week in Rolling Stone, then watching this documentary, it's hard not to become totally cynical about, well, everything.

psamty · 07-09-2009, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDMuscleBuddy

Love the irony in your spelling, and hate the truth of the statement. Reading Matt Taibi's article last week in Rolling Stone, then watching this documentary, it's hard not to become totally cynical about, well, everything.

That was a great article too. Basically shattered my faith in capitalism.

Quote:

If America is circling the drain, Goldman Sachs has found a way to be that drain ? an extremely unfortunate loophole in the system of Western democratic capitalism, which never foresaw that in a society governed passively by free markets and free elections, organized greed always defeats disorganized democracy.

That line was truth.

I always believed investment bankers were douchebags who did nothing productive.

psamty · 07-09-2009, 11:53 AM

BTW, part 2 is up. Subbed to spread the word.

psamty · 07-09-2009, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vref

that's some tough talk from you bud

why dont you take your life savings out of your bank and keep it in your mattress to stick it to those evil bankers, that will really show them

and from someone who quotes Jesus and Gandhi in his sig? lmfao.. your just as crooked as you think the bankers are

Sup brah. u mad? Yes, you are right, that was a bit extreme, I will rephrase. I wasn't referring to standard banks which hold your money for you and lend it out. Just all this crazy insanity that follows. Bonds for war = pure evil.

SDMuscleBuddy · 07-09-2009, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psamty

That was a great article too. Basically shattered my faith in capitalism.

I have faith in capitalism, but not corporate capitalism. It is the organizational structure of publicly traded corporations, just like governments, political parties, and religions, that fosters greed and power-struggles. Ethics falls down the list of priorities.

Quote:

Originally Posted by psamty

That line ("organized greed always defeats disorganized democracy") was truth.

And when an organization has as much wealth and power as our government, or more, we're totally screwed. Those who still swear by the notion that "free markets regulate themselves" are totally naive.

psamty · 07-09-2009, 12:07 PM

I firmly believe that America will be the first socialist country, and it will come through the people's will rather than through force. It will be an interesting time, and we are well on our way.

SDMuscleBuddy · 07-09-2009, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vref

that's some tough talk from you bud

why dont you take your life savings out of your bank and keep it in your mattress to stick it to those evil bankers, that will really show them

and from someone who quotes Jesus and Gandhi in his sig? lmfao.. your just as crooked as you think the bankers are

I for one have taken my money out of the market, at least for now, and have cut my income in half, cutting my income tax along with it, to limit the amount of support I provide to a corrupt system.

SDMuscleBuddy · 07-09-2009, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psamty

I firmly believe that America will be the first socialist country, and it will come through the people's will rather than through force. It will be an interesting time, and we are well on our way.

I can't say I agree with this, at least not in any foreseeable future. With the Democrats killing the audit of the Federal Reserve, there doesn't seem much hope for any real reform.

psamty · 07-09-2009, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDMuscleBuddy

I can't say I agree with this, at least not in any foreseeable future. With the Democrats killing the audit of the Federal Reserve, there doesn't seem much hope for any real reform.

The Democrats are slaves to the same pathetic system as the Republicans. The only difference is that Democrats do it silently and to a lesser degree as they at least have some minimal amount of conscience, while Republicans openly support the perversion of America and the growth of the military-industrial complex.

We need someone like Ron Paul or Dennis Kucinich to fix this ****. They are on opposite sides of the debate, but they are both honest and don't take crap.

Andalite · 07-09-2009, 12:25 PM

I had to read the book for my finance class last semester. Awesome book, IMO.