Gods money
When I was 20, I had an income around 450 euro per month, while the poverty line in my country is roughly around 1100. This one day, I had 10 euro and 5 days left, and I went to the supermarket to buy food for those last 5 days. I was worried. Would I have enough? Would I put too much in my basket, causing me to have an embarrassing moment at checkout? I wasn't worried about hunger, just about being able to buy what I wanted.
I arrived at the (budget) supermarket and was friendly greeted by the homeless person selling papers. She knew me. I always greeted her when I entered the supermarket, and then when I left the supermarket, I would make some smalltalk and buy a newspaper. (I often ended up with 3 identical issues of that newspaper, since I would just buy one whenever I saw here).
So I entered the supermarket, after greeting her, and immediately, I had an ethical dilemma. Her hope. Her expectation. My low funds, and my desire for pizza. What would I do? What should I do? I could just make the small-talk, tell her I had no money today, and leave. Why should I give away my money, when I needed it myself??
Halfway the supermarket, I realised something. It wasn't my money. It was Gods money, that just happened to be in my wallet. Now it was simple, really simple.
When I left the supermarket, I bought a newspaper, and gave her the chocolat bar that was intended for myself when I was buying it.
I didn't tell you this to boast how good I am, or something like that. Two euro and a chocolate bar hardly makes me a saint. I just had to share it, because this moment, this realisation has been an inspiration for me trough the years.
Money is more than income or property, it's responsibility. If you see it as yours, your moneys only aim is to please you. If you view it as Gods, or as the communities' money, the more you have, the more responsible you are.
Not long after this realisation, I started buying biological and fair-trade products, as much as I could. Yes, I did that on that ridiculous low income. My money was my responsibility. My choices impacted real people. I had to make the right choices.
I guess it's this realisation that makes me keep going from very old second hand phone to second hand phone. Trust me, I have money for a new one, just not enough money for a fairphone. I don't want to buy a cheap phone if that means polution and slavery. (Sometimes I'm very close to buying a new, cheap phone. Just yesterday I put one in a digital basket, so I could see how much it'd be with shipping. It would be great to just be able to download all the apps my friends have.)
I'm at an interesting position, when it comes to money. My income is now around the Dutch poverty line, which makes me poor in most eyes. I just can't help realising that it makes me rich compared to most of the world. I don't think I'm poor. I don't let a professional cut my hair and vacations are something for once every 3 years, but like I said earlier this week: I can't buy all the books I want, but if I really want a book, I can buy it. I can add 10 euro extra to my weekly grocery delivery, without worrying my bank account can't take it.
I don't consider myself poor, I consider myself lucky. I have enough to live a comfortable life, but not so much that I face a lot of ethical dilemma's. Sometimes, I use my poor priviledge to judge people with a middle income around me. Wait, so you're going on a vacation again, instead of giving that money away? (When I go on a vacation, I'm entitled to it, because others do it so much more often.)
But today I gave some money away, to someone who could use some new clothes. I have enough clothes, why not give that same priviledge to one of my internet friends? I know my money will make a lot of impact in this persons day, while for me, it would have been just a number in my bank account.
So my brother said: 'ah, so you put your money where it has the most impact.'
Well, I guess I did. This time. But I have plenty of money left that's just sitting there. I keep saying it's the responsible thing to have some money in case something breaks. I don't want to have to ask for help when I need a new fridge. And I want to be able to buy the next book I really want.
Back in theology school, my ethics teacher mentioned a philosopher (sorry, can't think of his name) who claimed it was immoral to keep money on your bank account: If you could save a child from drowning, you would be morally obliguated to do so, even if it ruined your new, expensive shoes. If a child in your street was starving, you would buy them food. So why not safe as many starving children in the poorest countries as you possibly can?
I don't know how the other philosophers rebuke this. They probably found a way, since most of them have big bank accounts. For me, it's easy to state that I need my own money in case of emergency. In my twisted mind, the possibility of my washing machine breaking is more important than someones meal. As if washing by hand is not a possibility!
I don't know what I should do with the money I own. Should I give it all away? Probably not... But why not? Why the hell not?