“The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.” –Billy Graham

The recent midterm elections showed money really talks—and it “spoke” heavily. Many competent and well-deserving candidates fell by the wayside and were clobbered by second-rate, amateurish rivals who brandished cash left and right. Some of these candidates received more attention from the press while more worthy candidates had to forage for recognition.
Most of these good-for-nothing candidates also received praise from paid media advertisements, newspaper columns, and radio programs. Meanwhile their poor rivals got nothing except a mere mention as being a candidate for office; nothing on their qualifications or plans if elected.

Qualification is no match for money
Doctorate degrees were overshadowed by inferior reputations; ex-convicts, rapists, thugs, and mere circus performers managed to steamroll those of outstanding and distinctive reputation with cash. Money makes the impossible become possible.
No one should underestimate the capability for money to turn a normal situation upside down. It can buy loyalty, promote propaganda and lies, pay off mercenaries, be used as bribes, kill, harass, and buy votes.
In her book “101 Things You Need to Know,” Tracy Turner explains: “Say you had twelve goats and needed a sack of grain and a pair of shoes. Before money was invented, you might offer one of your goats to a local farmer in exchange for the grain, and another goat to a cobbler in return for shoes. Hang on! A whole goat seems a lot for a pair of shoes. Oh, and the cobbler doesn’t need any goats. The farmer’s up for the deal if you can give him a cow. So you then have to find someone with a spare cow who wants goats? And how many coats make a camel!?”

Money is less complicated than bartering
It is unclear where the idea of money came from but it is believed to have originated in China.
Cowry shells were believed to have been used as currency in China around the year 1200 B.C. It would take another 200 years before they began using metal money.
Native American Indians also used shells as money. This is first recorded in the 16th century (but they were probably used long before then).
In order to avoid carting around heavy coins, the Chinese introduced paper money and used it from about the 9th to the 15th century.
Elsewhere in the world, paper money wasn’t used for centuries.

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Alex P. Vidal, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo./WDJ