Money

The most important thing to understand about money is that it has no intrinsic value. Paper, coins, precious metals, and gemstones hold no real worth on their own. You cannot eat them, live in them, use them for transportation, or rely on them for medical care. Their primary value lies not in what they are, but in what they allow you to obtain.

Money is a mutually agreed-upon medium of exchange that facilitates commerce. Without it, all goods and services would need to be acquired through direct bartering. With money, individuals can sell goods or services, receive money in return, and later use it to obtain what they need and want. Throughout history, societies have used various forms of money—from gold and silver to paper currency and digital transactions. While these forms of money have changed, the fundamental purpose remains the same: to serve as a medium of exchange that simplifies trade and commerce.

To illustrate this point, consider the following scenario: You are about to be stranded on a deserted island in the Pacific Ocean for three months with no contact with the outside world. You are given two options: 1. Receive $1 million in any currency of your choice. 2. Receive $25,000 worth of camping and outdoor supplies, along with an unlimited shopping trip at the local grocery store for shelf-stable food and drinks. Which would you choose? If you pick the money, don't worry—I’ll return in a month or 2 to collect the cash along with your remains.

In the context of SSOL, the goal is to remove the uncertainty of money’s value when it comes to affording basic necessities. If you work 40 hours a week, your paycheck will be enough to cover all the essential items defined in the SSOL framework. Whether the minimum wage is $5, $20, or $50 per hour does not matter—what matters is that it equates to the cost of living as defined by SSOL.

One of the biggest challenges with money today is its fluctuating value due to inflation. If wages remain stagnant while prices rise, workers struggle to maintain their standard of living. The SSOL model removes this uncertainty by ensuring that wages always align with real-world costs, maintaining purchasing power regardless of inflation trends.

Instead of forcing minimum-wage workers—the 99%—to figure out how to afford basic necessities on inadequate wages, SSOL shifts the responsibility to the largest employers, policymakers, and industry leaders—the 1%—to make essential goods and services as affordable as possible. The issue is not that the top 1% control vast wealth, but rather that those at the bottom struggle to afford even their most basic needs. SSOL ensures that wages are tied directly to the actual cost of living, making financial security accessible to all who work.