Applying Yin Yang Theory to our Present Economic Picture

We may apply Taoist Yin Yang theory to help us better understand our present social economic challenges. If I diagnose our societal values by noticing what we deem worthy of a monetary economic bailout, those things that are Yang are given great weight while those things that are Yin are being depleted and not supported. The Yin weakens and dies. We use our Tax dollars to buy implements of war, create armies and make War. We also direct our money resources to bailout our financial institutions and, our banks.

Our financial institutions are not what create wealth. They appear to create wealth because they accumulate money at the top and then manipulate that money to produce more money. They do not create wealth that is synergistically distributed through our system. Real wealth is created by what we manufacture and how we transform goods to be bought and sold. Real wealth is the way a community functions to raise children, to teach them the values of the culture and to help each individual to become valued and valuable adults.
Maintaining infrastructure of towns and cities so the paths of communication are open to support a viable market place is wealth. The building of roads, community centers, medical centers and places for the arts and performance are other expressions of wealth. The creation of good schools and teachers that can teach is wealth. The creations of artists, dancers, musicians, composers, poets and writers are wealth. The creation of medical doctors, clinics and hospitals that can treat the sick and help people stay healthy and vital is wealth.

I fear our present narrow view of wealth, as money that can be invested to make a profit, is bankrupting the real wealth, the support systems of our culture that actually nourish and feed the ongoing life of a culture. In the present picture of our economy we have the Yang energy of war and finance eating the nurturing energies of education, arts and health care.