Easy-earned money, hard-earned moneyEvery bit more income is harder to earn. The achievement society principle destroys humans with its demand to earn ever more, ever harder-earned money.Once upon a time there was a farmer who had a cow. The neighbour came along wanting milk. That was the most easily earned money but it wasn't enough. The farmer expanded, until he had 9 cows and a wagon with which he drove to the market and sold the milk. Now his income was sufficient to lead a very modest life, but it was more difficult to earn than when the neighbour just came to the farm. Then came a rep from a dairy in the next big city. He offered incredibly low prices but with 40 cows that would earn him enough money to pay back the credit for the cowshed and all the modern equipment. The farmer didn't have enough pastures so first he bought animal feed in the nearest town, then in the neighbouring country and then from a different continent. You have to keep up with the times and modernize. The buying agent of a large discount chain finally made him realize that in order to double his earnings he had to have 500 instead of 50 cows. Obviously, the more the better, even though the profit margin is somewhat narrower.
Due to the higher oil prices, which raise the costs of the whole product chain from the fertilizer and the tractor to transport, we unfortunately have no choice but to raise our prices by 6.4%. The farmer read the letter with trembling hands. Everything had been so tightly calculated, that this price increase was a catastrophe and would take him into the red. After failing to pay several installments, the bank demanded repayment of the credit. Today, the farmer is unemployed and has no property. He has enough time to make the most of cheap shopping opportunities. Today he rides 10km on his bike to buy milk directly from a farmer. |
