The Double Meaning of Money

How does monetization affect interpersonal relationships? Drawing on social phenomenology, I argue that an answer must account for money’s symbolic dualism: On the one hand, as Zelizer has shown, money is differentially earmarked according to the interpersonal relationships it flows through. On the other hand, in everyday life, people tend to associate money with cold impersonality. Money’s dual association with both the interpersonal and the impersonal imbues the relationships it flows through with a sense of risk, which I call “the risk of lost meanings.” Analyzing the implications of this sense of risk, I argue that it turns trust into a relational preoccupation and constrains intersubjective experience. The risk of lost meanings may motivate risk-avoidance strategies, but these strategies are largely counterproductive. Shedding new light on a long-standing debate in the sociology of money, I discuss the implications of this argument for analyses of monetary developments and local currencies.

Mencermati Hakikat Uang dalam Perspektif Pentakosta-Karismatik

This study was to explore the meaning of money in the Charismatic Pentecostal perspective. The method used was descriptive analysis through literature study. Through this study it was concluded that the Charismatic Pentecostals see the money is not merely needed to meet the daily life needs, it’s also as means of service to God. Service to God itself is not limited only in the form of ecclesiastical ministry, but also includes every work to promote a good life in this world.Abstrak. Penelitian ini berusaha mencermati pemaknaan uang dalam prespektif Pentakosta Karismatik. Metode yang digunakan adalah deskriptif analisis melalui kajian literatur. Berdasarkan kajian penelitian ini kaum Pentakosta Karismatik berpandangan bahwa uang selain dibutuhkan untuk mencukupi kebutuhan hidup sehari-hari, uang juga sebagai sarana pelayanan kepada Tuhan. Pelayanan kepada Tuhan itu sendiri tidak dibatasi hanya dalam bentuk pelayanan gerejawi, tetapi mencakup juga setiap karya untuk mewujudkan kehidupan yang baik di dunia ini.

The Social Meaning of Money in Nonprofit Organizations: A Case Study of Formal and Informal Earmarking of Money

By studying mechanisms, justifications, and valuations, this article analyzes the social meaning of earmarked money in a nonprofit organization. Focusing on the social meaning of money implies gaining insights into the moral underpinnings and justifications of the origin and generation of money as well as processes by which various streams of money are earmarked. Based on previous literature as well as our own research, we offer two models for understanding and studying processes that earmark and justify the earmarking of money. We illustrate the relevance of these models in a case study of the nonprofit organization IOGT-NTO in Sweden. We conclude the article by presenting key implications for nonprofit leadership and future research, including the recommendation that leaders need to analyze earmarking processes as well as how these processes affect organizations and to what ends money may be used.

“You Don’t Want to Feel Poor All the Time”: What SNAP Means to Low-Income Philadelphia Residents

Through participant observation while grocery shopping, and 37 in-depth interviews with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients, we describe the social meanings of SNAP dollars to low-income Philadelphia residents. We make three contributions to the study of food insecurity and SNAP. First, we confirm the literature showing that SNAP covers less than half of a monthly food budget. Second, we apply the “social meaning of money” theory to show that our respondents did not equate or spend SNAP dollars the same way they spent other forms of money. Spending SNAP dollars allowed for a temporary escape from the stresses of poverty. And third, we describe the cultural capital (habits and shared meanings) that is necessary to feed a family on a limited budget. In the SNAP market, the cultural capital accumulated through poverty is more valuable than the cultural capital obtained through wealth. Thus, we push for a more nuanced understanding of cultural capital among poverty scholars that keeps the focus on the contextual and interactional nature of this concept.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF MONEY IN THE MODERN CONDITIONS

How often does money appear in our lives? Each of us has somehow thought about the nature of money, and also thought about the question: "what if money did not exist?" Everyone determines the importance of such a phenomenon as money for himself individually. Some people perceive money as a thing, and for some it is a whole philosophy. Nowadays, people really put money above personality and spirituality. This is a serious anthropological problem of the whole modern society. The article offers answers to questions about the role of money in human life. It also clarifies the philosophical meaning of money, how it has developed historically and its features in modern society.