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Georg Simmel wrote, "Money, with all its colorlessness and indifference, becomes the common denominator of all values; irreparably it hollows out the core of things, their individuality, their specific value, and their incomparability. All things float with equal specific gravity in the constantly moving stream of money. All things lie on the same level and differ from one another only in the size of the area which they cover."
Measuring value in monetary terms is deeply erroneous. It is certainly possible to monetize the value of telling a bedtime story, or pushing your kids on the swing at the park, or taking your wife for an evening out, but the monetary calculation does not, for obvious reasons, come close to expressing real value. Yet, we are tempted by our economic order to evaluate everything in terms of money, so that if something is more expensive it must therefore be more valuable. But God is the one who assesses value, not the capitalist economy, and the highest things that God values are His kingdom, righteousness, and the pursuit of holiness; what does the Lord value but humility and justice and compassion.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Thursday, September 29, 2005 at 03:47 PM
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