Currency: That which is in circulation, or is given and taken as having or representing value; as, the currency of a country; a specie currency; esp., government or bank notes circulating as a substitute for metallic money. (Webster 1913)
Information is the most widely traded
commodity in the world. It's the dawn of a new era, apparently. I believe that some are calling it the
Information Age. Information is everywhere. I trip over the stuff every day. The internet is chock-full of information.
- Some of this information is inaccurate.
- Some of this information is false.
- Some of this information is useless.
Information is not a currency. Information is nothing without
credibility. It's
funny money -- nobody can tell if it's worth anything or not. The worth of information is determined by the credibility of the disseminator. If you are credible; that is to say that if I can accept that information from you is by-and-large
accurate,
true and
useful, then you have wealth. We all trade in credibility -- that's what keeps your boss from second-guessing you.
When you read this write-up, you're wondering about my credibility. Do you think this is
true? Do you think this is false? Do you think that this idea has any
merit at all? Well, seeing as how this is a theory, and also noting that my only
proofs are easily verified, the only thing that you have to go on is my credibility. Am I credible? That's up to you to
decide.
What about cool
cash? Well, if you're credible you won't be lacking in it. Aside from that, though, what is more valuable:
- Having credibility?
- Having one million dollars?
Personally, I'd pick the credibility. When you spend credibility, you receive much more
bang for your buck than you do dropping fifty grand on a
sports car. And not only that, but if you spend wisely your reserve is not
depleted. Someone who has no credibility is
impotent. Powerless.
Without credibility, nothing that you say or write will be of any
consequence. It will be derided. Discrediting someone, whether through
argumentum ad hominem (
demonisation) or bullet points, will -- if done thoroughly enough -- ensure that they are removed from whichever
arena was being contested.
There is no
power without credibility. Power is more valuable than pieces of paper that you can exchange for cigarettes and booze. The entire foundation of paper money is based on credibility -- do you trust your
Treasury Department? Good. If you didn't, the world economy would rather swiftly
collapse. If you said "no" to the above, then I will assume you engage in
barter for all goods and services. Of course, bartering requires credibility, too!
Credibility is that by which we measure the worth of information, just as currency is that by which we measure the worth of a commodity.
Keep that in mind when you're ten write-ups from your next level and decide to do them
quick and dirty. Or when you have a
brilliant idea to auto-node something inane. You're
breaching your own credibility, at least insofar as E2 is concerned.