Monday, April 28, 2008

Cost: 361st Idea















Costs are everwhere. Mostly costs relate to industrialized economic life but can also pertain to natural systems such as ecologies, the dynamic tug of war on the chessboard or a daring attack on the soccor field, or the necessary triage in choosing one survivor or donor recipient over another.

Costs are paid by users, borne by taxholders, assumed by churchgoers, private business owners, or large public enterprises. Costs are always paid, for if someone is the cause of a cost, someone always pays. If a company dumps toxic waste into soil, even if the executives or shareholders are long since departed, where it no longer exists, if this land is to be used in a way needing restoration, then someone else must pay.

In a more positive light, a creative person might travel the world collecting rare Tibetan Tankas, only to give them all away latter to a refined religious foundation--not for profit or covetousness, but for love of beauty so that others can charitably enjoy them more. Nevermind the financial costs, but the many travels, trips to strange if not unforgiving and inhospitable mountain villages, or missed meals. These, too, are all costs!

Such a person would not only have taken great expense and trouble, but might have--as an example--forgone several opportunities to marry, or take advanced promotions for more pay or to assume far more physical and emotional comfort: all for one end.

Such things are all costs, and all things have them, all relationships have them, and may or may not confir an equal or greater benefit. Costs necessarily are exchanged for necessary things which may in fact give nothing. Costs are part of life and enter all events and organic systems.

No comments: