The chapter starts off by depicting a portrait by famous painter Quentin Metsys called "The Money Lender and His Wife." It is a painting of two people doing ordinary tasks, but Metsys threw in a lot of symbolism into the painting, mostly Christian symbolism. The painting seems very simple but Metsys' there is a lot of complexity within the painting. For example, there is an oval mirror near the bottom of the painting, and when you look closely, you can a reflection of a detailing window. The significance of this small part is that it is a way for the painter to insert himself into the painting and at the same time the window also references the crucifix.
The overall message the painting has is that people have gone away from religion and more towards trading and making money, mercantilism. Metsys most likely made the painting in order to get people to stray away from material devotion and move back towards spiritual devotion. He wants to show that people were very eager to make money and that money would bring happiness but overall is breeds corruption. Metsys goal is just to have people realize what should be most important in their life and that is Christianity.
In Chapter 14 "The Touchstone and the Labyrinth", John Bloom goes on to talk about how he recognizes money as a way of expression, social technology, and a way to combine value with material goods. Money is more than just an object at this point, it is a part of people. He talks about how money is a physical object that represents something entirely abstract, value. This leads into his discussion about the labyrinth and the touchstone. Both are symbols and metaphors of money - physical and experiential.
The Labyrinth represents the journey that man goes on throughout his life and also represents the journey of money - transactions. Bloom continues by saying that money has a horizontal, transactions between people, and vertical meaning, value derived by the money, He also relates spiritual with physical again here by talking about the journey through the Labyrinth. Lastly, what I found interesting was that he mentions that since we left the gold standard money has become "a fiction declared as fact." Money exists because the government decreed it and the value is always changing so its very hard to measure.
For your Chapter 6 blog, I think you highlighted the main theme of the chapter. I actually went back and skimmed Ch. 6 on my own and would have liked to seen you talk about the other implications and subtleties that painter portrays. I know Metsys focuses on every nuance in his painting and there is a reason to everything he does. For example, I was curious about why the woman in the painting was looking at her husband. What I took from it was what you pointed out in your blog--mercantilism. In those times, Christianity dominated all facets of life. The woman was looking at the money lender to portray her desire for wealth instead of religiosity/devotion. I liked this chapter because like most myths the teachings they teach us transcend time.
ReplyDeleteChapter 6: I understand the artist's desire for those who view his painting to realize the need to focus on spirituality and religion rather than the material aspects of life as this is what Christianity demands. However, you have to take into account that being a part of the church also has a great deal to do with money. Churches don't just biuild themselves. Christianity specifically asks for a tithe (a tenth of all your income) to be donated to the church according to the bible. In my opinion a tenth of your income is a lot to ask for....
ReplyDeleteFor Chapter 6, I don't think that its necessarily a bad thing that people don't focus on their religion as much as they used to - when that was all that anyone cared about, we had the Crusades and Inquisition! What do you think?
ReplyDeleteChapter 6: I think one of the vices of money that Metsy is alluding to is how easily it can become the most important thing in someone's life. It becomes the standard by which they judge their happiness, success, etc. and this takes away from the spiritual standards they once followed.
ReplyDeleteI think it's important to recognize the significance of money and limitations of money, so people are educated enough to be more sympathetic about their real needs and returns to a more balanced mind when collecting and using money.
ReplyDeleteI think people think money can bring happiness because they have so many materials wants.
ReplyDeleteI don't think religion is the most important to life. People who have religious beliefs tend to rely their emotions or spirits on something other than themselves. I don't think it makes them to build a strong inner self. Also money can't bring happiness and there are so many cases such as corruption that people, even though get lots of money, but they are worried everyday because the way they got money is not ethical.
ReplyDeletethe painting seems very interesting too me. the meaning of painting is also very impressed, they way the artists interpret influence of money to express his idea on money.
ReplyDeleteChapter 6:
ReplyDeleteThis chapter sounds interesting. However, I am definitely won't be persuade by the painting that money is breeds corruption.
Chapter 14:
Your interpretation of chapter 14 is different with the another one I have read as well. I like how you summarize it clearly.
I agree money can not buy happiness but we cant live without money.
ReplyDeleteI feel that people are now extremely focus on making money rather than their spiritual life. Additionally, people willing to do anything in order to get more money.
ReplyDeleteChapter 14, instead of only religion I think that behind our behavior there is the philosophy we follow on every day's basis. Sometime we loose our values because of money, in order to do not do that, we should try to understand all together that is possible to make money staying with personal values, without selling our souls.money is not devil, but is up to us to understand how we wanna make money in which way. The labyrinth ... Money can help us to go on... Is up to us to understand which is the gate that we want though ..
ReplyDeleteIt's crucial to have a government that is able to manage money's value.. Interest rate policy of the Federal Reserve after 2008 has been crucial to come out fro, the crisis...
It would be amazing if Europe would achieve really not only on paper this power..