[p2p-research] big does not necessarily innovate: (imaginary money)

[Paul D. Fernhout]

Just goes to show the power of the imagination. :-) As long as everyone 
agrees the emperor is wearing clothes, it is just like he is. :-) Even when 
he isn't. :-)
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emperor%27s_New_Clothes

But sorry, you probably don't personally have the right technical equipment 
to make imaginary transfers all seem legitimate. :-) And probably a good 
thing as it would probably be illegal.
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_transfer

Mythologically, "quantitative easing" is a nice sounding term for legally 
printing money:
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantitative_easing
"In practical terms, the central bank purchases financial assets (mostly 
short-term), including government paper and corporate bonds, from financial 
institutions (such as banks) using money it has created ex nihilo (out of 
nothing). This process is called open market operations. The creation of 
this new money is supposed to seed the increase in the overall money supply 
through deposit multiplication by encouraging lending by these institutions 
and reducing the cost of borrowing, thereby stimulating the economy.[1] 
However, there is a risk that banks will still refuse to lend despite the 
increase in their deposits, or that the policy will be too effective, 
leading in a worst case scenario to hyperinflation.[1]"

Anyway, if banks can just magic money "ex nihilo", well, how real is it?

See also:
   http://www.moneyasdebt.net/

--Paul Fernhout
http://www.pdfernhout.net/

Ryan Lanham wrote:
> Hi Paul,
> 
> Send me all those imaginary dollars you like.  They spend fine for me.
> Money is what people take for goods and services.  Nothing more, nothing
> less.
> 
> Ryan
> 
> On Sat, Nov 7, 2009 at 12:48 AM, Paul D. Fernhout <
> pdfernhout at kurtz-fernhout.com> wrote:
> 
>> Ryan-
>>
>> As I said in another reply, mainstream economics is confused about basic
>> words like wealth and capital because it adds imaginary things (fiat
>> dollars) and real things (houses, cement mixers, land).
>>
>> To make progress on understanding this situation, somehow we have to
>> disentangle theses issues of control system (like by fiat dollar ration
>> units) and physical reality.
>>
>