What is value?

What is value, and why does it matter? Value is subjective. A value is a value of something, for someone. And it matters because it's vastly misunderstood. You could say, "value's a bitch". Or you could marvel at the beauty of it, and the actual, non-sacrificial options and freedoms it offers you. Either way, the laws of economics are as solid as the rules of gravity or game.

What is a job? A job is when someone gives you money in exchange for something that has value for him. Don't like money? Fine: don't expect someone to give it to you. Think your value as a human being isn't only your value as a worker? Of course not: value is subjective. You might have value for a lot of people for a lot of other reasons. But you don't expect them to pay you a salary, do you?

This is one of the great confusions of today's education system. People will tell you to choose an education, a career, based on whatever has value for you. But that's a confusion of categories. Just because something has value for you, doesn't mean it has value for other people. And if something has no value for other people, why should those people give you money for it? Hmm. Obvious, but not trivial. If you expect people to give you money, you have to give them what they want in exchange for that money. That's it. You can call that moral or immoral, won't change a thing about it. If something has value only for you, it's a hobby, not a job. Wanna study something that's only a hobby? By all means. But please, don't confuse the two.

And don't think your "hobbies" are somehow less egotistical just because you put "effort" or "talent" into them, or because some idiots take them seriously. Your producing sweat by being the fastest runner in the world doesn't create any more value for me than your producing sweat by sunbathing in Hawaii, or by having sex. And I won't pay you a penny for either. Some idiot is ready to pay you for one of these? Good for you. But don't think you have a holy right to expect it, or a holy right to expect a job after sacrificing your youth in studying "gender studies" or "art history".

If you want people to give you money, you have to give them something in return. It's that simple. Think about that when you choose your field of studies. Think about it when you write your resume, when you apply for a job, when you do a job interview, or even when you go into business on your own.