For those who take it for granted that the land they live belong to no one, it would not be acceptable for them the idea of land ownership.
They would have gladly accept three thalers in exchange for the land they live and see in front of them. For them three means simply a lot and the land means just nothing.
They didn't expect themselves to be expelled from the land after exchange was made.
Is this a reference to the Aboriginees in Australia?
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's true that the land means nothing to them. They don't (didn't) understand the concept of buying and selling it, though. They probably thought people were giving them money in return for the favour of being allowed to pass through the land and/or using it as the natives did. And they thought the land was big enough for everybody. A sad mistake.
ReplyDeleteThere are many big enough matters around us.
ReplyDeleteToday's world, land ownership is something that is completely taken for granted. But I must say this is the beginning of the very dangerous currents toward the ownership of lots of public property in future.
Someone start claiming they own 'time' and they start selling time to those who not have time. Otherwise others are killed.
Someone start claiming they own 'air' and they start selling air to those who not have air. Otherwise others are choked.
Someone start claiming they own 'sunshine' and they start selling sunshine to those who not have sunshine. Otherwise others are put in building.
Someone start claiming they own 'water' and start selling water to those who not have water. Otherwise others are dehydrated.
It's only fortunate for us that few noticed such possibilities.
I have heard some underdeveloped tribes count numbers as one, two, many. It is merely my guess that they might have agreed to exchange their land to three thalers.
ReplyDeleteYes, I understood you were guessing. One, two, many is perhaps an exaggeration, but you've got a point. The bottom line is, I suppose, that money meant nothing to them; maybe they thought "hey, we get three shiny pieces of metal for something nobody can own, those white men are SO stupid".
ReplyDeleteYour scary possibilities aren't far out either. Water is already sold. Time is bought by employers, and if they can get away with paying you less per hour, they may soon own all your waking hours.