Heraclites: The art of Dialectic

The coin pictured above is generally considered one of the great masterpieces of classical Greek art. Engraved and signed in about 400 BCE by Heraclites, it depicts a young vibrant Apollo - an eternal immutable God who routinely engages in momentary earthly passions. The image itself is engraved with an immortal skill and beauty worthy of the God it depicts, yet it is intended to be routinely exchanged in mundane transactions for earthly goods and services.

This dialectic - ideas that can be read in two seemingly opposing ways - is central to classical Greek thought. It forms the basis if Syllogism (see the last post). It informs the idea of Polemos or Struggle which is the essence of Life; it informs the very idea of Democracy, which is the process of solving societal problems through dialectic rather than by force of arms.

What a shame that Dialectic has come down to us as some arcane, incomprehensible process, known only to Elite Eggheads in their Ivory Towers. Just as every process involving the reconciling of two seemingly opposing views or situations have come to be viewed in a horribly negative light: Dilemma, which is a choice between seemingly opposing paths is now viewed as a insoluble situation. And Diabolos (diabolic, the Devil): two choices of the way a situation or attribute can be cast, is now feared as the essence of Evil.

And what does this have to do with Money? Well, money unfortunately, is very complicated. And in trying to solve the problems of our economy - to balance the problems of debt, with the problems of entitlement, defense, law, order, taxation, trade we are faced with many Dilemmas.

But we have few rhetorical skills left to sort through the complexity. Instead, we resort to casting every point of view that seems foreign, or contradictory to our own limited view as Diabolic. And we fasten on to quick easy fixes.

So, it's easy for me to criticize, right? But what's my solution?

That's easy. Buy as much gold as you can, because it will protect you when those who prefer to cast aspersions rather than find solutions have seized control of our government and our economy. And hope, meanwhile, that our children look to the past as well as the future for solutions.