In modern society, money has become a powerful tool that goes beyond a means of economic exchange to include power and moral judgment. As the influence of money expands in various areas such as education, healthcare, and consumption, there is a growing risk that essential values and a humane life will be undermined. Therefore, we need to carefully consider the role and limits of money in this situation and make efforts to protect the values that ensure a humane life.
“There are areas that should be protected from money,” said Michael Sendel, author of the book ‘What is Justice’. He expressed concern that market values, such as money, are threatening to take over not only the material goods of commerce, but also the knowledge systems of healthcare and education. What was Michael Sendel trying to tell us? The influence of money is so widespread that there is no longer any area of the world that it does not touch. We live in a literal golden age of universalism, where money can be used to buy things, negotiate contracts, pay for information, and even gain access to universities and political power, where knowledge and skills are important and seemingly impossible to buy.
The role of money in modern society has become more than just a means of economic exchange. It has become an important tool for gaining power and influence, and a powerful factor that can even distort moral judgment. In this context, there are fewer and fewer “money-free zones,” and basic human rights and values are increasingly subject to market logic.
Knowledge systems cannot be calculated in money and cannot be measured in value. Commoditizing it can prevent the full range of knowledge from coming out. Of course, there are people who work hard to develop information in order to make money, but the moment it comes into material contact, the pure purpose is lost. The danger that Michael Sendel was worried about is manifested in education as the transmission of knowledge. The market value of the education itself, as well as the educator and the learner, is heavily influenced by the market. Using the college admissions example from earlier, a student who is not very good at school but has a lot of money doesn’t struggle as much as others to get into college. This is because there are plenty of universities he can attend if he has the money. Universities are meant to be places of learning, but they have been turned into places where people with more money can get in better by taking advantage of profits.
Let’s also look at private education. Nowadays, even if you don’t go to school, private education, such as cram schools and tutoring, can help you study better and prepare you better for college, so many people are looking for it. However, it’s important to note that private education can obscure the essence of higher education. Education isn’t just a tool to get a high score on a test, it’s a process that cultivates critical thinking and creativity. But in a money-driven education environment, students focus on getting the answers right and lose sight of the real purpose of learning. This can lead to a lower level of knowledge in society as a whole and a lack of creative and innovative talent.
It’s not just in the knowledge sector. The healthcare system is also affected by the value of goods. We’re talking about access to healthcare, where access to quality healthcare is being bought with money, Sendel said. Healthcare, which is directly linked to people’s health, needs to be viewed with more caution. Access to healthcare is being purchased with money, which means that people who need quality health technologies are able to pay for them. Everyone wants access to quality healthcare. While there are healthcare benefits for the most vulnerable in society in healthcare systems, it’s not just the poor who are essentially denied access to better healthcare.
This problem is also evident in the inequality between countries. In developing countries, the quality of health services is much lower, and one of the reasons why medical technology has been slow to develop is that these countries cannot afford to introduce new technologies into their public institutions. Here, however, access to healthcare seems to be more difficult due to a combination of factors, including price, but also other governmental responses and conflicting cultural factors. This, in turn, creates an absurd reality where survivability is determined by having or not having money.
What about consumption, which is a huge part of our lives? Large retailers are scrambling to provide consumers with cheap and abundant products. There is a point at which cheapness becomes socially acceptable. When you focus on price to compete with other companies, you don’t get the right quality of service. There is also the risk of monopolization and the possibility that the cheapest company will dominate access to goods. In this consumption system, we need to find ways to make life work for everyone, not just ourselves.
There needs to be investment and collaboration in community development. This is not just about keeping small and medium-sized merchants employed, but also about revitalizing local economies and ultimately contributing to the stability of national economies. Consumers should also pursue their right to demand better quality goods with the right consumer awareness, rather than the primary idea of “cheap is best”. This starts with consumers recognizing that they are important market actors, aware of the consequences of their choices, and practicing responsible consumption.
Overall, while money is an essential commodity in our lives, it should be avoided in areas where we need to make progress for everyone. The more influential money becomes, the more carefully we need to set its role and limits, and the more vigilant we need to be to ensure that the values that ensure a decent life are not undermined by market logic.
