1 vote = 1 dollar

What if Americans treated their money like votes? $1 = 1 vote.

Imagine you need to buy a new Widget. You can buy that Widget at Wal-Mart for $2. You can also buy it at Trader Joe’s for $3.25.

If you buy it at Wal-Mart, you have just voted twice ($2 = 2 votes) for Wal-Mart as your primary Widget-supplier, over all the other potential Widget-suppliers out there.

If you buy it at Trader Joe’s, you have just voted three and a quarter times ($3.25 = 3.25 votes) for Trader Joe’s, over all other Widget suppliers.

That might make one think a little differently about money, the impact your spending habits have on your immediate environment, and that spending money is a powerful lever for change…

Let’s do this one more time, abbreviated:

$1 = 1 vote.

A meal at McDonald’s is, say, $6.

$6 will buy you some wonderful food at your local farmer’s market or produce stand.

So who do you want to “vote” for six times? Before you answer this, remember that this is not only six votes FOR McDonalds, it is also six votes AGAINST every single other provider of food in your area. Every restaurant, every produce stand, every fast food joint, etc. Do you really want to vote against your local farmer’s market six times? Especially when you are voting FOR McDonalds?

The next time you spend money, think of every dollar you spend as a vote FOR the philosophy and continued success of the business you just gave that money to, and a vote AGAINST every other similar business in the area.

How does that make you feel?

By Christian Jacobsen. All rights reserved.