Stan Apps asked the following question on his blog the other day:
"A reputation economy--no $$$, only R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Is it a utopia? (And if it is a utopia for some, does that automatically make it a dystopia for others?"
And here was my answer:
"I think many poets are familiar with a respect economy, which of course shades very quickly into a prestige/reputation economy, and is therefore also related to a financial economy. Although none of these three economies is the same, they're pretty closely linked.
I think poets should rate themselves on a scale of one to ten how they think they stand in these economies.
I'm giving myself:
Respect 7
Prestige/Reputation 5
Financial 4
Of course, it's easiest to rate oneself on the financial economy, second easiest to rate prestige/reputation, and hardest to rate respect.
Which suggests therefore that a pure respect economy, which doesn't exist of course, could nonetheless not be a utopia for one simple reason: any time something important depends on what other people think of you (which is, of course, most of the time), there's no end to trouble."
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So, poet or whatever you are or do, here's your chance to rate yourself on the scales of respect, prestige, and finances.
And of course it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on these (slightly tongue in cheek but not entirely) ideas.
