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On the other hand, I wouldn't pay to build a road 10m long from my front door if I couldn't count on 100,000 of my neighbors to do the same so that I could get to work. And if I work for Ford, I'm not going to buy an iPad if I don't think that Apple engineer is going to turn around and buy a car.

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> And if I work for Ford, I'm not going to buy an iPad if I don't think that Apple engineer is going to turn around and buy a car.

What? I don't make anything that you will buy. I can guarantee it. So why should I buy your products if you won't buy mine.

That makes no sense. The way money works, it doesn't matter who is buying from who, only that things are being bought.

But each person participating has to at least make a living, so it's circular to some extent (even if the circle is pretty long).

Yes. But my decision to buy from you is still independent (mostly) of whether you'll buy from me. The premise that cmsmith presents is absurd. I'm healthy, I don't need anything from the pharmacist. But I own a restaurant, and he wants a meal. Would he really not eat at my restaurant because I don't shop at his pharmacy? That's an absurd principle.

100% agreed. Otherwise we might as well get rid of money and go back to exchanging goods directly.

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