When money interferes in a relationship, it changes the dynamic. Social norms and market rules come into conflict. For example, imagine a couple on a date, and when the man takes the woman home, he says, “I spent $100 on you today.” Suddenly, a romantic relationship shifts into a market transaction. Messages like “Next time, it’s your turn to pay” and “I did this for you today” appear. The benefits of social norms differ from those of market rules. Both are necessary, but the relationship is affected by when, how, and to whom they are applied. A person who fails to strike a balance between these two aspects risks damaging relationships and harming communities. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
In the 2009 Korean film ‘Castaway on the Moon,’ a character states, “Desire makes humans smarter.” This reflects the protagonist’s ingenuity in creating useful tools from discarded items to survive on a deserted island. While knowledge enhances human understanding, it is desire that turns that knowledge into practical applications. Maslow was among the first to focus on this concept of desire in social science research. Understanding and addressing desires essentially means understanding humanity. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”