The Exchange – Reciprocity

I have been curiously fascinated by the intricate dances we do as humans in the many relationships we maintain with each other and the planet. We can embrace the foundation of personal, economic, and relational abundance in our practice of reciprocity towards each other and the earth. Participating in each other’s evolution and prosperity. Reciprocity is how all things and people naturally want to relate. We all seek reciprocity in our relationships, with each other, in our work, with the planet. Creating a balance.

Relationship Reciprocity

I have learned a lot after much travel throughout the world, learning about the different cultures and how they do love relationships. The reference point I have is from America and western society. What I see people are looking for in the west is chemistry. Feelings of excitement that come along with butterflies in the belly and a desire to always be together. This chemistry comes first before anything else. They call this a love relationship, a relationship by choice and not by arrangement.

From that initial chemistry in a love relationship, we learn how to be equally supportive of one another and provide each other with the same level of trust, care, and affection. We learn what each other needs are in emotional connection, money, and sexuality when that initial chemistry is at play. Then we learn how to love each other once that initial charge of chemistry wears off and we begin to realize our own projections of each other. The relational exchange of reciprocity begins from the initial charge of chemistry between the two people.

After being exposed to arranged marriages in the Hindu and Muslim countries, the lens I have looked through changed. In this model, how I see it, there most likely is not that electrical charge of chemistry. Two families come together and present the children to each other as potential life mates in marriage relationship. The two then learn how to navigate life together first and learn how to deal with life’s challenges and love each other. The families want to do their best to make sure the mates for their children are suitable for life partnership, supported by their parents in ways that make navigating a life partnership effective and compassionate.

Having spent some time in S.E. Asia I am learning more and more about how people here sometimes navigate relationships. The diverse economic realities lend itself to different choices to be made based purely on economics. It’s almost like a business deal. Many men come from the west to live here and find a suitable mate/wife. There is most likely a language and cultural barrier. The western male typically brings the economic stability, and the locals bring their care and love. The emotional connection may or may not come into play or even exist. The reciprocating exchange is economic stability for care and love.

Capitalism – A Moral Reciprocity

The main capitalist ideal is for business to maximize profits. It takes little or nothing into consideration any moral or ethical responsibilities or obligations towards workers, customers, or the planet. Shouldn’t business have a responsibility to those who are dependent on them for security instead of the bottom line of making money? Don’t we have reciprocal obligations to treat one another as a human family instead of some materialistic and economic social contract?

If there would be some sort of moral compass to guide capitalism and its growth, what might be some guiding principles that could benefit everyone?

The philosopher and economist Adam Smith’s principle of the invisible hand describes a possible moral guide for capitalism. Smith describes people pursuing their own self-interest in free markets are led—as if by an invisible hand—to make everyone in society as well off as possible. People usually support capitalism because it is alleged to deliver higher living standards and more economic freedom than alternative economic systems.

There is an assumption that human needs can be satisfied through economic prosperity. I think we got that all backwards. It’s most of the people who create the material goods and economic growth, not one individual. The individual’s self-interest does not promote the common good, reciprocity does. Cooperation creates prosperity for our lives to survive.

Capitalism needs a way to be controlled to distribute economic wealth amongst the population. There have been several countries who have been moderately successful establishing some socialism to care for the people through health care and education than the oligarchy in the

USA. Political parties differ in terms of the degree of government intervention deemed necessary to redistribute the economic pie.