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What Can't Money Buy?

March 31, 2011 77 Comments

Are there things that money shouldn’t be able to buy? What are they?

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Comments

  1. hesunja says:
    May 7, 2011 at 10:23 am

    If it is not be able to counted by using number, we can't buy it, like as moral virtue.
    ex) happiness, faith,love,satisfaction,honesty…

    Number means " one ,once, one time, for one period….etc"

    Reply
    • The Learned Hand says:
      June 15, 2011 at 8:49 am

      Actually, according to classical (Benthamite) Utilitarianism you can ascribe numerical value to anything that diminishes pain (calculated as dolors) and maximises pleasure (calculated as hedons) using the 'Felicific Calculus' (See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felicific_calculus).

      Under this model you could theoretically figure out the best action and potentially ascribe a monetary value to it. For example (channeling Peter Singer): Saving a drowning child and ruining your expensive shoes versus giving money to a charity to feed a hungry child. For the same price of the shoes, you could prevent the starvation of a child in a third world country.

      Reply
  2. hesunja says:
    May 8, 2011 at 4:13 am

    If we can own nothing, we can buy nothing.Because there's notiing to sell.
    So, if it is not be able to be owned by us, we can't sell it for money
    ex) wind : we can't own it, so we can't buy it. cloud, sun, moon,,,,

    Although we own something to sell , if we can't find a way to trade it, money can't buy it.
    ex) skilled brains ,genius I.Q. artistic sense…

    The consequence is that money can buy anything if it is able to be counted, owned, traded.

    But, if there should be something that money can't buy, why?
    We must present the reason why it should be.
    There must be teleological and methodological reasons.

    Reply
  3. hesunja says:
    May 9, 2011 at 5:15 am

    U.S government can assign U.S people an obligation.

    An obligation not to buy or sell something for money is here.
    "U.S people should not buy or sell somthing, if it is forbidden by U.S government"

    Because you are U.S people, you are not free from the obligation.
    But,the democrats will insist that …
    "This obligation is unconstitutional. To forbid trade is to forbid democracy.
    Money can buy anything, if it is able to be counted, owned, traded."

    However, a libertarian will say..
    "Selling one's sperm is accord closely with the concept that he owns his body.
    But owning is limiting freedom. So,owning his body is infringing his right.
    And because everybody has individual right(freedom,inalienable right), nobody
    can transfer the ownership of his body to buyer. So, nobody can sell his sperm"

    Reply
  4. hesunja says:
    May 9, 2011 at 9:15 am

    U.S government can assign U.S people an obligation.

    An obligation not to buy or sell something for money is here.
    “U.S people should not buy or sell somthing, if it is forbidden by U.S government”

    Because you are U.S people, you are not free from the obligation.
    But,the democrats will insist that …
    “This obligation is unconstitutional. To forbid trade is to forbid democracy.
    Money can buy anything, if it is able to be counted, owned, traded.”

    However, a libertarian will say..
    “Selling one's sperm is accord closely with the concept that he owns his body.
    But owning is limiting freedom. So,owning his body is infringing his right.
    And because everybody has individual right(freedom,inalienable right), nobody
    can transfer the ownership of his body to buyer. So, nobody can sell his sperm”

    Reply
  5. Robert Carnival says:
    May 23, 2011 at 12:23 am

    In a socity, what money cannot buy is democracy's virtues.

    Reply
  6. Alexvb says:
    May 27, 2011 at 5:08 am

    I think Hesunja is right

    Reply
  7. Sylvia says:
    May 30, 2011 at 9:17 am

    There is a saying, If there is one thing you cannot buy with money, it is just because that you do not pay enough.

    Reply
    • Douglas says:
      May 30, 2011 at 9:41 am

      If there is one thing money should not be allowed to buy, I'd say that would be elections.

      Reply
      • Sylvia says:
        May 31, 2011 at 7:24 am

        I did not mean the saying is right, but it actually is a belief held by many people… and when I consider it, I will say, u r right. There is something money should not be allowed to buy, but at the same time, the circumstances could be very complicated in the reality…The poor, in my country, often have to let their families die just because they do not have enough money to pay for the medical, or the patients even have no chance to go to the hospital…But the rich, can have their families' life lasted as long as possible, by giving the best medical treatments, senting for the best doctors etc.
        When I face this situation, I could hardly say that money could not buy people's life…

        Reply
    • anran says:
      June 11, 2011 at 11:17 am

      That is to say,if you pay enough,you can buy love?you can make someone fall in love with you through paying enough?

      Reply
    • Tom says:
      June 15, 2011 at 8:14 am

      A dog's loyalty. All the money in the world can't change a dog's heart to follow a stranger with big bucks.

      Reply
  8. Aung Shing Marma says:
    May 31, 2011 at 9:33 am

    Money can not buy life.
    Everyone is born to die.
    Money can buy only something, not everything.
    Money can not merit. It can not the GODS

    Reply
  9. Beth says:
    June 8, 2011 at 4:03 am

    Truly, the only thing you cannot buy in this world is love. You can buy freedom with enough money…simply buy a boat and enough goods to last and sail off into the horizon and you become your own master. You can buy power, buy a company and hire employees who depend on you and the paycheck you cut them every two weeks and you have power over them. If you want to hold public office, you can buy advertising, hire a public relations firm, and people to campaign for you and with enough money backing you, the likelihood of holding public office is very high. Want an attractive wife or husband? Become wealthy and they flock to you in droves! Want sex, it's for sale everywhere. Want enough drugs or liquor to keep you in a stupor? Those are available as well for a price. If your reputation becomes ruined, enough money can buy you positive media attention and public relations to make everyone forget your past indiscretions and you can be akin to Mother Teresa if that's what you want! But love…no, that is the only thing that cannot be bought for it is priceless, and there is no amount of money that will make someone fall in love with you, or you fall in love with someone else. Lust is easy, but love…no. Everyone wants it, from the richest person to the poorest, but no amount of money can purchase it, it has to be freely given, and that is what makes it the most precious thing in the world.

    Reply
  10. Stephen Wilkus says:
    June 8, 2011 at 6:58 am

    According to the song by Guy Clark,

    Homegrown tomatoes homegrown tomatoes
    What’d life be without homegrown tomatoes
    Only two things that money can’t buy
    That’s true love & homegrown tomatoes

    Reply
    • 正 says:
      June 8, 2011 at 9:49 am

      我赞同金钱买不到真正的爱，我觉得物质生活远远比不上精神生活！
      在中国，有句俗语，钱不是万能，但没有钱是万万不能的！

      Reply
  11. zou says:
    June 15, 2011 at 3:28 am

    I think most of the previous posters misunderstood the point of the question. The issue here is not whether money *can* or *cannot* buy something, but whether it should be *allowed* to in the first place.

    My opinion is that there are goods and services that should not be allowed to be sold in the market, because they otherwise would easily lead to some form of coercion. Two simple examples come to mind: the one in the video about surrogate mothers giving up their right to emotional bond with their babies for money, and likewise poor people mutilating themselves to sell their organs (refer to 'iranian kidney bargain sale' as an example http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/iranian_kidn…

    Reply
  12. The Learned Hand says:
    June 15, 2011 at 8:39 am

    There may be no such thing as a free lunch but there is such a thing as free labour. Money doesn't always buy labour. I am thinking of unpaid domestic labour for instance.

    Reply
    • The Learned Hand says:
      June 15, 2011 at 8:54 am

      - I guess the question I want to point to is whether or not under the circumstances of unpaid domestic labour. Should the individuals under that setting be remunerated? I'm betting the cost would be phenomenal and it would be so odd to ascribe a monetary value to something like: 'Making a sandwich and packing a lunch for your child to take to school'

      Reply
  13. Gretta says:
    June 15, 2011 at 5:51 pm

    In a just society, money should not be able to buy the most basic needs of human beings; food, shelter, basic health, relief from suffering, safety.

    Reply
    • jeffreyw75 says:
      June 16, 2011 at 10:50 am

      Interesting thought Gretta. What are you suggesting here though? How would you divide up these necessities apart from a market system? I'm assuming you are saying these shouldn't be bought and sold because they are necessities and every person should have equal access to them regardless of their wealth. I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with you, but another thing I might suggest adding to your list is land, since humans are land-based creatures and need land to survive-they can only swim for so long, or jump so high before coming back to the ground.

      Reply
      • dhwang says:
        June 17, 2011 at 10:54 am

        Land unlike food and shelter as a basic need is theoretically limited until humans colonize the water or outer space. As the population grows the average per person land holding lessens. Should any marketing system be able to increase its land ownership by reducing someone elses? I believe that society can without limiting the other basic needs like food or shelter. If land were equally distributed and you wanted a little more and I were willing to reduce mine I could trade, barter or sell you some or all of mine. In return I would receive something of value (money) that I could use to acquire something else. I don't think you can do this with the other basic needs.

        Reply
    • dhwang says:
      June 17, 2011 at 10:21 am

      In a just society basic needs should be provided to all and those costs shared by all. Historically the family and tribe defined and satisfied those basic needs. Collectively the members either suffered or prospered. In more complex social systems the list of basic needs besides food and shelter grew and the individual played a much greater role in determing what needs are basic to him/her often with divergent and often conflicting disasterous results.

      Reply
    • helen_chen says:
      June 17, 2011 at 11:24 am

      that is Utopia, or so called "communism" society…LOL

      Reply
      • jeffreyw75 says:
        June 17, 2011 at 11:49 am

        Helen, that is what I thought the first time I read this post. I think there is a difference between the people of our society today versus the people in tribes and such of yesterday. I could be wrong though. My thoughts on this are that we are more materialistic and less focused on community and working together. Maybe part of that has to do with how much bigger our communities are and our dependence on necessities don't come from the community, they come from afar on large retail supply trucks. But this idea sounds like what the Soviets at least partly tried, and it didn't work out. People just aren't good working together for the common good these days maybe? Or we want more than we need? I don't know.

        Reply
        • helen_chen says:
          June 17, 2011 at 11:58 am

          human beings are complicated. every individual has his own thoughts and personality. Maybe thats why god forbid to eat apple. once we get wisdom or we can say thinking ability, things get complex. We cannot unify by one thought. I guess it's better all of us being silly, might be happier…lol

          Reply
    • breadntea says:
      June 28, 2011 at 10:23 am

      Though I don't think it's possible to possess items you mention without money in our country, but Gretta, I like your idea. These fundamental needs of human should at least be easily be owned under very low cost, that is very affordable.

      In Hong Kong and Macau, also some very crowded cities, the price of an apartment is so high that it's almost impossible for people to own one. The real estate developer makes such big profit for something which is the basic need of people. Rich people gets too rich, and the poor becomes poorer. Is it something that should happen in society which enact fairness?

      Reply
  14. tjokorda eka says:
    June 16, 2011 at 4:41 am

    Money can't buy the uncountable when you try to denominated those uncountable in an exact value, so its in theory, in practice its a different case. Faith for examples, by giving some money to help poor people to buy their lunch or giving medicine to the one in need, later on it will be hard for them to refuse your invitation to come to your church or temple. For most of religions exist today it is common to practice such thing in order to gather more followers. Happiness ? go ask people in the ghetto around the world and ask what they need. its true money can not guarantee your life time happiness, because comes with it is a new level of happiness to achieve but most of people don't give a damn about what tomorrow would brings as long as they happy now. As long as we conquered by passion there's nothing that money can't buy,

    Reply
  15. jeffreyw75 says:
    June 16, 2011 at 10:43 am

    What shouldn't money be allowed to buy? Whatever a particular society decides that money shouldn't be allowed to buy. Unfortunately, there often isn't a consistent approach to this, and the underlying rationale and values that are used to support the ban on buying particular items is often faulty or inconsistent, or just a cover for other reasons.

    Reply
    • jeffreyw75 says:
      June 16, 2011 at 11:00 am

      It is better if reasonable people can stop and agree on (and understand) the underlying rationale and values they are trying to preserve by banning the buying and selling of a particular thing.

      Reply
    • dhwang says:
      June 17, 2011 at 10:29 am

      would your answer be the same if you owned all of the money or you had much more than anyone else. can a society without your resources be able to dictate what you are allowed to buy? I believe that it can and is justified in taking away that advantage.

      Reply
      • jeffreyw75 says:
        June 17, 2011 at 11:53 am

        Well, the question isn't what can money not buy, but what shouldn't money be able to buy. Under your fact scenario, it would depend on what you mean by resources. Do I also have my own army to put down oppposition? If so, then I suppose society wouldn't be able to. But that doesn't mean that society "shouldn't" be able to.

        Reply
    • Pierce Cunningham says:
      July 4, 2011 at 10:07 am

      The natural law determines what should be allowed or not allowed, not a particular society. History is replete with examples of what happens when "society" is the judge.

      Reply
      • jeffreyw75 says:
        July 4, 2011 at 11:12 am

        Pierce, do you want to answer the question then and state how you think your view of natural law answers the question-how "natural law" directs what society should or should not be able to buy?

        Reply
  16. jeffreyw75 says:
    June 16, 2011 at 10:56 am

    Well, what if instead of allowing a person to buy another person, you allow them to accumulate all the wealth and resources and give that other person nothing or very little, so that the poor person now must come to the wealthy person for anything and everything they need or want? And the wealthy person can dictate the rules by which he will allow the poor person to utilize some of the resources. Force the poor person to work long hours, under demanding conditions, and pay him just enough to survive.

    The wealthy person didn't technically buy the poor person, just bought up all the stuff around him so there was nothing left for the poor person. And then the wealthy person passes it along to his descendants, and the poor person's descendants have nothing. But under your rule, technically the wealthy person hasn't bought the other person. But the living conditions for the poor person seem to be about the same as if the wealthy person had just bought the poor person.

    Reply
    • jeffreyw75 says:
      June 16, 2011 at 10:56 am

      And if the wealthy person did buy the poor person-had a property interest in him-some more thoughtful owners might be more inclined to take better care of their property versus a fungible laborer that comes asking for scraps when so many others around him can do the job just as easily once the first one is worn out.

      Reply
  17. Seon Lee says:
    June 17, 2011 at 2:55 am

    I know my family will never be up to for sale.

    Reply
  18. helen_chen says:
    June 17, 2011 at 11:05 am

    money cannot buy health, true love

    Reply
    • dhwang says:
      June 17, 2011 at 11:37 am

      Absolutely neither a rich man or a poor man can buy health for incurable diseases. But with money or health insurance you will be able to withstand the ravages of ill health much better than the poor man.
      Agreed about true love as well. But with enough money I can certainly purchase everything up to the point true love begins.

      Reply
    • breadntea says:
      June 28, 2011 at 10:30 am

      Sure money can buy health. With sufficient income, you can buy healthy food, time for exercise, therapies when you are depressed, or simply shopping while in bad mood. You can afford better medicines and better doctors. Or even a human kidney in black market.

      Reply
  19. Elaine says:
    June 18, 2011 at 1:07 pm

    As humans, we hold humans as sacred and not up for sale.

    We do, however, pay persons to risk sacrificing their lives for us.
    Think of firemen, police officers etc.

    What is the difference between this role and say a person who wants to sell his/her bone marrow?
    We would be paying someone to risk sacrificing his/her life with a good chance of a positive outcome.

    I need clarification on this point. Any takers?

    Reply
    • Harry says:
      June 20, 2011 at 6:59 pm

      I think it is illegal to sell bone marrow in the USA. Israel allows the sale of organs to the highest bidder: kidneys for example. There is a significant difference between a person putting themselves in harms way (fireman) and a person transferring a germination method: sperm, egg. One risks life and the risk taker consents, the other gives life and involves the lack of consent of the yet to be born human. One student mentioned this in the context of a mother's right to her baby. It is also true a child has a right to a mother and a father. The biological fact that the act of creation by a father is but a fleeting moment compared to pregnancy was an easy laugh for these students, but is a right that is not so slight. It is in every way equal to motherhood. It takes two hands to make a clapping sound.

      Reply
  20. Harry says:
    June 20, 2011 at 6:51 pm

    States have enacted laws to regulate the Baby M mess. I sat on an advisory committee for one state. We recommended no consent be binding until 72 hours postpartum, which is the same as the consent rules for biological mothers in adoptions. Although the professor begins by saying ignore the legal stuff (and for teaching purposes that is a valid design) picture the trial judge with the sperm donor and the surrogate mother before him/her. See what the judge had to see. It is a King Solomon moment, is it not?

    A contract to sell a baby is unenforceable because it is illegal in every state to sell a baby. A contract to do an illegal act is unenforceable. Example: the court will not enforce a contract to sell contraband drugs. Selling a baby is not enforceable. Did the surrogate sell her baby or only her egg and her body for the pregnancy? If one concludes it is in effect the selling of a baby, then no amount of consent, whether free and knowing, will permit the enforcement of the contract. There are some acts that a society will not enforce even if both sides have agreed to it. Those are acts that are illegal.

    Reply
  21. Christiaan Wohle says:
    June 20, 2011 at 9:28 pm

    I don't have any difficulty with the idea of allowing money to buy anything. Cause the great thing about money, is that it can't buy everything, even if technically people would agree to allow it. Money is but a tool for the exchange of goods, not everyone is tempted so easily by it.

    Reply
  22. Andy says:
    June 23, 2011 at 5:39 pm

    You can't buy love, but you can rent it.

    Reply
  23. rooble says:
    June 28, 2011 at 9:05 pm

    money is material things and it only can buy items

    Reply
    • Weilin says:
      July 3, 2011 at 10:06 am

      but actually people bye other things ,for example you can get some service by your money! i think you know what the example is right?money is just one tools that we always use to measure the lose and the profit,we can measure the lose of one war (millions dollars ),but can we decide the life in the war just based on the money?no , we can not decide,if we can decide the life in the war,there must be other reasons!money should never be the reason,just the tool

      Reply
  24. Ina says:
    July 2, 2011 at 10:22 pm

    yes! it is!

    Reply
  25. paul says:
    July 3, 2011 at 9:03 am

    The things that you really need in your mind ,maybe something seems to be intangible ,

    Reply
  26. Ugo Italy says:
    July 4, 2011 at 8:44 am

    The soul's happiness.

    Reply
  27. Danai says:
    July 7, 2011 at 2:05 pm

    We shouldn't be able to buy Art just because Art should be for free and not only rich people should have access to It. In our era many types of Art have the ability to educate and not only entertain (theatre, cinema, books) and because of its being considered a luxury , not everybody can enjoy it. I am from a country where all the film productions are horrid (just like theatre performances) and WHEN a good movie comes out the cost is irrationally high, considering the financial situation of the place (Greece) . Like this wasn't enough a good book costs around 20E (the payments are from 590E and above) so a worker or a painter just cannot afford it. Where's the justice in THAT?

    Reply
    • Think says:
      July 13, 2011 at 2:37 am

      I am going to let Angela Merkel comment on the justice aspect:-) although I understand the pain Greece has to go through. However, give it 10 years to build up the tourism industry with a high tech design sector, and you'll be taking German money again, and not owe anything in return.

      Reply
  28. Think says:
    July 12, 2011 at 11:26 pm

    Money should not be able to buy the life or person of a human being, the death of people or the destruction of a species.

    Reply
  29. Think says:
    July 13, 2011 at 2:40 am

    Money should not be used to create situations of severe social disparity, where human dignity is devalued.

    Reply
  30. Helen says:
    July 13, 2011 at 9:48 pm

    Money can not buy dignity and confidence.Friendship,either. It does not mean everything.

    Reply
  31. Srinivasan says:
    July 19, 2011 at 2:34 pm

    Money is a thing which is created by humans, but not vice-versa.

    Reply
  32. Tapesh TYAGI says:
    July 19, 2011 at 5:38 pm

    I think money cant buy the true loyality. That loyaly could be:-
    Loyality toward a community or country
    Loyality to fellow citizen
    Loyality to family

    Reply
  33. C. Corbett says:
    July 27, 2011 at 1:52 pm

    I noticed a few things that seemed to be missing from the discussion.
    ——————————————————————————————-
    1.When you sell a human being for money, Isn't that slavery?
    2.Where do you draw the line,newborns,1 year olds,5 years, ten?
    3.What would stop a parent who grows tired of their child from simply selling it to the highest bidder?
    4.Whats next, auction blocks for unwanted children?

    Reply
    • Think says:
      July 27, 2011 at 4:11 pm

      Well, in that case, how about pets? I think money should not be able to buy a bird, dog or a cat for the sole purpose of human companionship.

      Reply
    • Matthew says:
      July 29, 2011 at 5:29 pm

      A libertarian would love it. The Catholic Church, not so much since they have the corner market on selling kids.

      Reply
  34. Nate Broussard says:
    August 2, 2011 at 2:03 pm

    One of the most important things that money shouldn't be able to buy is a verdict. That's why I'm skeptical of the free-market system.

    Reply

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