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E-Portfolio Assignment!

Katie Buda!!
Business 1050!
Nov. 25, 2014!

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30 Jacob Needleman, Philosopher by Bill Moyers p. 313,!
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Bill Moyers is an American journalist and liberal political commentator
who wrote Jacob Needleman, Philosopher. Moyers interviews Needleman
and asks him about his views on money, business, religion, philosophy and
the meaning of life. !
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Initially, Needleman explains the importance and value of money in
not only society but in everything humans do. Money, essentially, rules a
persons life as well as runs society. Nowadays, people can talk about sex
very openly. But as far as money goes, it is still a very private matter.
Needleman explains that money is the most secret, most intimate part of
many peoples lives. People want money more than anything else. Money
is more intense and vivid than any of the experiences it brings us, Moyers
bring out of Needleman. !
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Although Needleman puts a large emphasis on the perceptual
importance of money, his real point to make is that money is infact not
important at the same time. He says that money can no longer buy the
things that are supposed to bring us joy. For example, some of these things
are; home, family, education, travel, art, and the pursuit of knowledge. Even
these pure joys in life have been devoured by money like art. Art which is
supposed to be a pleasure now has various price tags that affect how we
view artwork. !
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The pursuit of money has people living like animals, Needleman
says. As animals are constantly looking for food and preying on other
animals, humans are constantly looking for more and more money.
Sometimes, people even have to gain money by making other people lose
money. Needleman admits even he operates in this manner. Most of the
time, his profits depend on other peoples losses. Also, back in medieval
times, if someone asked for a loan that meant they really needed the loan.
They could not afford to put food on the table or support their family.
Whoever loaned this person the money, would not charge interest because
it was wrong to take advantage of someones desperation. In todays age,
people act like animal and society is based off of loans. !

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Needlemans perspective is that money rules the world but it should
not rule ones life. During the San Francisco earthquake, no one cared
about money. People thought about family and friends for those 15
seconds. But, after the 15 seconds was up people went back to obsessing
over money. This sense of wonder that happened during the earthquake is
what makes us moral because it shows that everyone is just a human
being. People forget about their ego and their motives. !
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On the subject of consciousness, Needleman explains, we are
conscious of the world around us. Humans are conscious of the sense of
their own being, of their own self. Consciousness doesn't have to be
something in the usual sense. Its in itself a valid and reverberating inner
experience. !
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Moyers asks Needleman about his statement, Hell is the state in
which we are barred from receiving what we truly need because of the
value we give to what we merely want. Needleman explains himself
saying, we need to love and we need to serve. People need to serve
something other than ourselves. Without that, they will wither away.
Humans need physical food and they need shelter. Humans need to pay
back nature and reproduce if they can.!
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In conclusion, Needleman makes a point that people of todays
society are overly obsessed with money and are forgetting the more
important things in life like love, fulfillment, food, time, and family!

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