What is the connection between energy, values, and power?

Let us examine this question laterally.

Value of money, value of the labor force, value of a company, brand values, value of love… Values are on our tongues all the time. But, do we really understand the real meaning behind them? Or better: do we really understand the meanings behind them? For there are obviously different stories behind each of the above expressions of value.

As a curiosity, it should be mentioned here that the Slovenian language uses two different expressions of value: ‘vrednost’, which is linked more to material value, and ‘vrednota’, which can never be attached to anything material but only to personal values or company values. The first one is supposed to be measured by price, but the second cannot be measured in principle.

Values and formal democracy

If homonism is all about values, what does that mean for the concept of formal democracy? Formal democracy, if truly formal, needs no values. On the contrary, values de-formalize democracy. So, it is quite clear that formal democracy has no place in homonism. Since homonism even more strongly opposes any form of totalitarian expression, does that mean that a democracy that is not formal not only exists but is preferred? How could we, then, call such a democracy if it is not formal? As explained through the power graph, democracy has a natural tendency towards formalization. Therefore, already using the term ‘democracy’ in any context draws the danger of formalization. Why would we not, then, call it ‘homonism’?

Tourism

A particular destination has excellent natural or cultural, or historical potential but no tourism revenues. This means that this destination has a high liability due to the high potential. Still, there are no revenues, so the bottom line is much worse than a destination with no potential and no revenues from tourism. Those destinations that successfully shift most of their potential into the product generate the highest possible revenues. In such cases, the revenues cover the obligation towards the potentials, and the difference gives a positive result.

So the question is: what converts potential into a product? What puts potential into the form that can be consumed? Marketing articulation. And what is it in marketing articulation that makes the change? Marketing articulation “adds” structure (information) to potential, so that it transforms it from a “useless” liability into a saleable product.

Energy

Water as such is a potential that has no value for energy production unless it is harnessed by dams and structured (informatised) by turbines into usable electricity. Not only is water as such of no value, but it is also such a destructive threat when it is unharnessed. Electricity, as something constructive, is structured water. 

Economics

Capital is, per se, a liability. Capital that is not structured by the mind/work of people has negative value. When we criticize capitalism, we make the fatal mistake of blaming capital as the main culprit or cause of anything. Man’s inability to structure capital productively produces errors in capitalism, just as man’s ability to structure capital creates added value. To structure capital is to “add” some labour (some mind/labour) to capital. It is the wisdom of men that produces surplus value. Capital is only a necessary means or even a tool in this process.

Wisdom

How could we describe wisdom, which is a fundamental cause of surplus value (and lack of wisdom for negative value)? Wisdom is an entity of life that derives its direction from values. Wisdom is intelligence structured by a set of values. Artificial intelligence (AI) is thus a valueless information process.

Life

A person’s energy represents an opposing, destructive force if it is not harnessed through a set of values. Values restructure energy into power. There is no power without the harness of values. This harness is sometimes expressed as ritual, sometimes as initiation, and often as socialization or education… Two necessary structural elements of such a “tool” that convert energy into power are wisdom (structured information) and Beauty. Beauty is another aspect of informatization. It expresses the change that a given system undergoes from chaos to order. A power that is not harnessed through wisdom and order is destructive energy. This rule applies to any energy, although examining dark energy from this perspective might be interesting. Would dark energy behave differently in this regard? Hard to say since we don’t know much about dark energy.

Rituals, dams, turbines, generators, market articulations, labour and thought work… all serve the same function in the evolution of life: they structure potential into something useful; liability into something valuable; negativity into positivity.

So it is fair to say that values produce value.