Value

Life alone can impart life and though we should burst we can only be valued as we make ourselves valuable.

Spiritual Laws from Essays, First Series by Ralph Waldo Emerson

There is lots of talk about value in crypto. Whether this or that token, cryptocurrency or cryptoart has value. No doubt, the struggle now is determining whether these crypto assets are making themselves valuable - are they useful? accepted? protected? freely exchanged?

With proliferation, it may be difficult for even avid supporters to keep track.

But making humans valuable - are we doing as much as we could to ensure that humans are valued?

The other day, I was on the subway and I happened to hear two young women - maybe 15 years old. As they scrolled through "friend" images, more often than not, the person was, in their judgment, ugly. Photo after photo - running commentary.

I thought - was I like that at 15?

Then there was a discussion about a teacher who had grabbed one of the them by the hair. She said she fought back and demonstrated. I couldn't tell if this was a "made for public view real talk" episode, but it startled me that there was a possibility that this happened at all.

She was tough. Her friend was tough.

I handed a fashion insert from a newspaper I had to the one talking about her teacher.

Her friend said, "I like this. We do have a passion for fashion."

They were quiet for a few minutes. I got off the train.