 |
Building Community
on the Internet |
Money can't buy it |
I studied Social Anthropology at
university and wanted to share with you a strange and complex
trading relationship.
- It happens in the lead up
to the shortest day of the year and a little beyond.
- It is a paper based
trading token system.
- Both children and adults trade.
- The trading token can be bought but hand
made ones are often more prized.
- Taboo -
Cash cannot be
substituted for it and it is offensive if cash is offered
in exchange for it.
- Exchange is generally
reciprocal and some people take offence if it is not
returned.
- It can lead to embarrassment if a trading
token is received and the receiver is unable to give one
back.
- It can be a sign of popularity to have
many of them but:
- They only have worth when given away
- It could be a sign of mental imbalance if
someone displayed trading tokens they had bought or made
themselves.
I'm talking Christmas Cards here... but you knew that
didn't you?
© David Williams 18 November, 1998.
back to Laugh
If you came to this page directly
without coming via Hillingdon On-line please click here
Hillingdon On-line is best viewed using one of
the following browsers.
Follow these links to get download instructions to lay hands on
the software for free!
