Tyranny of The Dollar
We can choose to bend the knee to the Dollar or we can shake off it’s tyrannical rule and live freely.
So says Bob Wells in the movie Nomadland.
Recently while visiting my friend Phil and his female companion Diane, Diane asked with great interest some questions of Joelle related to living on the road.
How can she do it full time? Doesn’t she feel unsafe? Etc.
Joelle later told me in this conversation Diane had mentioned the movie Nomadland and asked if we had watched it.
We had not.
However, upon her suggestion we did in fact take the time to watch it a few nights back (thanks to Starlink and our now ability to stream successfully).
There are a few things I noted when watching the movie that I wanted to address before I get to Bob Well’s comment on the Tyranny of the Dollar.
First, upon watching the movie, I now understand why Diane may have some level of trepidation about her own ability to live on the road should Phil decide he wanted to do so (this isn’t in the cards I don’t believe…but if he were). I also understand her concern that it may be dangerous out there for Joelle in particular.
The movie frames the life of full time RV living as borderline destitute and full of vagabond hippies, many who have fallen on very hard times. Because of this, they are choosing, in many cases, to “live in a van…down by the river”.
It shows a group of people who America, in her capitalistic ways, has thrown to the curb to waste away in a desperate and poor life of poverty and hardship.
This, or course, is to be expected from Hollywood; which is full actors living higher than most, all thanks to good old American Capitalism.
While this almost “Woodstock” type life is surely a part of life on the road, it is not the whole story.
Yes, I have, in my travels met the van dweller or backpacker who hasn’t seemed to have showered for a month or more playing a guitar at the edge of an overlook.
But more so, in my experience, I have met folks like us, living out of a Sprinter style conversion, RV trailer like ours, or even larger motor home in a, what might be considered, more “normal” way. (if there is such a thing).
All of the “nomads”, including the main character, in the movie are traveling in run down, very old vans or camper RV’s; I am sure, in a creative attempt by the producers to drive home the theme from the movie.
Again, while this is out there, for sure, it’s not what our experience has been.
This brings me to the “Tyranny of the Dollar”.
Bob Wells, staring as himself in the movie is a real man living a real life as a Nomad in America. He has a very successful RV Youtube channel, has written a number of books, and has a robust website.
Bob lives his life from what I can tell as permanent nomad and has for years. His life mission seems to be helping those with whom he comes into contact learn how to live on the road as “cheaply” as possible.
He seems, in particular, to have a heart for those the movie Nomadland puts front and center. Those who have fallen on hard times or difficulties and are trying to find their way while living from a vehicle or RV.
There is a speech Bob gives in the movie regarding the choice we all make to live under the Tyranny of the Dollar in America and how it’s freeing to break the bonds of said tyranny as we choose to live life free from it’s torment. This is scripted into the movie. However, if you do happen to follow Bob’s channel, he maintains this mindset personally as you will see in his videos from time to time.
Today, this came to my mind because I found myself in Matthew 6.
Jesus’ words at the end of this chapter are some of my favorite words from him to have been recorded. They are found in verses 25 through 34.
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
In America today we are taught by many well meaning individuals to work and save and work and save. We are to “live like no one else” today so that when we are old and gray we can then “live like no one else”.
And while I have absolutely no qualms with Dave Ramsey and his teachings or most all the others like him, there is a problem with it in my view.
It all requires living under the Tyranny of the Dollar.
The way we are taught in America to prepare for our lives later seem to me to be the antithesis of what Jesus, our Lord, taught us in the series of verses above.
I spent many years with my grandfather in the flower business prior to leaving to set out on my own. My grandparents had a bit of money. They did quite well as florists and had amassed, while not in the tens of millions or anything, a significant amount of liquid wealth and equity by the time they were in the mid to late 60’s.
Yet, in spite of their wealth, my grandfather fell under the above referenced tyranny. He was always worried that he would not have enough money. He constantly fretted losing money, going broke, not having enough.
He lived by and found security in the balances in his checking accounts and investments.
Many of my friends and those around me are doing the same things. Working very hard, amassing significant levels of equity and wealth for that fateful day they will “retire” (whatever that means), while their lives waste away.
Many will have more money than they can spend in their dying years. They will, however, have missed out on any significant joy while living.
There is a story in the movie a woman tells of a man who had a beautiful sailboat in his driveway that he would begin using “some day” or when he “retired”. However, he fell ill with a terminal disease and died quickly after diagnosis, never actually being able to enjoy said boat.
I think this is more prevalent than we may realize.
I have an aunt and uncle who are very wealthy. They have worked very, very hard their entire lives. Their assets are impressive to say the least. Homes, boats, an airplane, vehicles, acreage, etc. They have also recently sold their incredibly successful business for what I can only imagine would have brought well into the millions of dollars for them in the sale (I have no idea and am not priveleged to this information…only surmising).
And while I admire greatly their grit and resolve along with the work ethic they have demonstrated, I cannot imagine navigating and managing all they own. I mean, I can...and I would never wish to take on such a burden.
This became more stark for me as I thought about their mountain of assets in comparing it to the days leading up to our departure wherein we were selling off or giving away everything we owned.
Now, everything we have and need to manage is in our truck and our RV with a few items of emotional significance being stored at my mother’s in the basement.
Having owned a (very small) business and a modest home I can say with authority that even there, being able to shed all of that and pair down to what we now have has been one of the most freeing and liberating things I have yet done.
Yes, we were positioned at the right time in the sale of our home to have a little cushion as we attempt to get out to get around.
But we are not talking millions of dollars. Only a few hundred thousand. Not enough at 54 to consider living out the rest of my days on it as passive income.
Yet, I am okay with that.
I think it’s because I am trying hard to embrace what the Lord said above.
In America we are told to work and toil and amass for the times later in life.
Jesus, however, said that’s exactly the wrong way to go about it.
In the wonderful series “The Chosen”, I believe in season 2, Jesus is preparing the disciples to begin traveling around with him and doing ministry. He makes it clear to bring nothing. God will provide for their needs as they move along.
This is where I hope to be.
In Nomadland they also do a decent job of showing the characters working. Yes, there is part and even full time work available all across this country for those choosing to live freely out of their van, RV, or camper. Generally it’s seasonal and temporary. But that’s what one needs in this type life.
In our case, Starlink makes internet access available all the time (I’m using it now). This provides us with opportunity to work remotely and attempt to build a business using the internet; which is what we are doing presently.
However, should that fall flat over the next few years, there is plenty of work out there to be had. I do not need to worry about that today though. Jesus says…let tomorrow take care of itself.
So, in a roundabout way, I suppose Joelle and I ARE actually living like no one else right now. Instead of pining and scraping to get more, more, more so that during our final years we have piles of stuff (to leave behind), we are choosing to have less and less so that we can spend the time we have trying to help others as they seek to find the meaning in their own lives.
With the passing of my father last week, it frees us to be there more easily for my mother should she need it. We are not held hostage to the bonds of a full time job or the expenses of a stick and brick home at present. We are not working for retirement.
God has set us up and put us in a place that we can and are able to be available for my mother should she need it without concern for a business or other demands.
Another lesson in his passing is what he has left behind. In his life, while never “wealthy” dad and mom have bought and collected a lot of “stuff”.
They are no different than everyone else in America. We all, through our lives as we live under the rule of the dollar use the dollar to buy “stuff”. We accumulate that stuff in garages and barns. We even rent storage to put it in case we need it some day down the road. More dollars are spent on more stuff.
That stuff either breaks and becomes useless or we maintain and repair it indefinitely; the latter requiring we work for more dollars to not only buy more stuff but maintain and repair the stuff we have.
And while I don’t much like the communal type talk or implications that in some way America and capitalism is bad or corrupt, there certainly is some measure of truth in Mr. Well’s belief we are living under the tyranny of the dollar.
For in my observation, almost everyone I know lives by this very model. They, we, us, we are all subservient to that dollar and it’s demands.
Yet, we can, should we choose, free ourselves from it. In doing so, we have less stuff, but we perhaps may find time to instead invest in those things which really matter.
It seems to me this isn’t all bad.
Until next time,
rob out
