Erich Fromm He wrote in his books about what he called the “social character.” Essentially, this refers to a set of values and behavioral norms that are characteristic of society rather than the individual, yet they have a strong, if not critically strong, influence on that individual’s actions. According to Fromm, the social character is entirely dependent on the form of society’s existence and, consequently, on its social and economic structure. For example, if in the past frugality and ownership were valued, now the emphasis is more on the ability to use and live on credit. What I’m getting at is…
During the feudal era and the time of subsistence agriculture, trade was conducted by a narrow layer of merchants who were not respected by society. They earned that respect later, in subsequent generations and on a different turn of the historical spiral. One might wonder why the feudal lords, who had a clear advantage in financing and the ability to leverage more powerful financial resources, did not engage in trade. After all, in trade, the key factor is turnover. The more money invested in turnover, the more efficient the business becomes.
In our time, everyone is involved in trade, and it’s acceptable for each of us to sell something. We always know how much our apartment is worth, and when we buy a car, we already think about when and for how much we will sell it. We even perceive our employment as a kind of sale, or, okay, leasing of ourselves. (In the airline business, by the way, there is a term “wet lease,” which differs from “dry lease” in that the aircraft is provided with a crew.)Wet leasing yourself, ahem.Текст для перевода: ..
To understand the logic of medieval people and to immerse oneself in their social character, one must experience a community that still lives in a nearly subsistence economy. In Ukraine, this is easily achievable. We have mountain villages in the Carpathians that are practically cut off from the “Big Land” and produce everything for themselves. Yes, they have tools and implements created by industrial society. They even have cars, but this does not change the overall picture, where the local store sells nothing that can be bought, and the local tavern offers nothing to eat.
So, imagine that a Hutsul, in response to an offer to buy something from him, like honey or milk, thinks the following: “Well, when I sell something, people will think I need money. In other words, something’s not right with me, because money is usually needed for things like treatment or debts. On the other hand, what will I do with this money? If I sell something for money, I’ll have to buy something else for the same amount. Where’s the profit in that? And maybe buying will end up costing more than selling… So, no. I won’t be selling anything.“And so, phrases like this are heard from the lips of a Hutsul: ‘There’s a little bit, but just for myself.» or «So where am I supposed to get this milk for you? All the cows are out in the pastures.“In extreme cases, the price can be driven up to absurd levels. For example, a mountain shepherd may charge twice as much for freshly made sheep cheese as the price of the best quality cheese sold in the valley market. And really, why would he care about that in the high pastures?”money.?.
The most extreme clinical illustration of this approach was found by me in some remote village on the way to Ust-Cherna. A Hutsul made some money, built a hotel on the outskirts of the village, slapped a neon sign saying “Hotel” on it, and… doesn’t let anyone stay there. The response from the shopkeeper in the same building, when asked about how to check into the clearly completely empty hotel, was utterly devastating.You need to ask the owner for permission.“…and the owner’s response was in the style of ‘…just a little…’:”I have a room there, but I will need it tomorrow, so I won’t be able to give it to you today.“The hotel is not built for business (heaven forbid people think it’s about making money), but for status: I am the owner of the hotel.”
Interestingly, with the Hutsuls, you can buy just about anything at a reasonable price, as long as you don’t start the conversation with them about making a purchase. Instead, you should engage in casual conversation, earn their trust—at least on a symbolic level—and then propose a deal not as a faceless transaction, but as a favor from the seller to the buyer. In that case, you’ll find honey with the bees, milk with the cow, and a room in the hotel. After all, in this scenario, you’re not negotiating with a stranger (which is clearly morally equivalent to prostitution), but resolving matters with “your own” people.
As a postscript: Very often in our country, business is built on the principle of a “Hutsul hotel.” Not for making money, but for status. Naturally, such businessmen are completely unconcerned about the motivation of their employees, marketing, sales, or attracting and retaining clients, since all their clients are relatives to whom they are simply doing a favor.