Practical Economic Suggestions for Everyday Use (Part Four)
Based on the Baha’i Writings, the suggestions below may hopefully help you to bring about this fundamental change in your character and your everyday economic actions. There are 53 suggestions but we discuss 9 on this blog.
This list of suggestions may seem overwhelming, and you may not be able to practice all those that apply to your situation. But you have to remember that it is not about the results; it is about sincere and wholehearted efforts. It is a pure intention that counts.
- Be content with a reasonable margin of profit. There is no end to greed in our society, so being satisfied with earning a certain profit will create a sense of contentment and provide an example to others. This is an extension of how much is enough? There is nothing wrong with being satisfied and content with a set amount of profit.
- Update yourself with the latest information and study in your field to provide a better service and to be the leader in your profession, and be punctual in business and other meetings. Being on time at work increases the efficiency of the system and demonstrates respect for others. If time is money, then one should not waste it.
- Remember that your actions are the best manifestation of your beliefs and be conscious of them. The cliché is true that actions speak louder than words. We should be an example for others since we are the ones to lead society towards an ever-advancing civilization.
- If you are lending money, ask for a reasonable interest rate and not the maximum rate. We are told that the rate of interest has to be fair and reasonable. Baha’u’llah has advised us to do so. Banks should not be the only ones setting interest rates.
- Resist the consumer mentality which exists in our society. As the standard of living rises, consumerism increases and consuming becomes a bad habit with severe consequences. Fighting this tendency is very important for our economic life and our spiritual development. Consumerism has become a disease that is spreading fast, and its forces are paralyzing the progress of our souls.
- Be knowledgeable about advertising. Advertisements conceal the information we need to buy a product, and they make false claims, using psychological methods to make a sale. Advertising covers all areas of our economic life. One has to be very savvy to navigate through all the false claims of advertising. Selling has become very sophisticated, and one has to be very smart about it and read between the lines.
- Spiritually justify our expenditure. With so much poverty in the world today, we have to answer to our conscience for any unnecessary spending. We have been advised to be frugal in our spending. It would be beneficial if we could create in us this “policeman” to check our spending.
- Avoid wastage in the workplace and suggest ways to cut down on waste. We can all help in some way to avoid the loss of resources.
- Protect the environment in your business and personal life. We owe it to future generations to protect the environment. What a sad situation it would be if humanity grows spiritually in the future, but the damage is done, and our environment is destroyed.