MODULE 13 1
Module 13 Needleman Assignment - Business
According to Needleman (in the Moyers interview), how has the primary focus of life
changed between the Middle Ages and now?
The primary focus of life has changed according to Needleman to money now. It was not same in
Middle ages where bargaining and trade was in place instead of digital or paper money.
Needleman is of opinion that the people in Middle ages were no so concerned about wealth.
How does Needleman’s response beginning with “Absolutely” on page 158 relate to
Veblen’s ideas in The Theory of the Leisure Class (from Module 11)?
Needleman uses the term “Absolutely” to point out that we are drenched in thirst of money with
other important things including relationships and enlightenment being ignored. This relates to
Veblen’s idea where he had proposed that with private property everybody would use it to show
social status. People would look down upon people who will have less wealth, and everyone
would be concerned to amass wealth to improve status.
What does Moyers mean on page 160 when he says that money is an “illusion”?
Moyers says that “it is not that the dollar bill or the ten-dollar bill has value in and of itself. It is
based upon an unwritten agreement that we will treat it as valuable.” So according to Moyers
money is an illusion because if the social agreement breakdown then money itself will lose
value.
How do Needleman’s statements on page 166 relate to our previous reading “Alienated
Labor” OR our previous reading “Mike LeFevre” (from Module 8)?
