# mlm the problem with multi-level marketing schemes arises at the currency level. everyone uses the same currency. a multi-level marketing scheme where each participate initiates their own currency becomes isomorphic with biological life. we can't teach our kids to use currency. I mean, we can, but, *gestures* we might, instead, teach ourselves to create new currencies, and then let our kids see us doing that, and then see them create their own. luxury is a kind of returning-to-kindergarten but you haven't forgotten where you came from. being born into luxury is being in kindergarten without memory of where you came from. the quality of living goes up as the ratio of currencies-to-creators approaches 1:1. careful to not confuse that with "standard of living", though. "standard of quality of living" is different than "standard of living". the parity of indirections is itself load-bearing. prediction: USD is gonna end up like H2O. maybe it already has. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://www.isaacbowen.com/2026/01/22/mlm.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.