It’s winter and so I’m more aware of beggars than usual. In Joburg they’re everywhere but have you ever considered them and their trade? Every so often most people give them money, an exchange happens, a transaction of sorts - that is after all the point of money; a tool facilitating bartering. What is it that we, the givers of money buy exactly? Do we buy absolution from illogical guilt? Do we buy self-esteem? Perhaps we buy our own little pat on the back because giving to the poor makes you a Good Person.

Whatever the trade, a ‘poor’ person selling his poverty and a ‘rich’ person buying it is at least reasonably logical. But what I find fascinating is ‘rich’ people who sell poverty to ‘poor’ or at least ‘poorer’ people - and they buy it! One such a man lives in a good neighbourhood, drives an expensive car and although he certainly doesn’t charter jets, anyone with one waking brain cell can see that the man is not in dire straights. Yet whenever he receives a service or goods are bought, he will complain to high heavens of all the bills he has to pay. Not all his debt mind you - never would he tarnish himself with the foul stuff, it’s his bills that become due and payable in due course which he laments to all within ear shot. And so he bargains, gets discount or leave to pay at a later stage interest free and this is obviously long after be had bargained down the original price already.

Smart man? Warren Buffet is probably the most famous example of such a man; he is forever evaluating value for money and only buys when he believes that he is getting a bargain. He’s certainly not doing so badly.

But there is a problem; a profound crisis of authenticity. If someone feels cheated - even when he agreed of his own free will - he is bound to compensate. He may refuse to work with the ‘rich’ person again or he may only deliver the quality or quantity of work he feels is truly justified by the tender received. So when the rich guy thinks he’s winning he shooting himself in the foot really.

Yet it happens every day; the rich selling poverty - quite facinating in itself but that people actually buy it when they’re free to say no? I’m sure even Adam Smith would reconsider the rationality of consumers.