The conceptual poetry "[un]equal values" examines how different spaces influence the perceived value of individuals or groups within society. It delves into the impact of monetary and currency systems on human relationships, exploring how these systems reflect and perpetuate power dynamics, economic development, and social hierarchies. Drawing on David Graeber's theories, the book discusses three social logics—communism, exchange, and hierarchy—and their roles in shaping human interactions.
I investigate various forms of value exchange, starting with the value of 10 pounds as fiat currency and extending to global currency, including:
- Thai baht
- Cigarettes as currency in prison
- Potatoes as currency in rural Georgia
- Cumal (slave girl) in Medieval Ireland
- 2.5% Zakat in Islam
- BTC in the digital world
- Potato mashers in Bafia culture
- Brixton pounds in Brixton
- 'Elephant’ tickets in Thailand
- 'Notgeld,' an emergency currency during World War I
- Euros in the Most Happy Country in 2024
- USD in the stock exchange
- Dolphin teeth ‘Tabua’ in the Solomon Islands
- 'The Currency’ piece by Damien Hirst in the art world
- Bars of salt in Ethiopia (1899)
- Afghan Afghani in the Least Happy Country in 2024
- ‘Sta-bigs' of the potlatch ceremony in the Pacific Northwest Coast
- Wheels of ‘Parmigiano-Reggiano’ Parmesan cheese in Italy
- Jars of beer in ancient Egypt
- Minutes of time
- //>., in //>/.<
By employing a numerical format to narrate these stories, the essay connects real values with reconstructed fiction, revealing how values are assessed and represented across different social and historical contexts.
