I recently picked up The Natural Order of Money by Roy Sebag, drawn in by the idea of exploring money from a perspective beyond economics—looking at it as a force shaped by natural order and human behavior. Sebag doesn’t just present another theory on finance; he dives into the philosophy of money itself, and how its role has been distorted by modern systems and values. This isn’t just a book about currency or investment but about understanding the essence of value and the flow of resources as they relate to human life and the natural world. I found it thought-provoking and unlike any other financial book I’ve read.

• 1. Money as a Force of Nature

Sebag makes a strong case that money, in its truest form, is connected to the natural order of things, with deep roots in how humans have interacted with resources throughout history. He argues that money isn’t just a construct of banks or governments but is instead a representation of our relationship with nature and each other. This perspective felt almost grounding—it made me think of money not as a separate entity but as something deeply tied to the earth and the resources we share.

• 2. The Distortion of Money in the Modern Age

Sebag delves into how money has become disconnected from its natural purpose, largely due to the rise of fiat currency and centralized financial systems. He critiques how monetary policy has shifted from being rooted in tangible resources (like gold) to being purely theoretical, creating a system where money can be “created” without any real resource backing it. Reading this was an eye-opener—it made me question the value we place on modern currency and how that affects everything from inflation to personal savings.

• 3. Gold as the ‘True’ Form of Money

Sebag’s view on gold as the only real, sustainable form of money might sound old-fashioned, but he explains it in a way that feels anything but outdated. He argues that because gold has inherent value, it stands apart from the shifting values of fiat money. He makes a solid case for why a return to resource-backed currency, especially gold, could ground our financial systems in something real and enduring. While I don’t know if a return to the gold standard is possible or even desirable, Sebag’s argument gave me a fresh perspective on why gold has held its value for millennia. It’s rare to find an argument for gold that goes beyond the standard “hedge against inflation,” but Sebag achieves it.

• 4. Human Behavior and the Flow of Money

One of the most fascinating parts of the book is when Sebag connects money to human instincts and societal behavior. He sees money as something that mirrors our collective values, habits, and even our greed and fears. He writes about how financial systems reveal the state of society—if money flows toward unsustainable or exploitative industries, it reflects underlying issues in human priorities. This concept resonated deeply with me. Sebag’s ideas feel like a wake-up call, reminding us that how we use and value money reveals more about society than we might care to admit.

• 5. Ethics and Sustainability in Finance

Sebag doesn’t shy away from the ethical side of his ideas. He argues that reconnecting money with natural resources could help create a more sustainable world, where value is placed on things that are truly important rather than on artificial financial growth. This ethical layer gave the book an extra dimension, making it feel like a call to action to rethink our relationship with money. This perspective made me reflect on my own financial choices—whether they align with values like sustainability and real value.

Final Thoughts

The Natural Order of Money is more than a financial book; it’s a philosophical exploration of what money could and should mean in a world that’s becoming increasingly abstract in its valuation of everything. Sebag challenges the reader to look past the numbers in our bank accounts or the price of stocks and instead think about how money connects us to nature, society, and each other.

This book left me with more questions than answers, but in the best way possible. It’s rare to find a financial book that makes you question the foundations of currency itself, and even rarer to find one that ties money so intimately to natural order and human values. Sebag’s arguments aren’t light reading, but they’re worth every page. I’d recommend this book to anyone curious about the deeper meaning of money, and how we might redefine it in a way that feels more human and more real.