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How Money Became God: Rethinking Wealth & Greed

with Veteran WSJ Reporter and Financial Expert Paul Vigna

Join us for an eye-opening conversation with veteran journalist Paul Vigna as he he explores the question: how did money go from a tool of commerce into the dominant faith of modern society?

In The Almightier: How Money Became God, Greed Became Virtue, and Debt Became Sin, Vigna takes readers on a sweeping historical journey from Renaissance Florence to today’s global financial markets, revealing how wealth accumulation evolved from a moral failing into an unspoken civic virtue. He uncovers the forgotten history of money, tracing the uneasy and often accidental alliance between wealth and religion as it developed from ancient city-states to today’s secular world, where religious devotion has receded and greed has stepped in to fill the void. 

Through engaging anecdotes, original research, and fresh perspectives on the causes of the many challenges we face today, Vigna makes a compelling argument that money has no power apart from the power we give it.

Whether you are interested in economic history, personal finance, or the hidden cultural forces shaping modern life, this talk is sure to pique your interest. 

Register today to learn more about how devotion to money has replaced religion as the foundation of our society.

About the Author: 

Paul Vigna is an author, journalist, editor and speaker, with a particular focus on capital markets and cryptocurrencies. He is the author of Guts: The Anatomy of The Walking Dead and coauthor of The Age of Cryptocurrency and The Truth Machine. For 25 years, he was a reporter and editor for Dow Jones Newswires and the Wall Street Journal, pioneering coverage of the cryptocurrency sector. He has appeared on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, Fox, and PBS.

This program is sponsored by the Alexandria Library Foundation.

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