Unlocking Surplus Human Capital

Valuing shadow time—those unaccounted hours—presents a significant opportunity for individuals to recognize the worth of their time outside of traditional employment. Human capital, often emphasized by economists, is crucial for understanding the importance of education and social networks in enhancing individual value. However, there's a substantial amount of wasted human capital that, although might seem underutilized by market standards, holds potential value for others. Finding mechanisms to channel this surplus human capital could surpass the worth of conventional resources like petroleum. Instances, such as Al Roth's kidney exchange system, illustrate the viability of creating valuable exchanges from surplus, prompting a reevaluation of time banking systems which may struggle due to discrepancies in individual time valuations based on differing levels of human capital.