Money is arguably one of the oldest social conventions still in use in the world, constantly expanding its influence on humanity. Money once bought forgiveness and respect; today, you can buy influence in government and even prolong life with the right amount of money. Although seemingly evil, money – like all technology – is not morally evil in itself. In No Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthy uses the motif of money to elucidate the problems common to all human inventions and, in a sense, answers John Paul II's questions about humanity's fear of its own work. McCarthy argues that money – like all other technologies – separates man from the direct results of his actions and protects him from emotional involvement in situations, allowing him to adopt morally compromising positions without being fully aware of them . Above all, man fears money, unknown consequences and its implications. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay In No Country for Old Men, money serves as a justification for wrongdoing because money, whether received or given, distances the characters from outcomes. of their actions. Llewelyn Moss continually pays people – taxi drivers, innocent bystanders, motel owners – in order to protect himself. Although this strategy stems from a desire for survival, the population's acceptance of money has a more subtle meaning. In almost all cases, the recipients of the money initially refuse to get involved (McCarthy, 48). Although they recognize that Moss is asking them to do something wrong, their greed eventually catches up with them. This pattern of behavior demonstrates cognitive dissonance: people know they are cheering for Moss, but they continue to accept what Moss says. Money, in this case, allows the characters to clear their conscience. They convince themselves of their ignorance and only do the work Moss pays them to do. McCarthy introduces Carson Wells in the same way. Wells is a likeable character, who probably sees himself as a man with both good and bad attributes. Although he kills people for a living, he tries to help Moss and stop Chigurh. He seems to separate his identity from his work, and the reason he kills seems to be solely because his clients pay him to do so. This way of thinking allows Wells and the other characters to detach themselves from the situation: they did not cause disastrous events, but simply allowed such violence to occur. However, such an approach also draws them into the situation without them realizing it, often leading to their demise. Apathy therefore follows this detachment from reality. As shown by Moss's coldness when the Mexican dies of thirst, the group of boys' indifferent acceptance of Moss's blood-soaked money, and the teenager's lack of remorse when Chigurh runs away, the money distracts humanity from situations. Technology therefore reduces the expectations that humans have of each other. Just as a farmer would not be expected to till his land by hand if he had a tractor to do so, Moss would not expect anyone to freely offer help unless he doesn't have the money to pay for it. In fact, when a bleeding and helpless Moss (in a position that, in theory, would elicit some level of sympathy) asks a Mexican to help him get to the hospital, the man doesn't agree until until he gets paid. Although difficult to admit, compassion towards..