Finance as Society's Operating System: A Call for Legibility and Intentional Design

A recent tweet by user "Jess 🌱" has sparked discussion by describing finance as "not just a technical layer; it is the operating system of society." The tweet further asserts that "Once it becomes universally legible, people stop treating it as immutable law and start seeing it as design." This perspective highlights a growing sentiment that financial systems, often perceived as complex and unchangeable, are in fact human-made constructs that can and should be intentionally shaped.

The metaphor of finance as an "operating system" underscores its foundational and pervasive role in modern society, much like a computer's operating system dictates how all applications function. This view suggests that finance is not merely a tool for economic transactions but fundamentally structures how societies operate, allocate resources, and distribute wealth. The World Economic Forum has previously emphasized the critical role of financial services in society, noting the need for the system to "evolve" and "redesign business and operating models" to better align with societal needs.

The concept of "universal legibility" is central to this idea, advocating for greater transparency and understandability in financial mechanisms. Currently, the complexity of financial products and jargon often leaves the public with low financial literacy and a lack of confidence in decision-making, as highlighted by the University of Waikato. Making finance more legible could empower individuals and communities to comprehend its workings, moving away from a perception of it as an unalterable force.

This shift from "immutable law" to "design" implies a crucial change in how finance is approached. Instead of accepting existing financial structures as natural or inevitable, this perspective encourages active participation in their construction and evolution. It suggests that financial systems can be purposefully designed to achieve specific societal outcomes, such as promoting economic resilience, safeguarding savings, or facilitating equitable capital allocation, rather than solely serving technical or profit-driven ends. The ongoing evolution of financial systems, driven by technological advancements and changing societal demands, reinforces the idea that they are dynamic and subject to deliberate modification.