Investing is more than the way we think of it in the West in modern society — it’s something far broader and something that can be applied in all sorts of times and places, not just in modern capitalist societies. Investing may mean planting trees, raising chickens, or doing favors for the community. Investing is whatever helps you create a pleasant, secure, and sustainable existence for yourself and those you love. Focus on things from this first principles approach so that you’re not so tied into the stories of modern capitalism that drive all of us wild and cloud our thinking about what’s really important.