The value of something is typically determined by two main factors: utility and rarity.
For instance:
*Gold is valuable because: (a) it makes for attractive jewelry and is very useful in various industries, and (b) it is rare.
*Diamonds are valuable because: (a) they can be made into beautiful, elegant jewelry and of great use for industries, and (b) they are rare.
*Water: For our daily activities, the value of water is not greater than that of gold and diamond due to the fact that water, though beneficial, is not as rare as gold and diamond. Nonetheless, if we were lost in a desert, without gold and diamond we could still live on, but without water we simply would not survive. In that scenario, because water is both beneficial and scarce, it is more valuable than gold and diamond.
*Air: Without air, life is not sustainable for human beings, animals, plants, and so on. Air has absolute usefulness! Fortunately, air is everywhere on the planet where we currently reside, thus air is not rare. For that very reason, we often forget how wonderfully beneficial air is and don't pay much attention to proper breathing, which inadvertently may lead to the loss of health and reduction in life expectancy.
It is necessary for us to treasure air and train ourselves to breathe properly.
It is best to remember to breathe clean air "properly, consistently, sufficiently" and exercise every day, also "properly, consistently, sufficiently", to bring about health, happiness, and longevity.
Don't neglect air, something that is ubiquitous and therefore hardly scarce but absolutely valuable to a human life!
- Ly Binh Son, USA
