Social Security is a security. A security is a “financial instrument, typically any financial asset that can be traded.”

As part of my ‘be a simple man‘ theme, I present the phrase ‘social security’. Looking at the second word, a simple man looks up the word ‘security’ and finds the following:

A security is a financial instrument, typically any financial asset that can be traded. The nature of what can and can’t be called a security generally depends on the jurisdiction in which the assets are being traded. (corporatefinanceinstitute.com)

What is the security? What is the purpose of the security? Not sure. But it’s a security.

They call it a ‘social’ one, but I think that’s just for deception, and they love anything with an SS acronym (secret society, etc.)

Security is also defined as follows:

thing deposited or pledged as a guarantee of the fulfillment of an undertaking or the repayment of a loan, to be forfeited in case of default – [I don’t think this applies]

and this:

a certificate attesting credit, the ownership of stocks or bonds, or the right to ownership connected with tradable derivatives.

Note that both the ‘social security’ number and a bank routing number have nine digits.

Note also that every company has a nine-digit tax ID number. The company number places the hyphen after the second two digits.

Company: ##-#######
Individual: ###-##-####

I think this is part of the deception, to place the hyphens at different spots. I would argue both numbers are for companies.

If someone does not have a social security number, IRS will conveniently issue a TIN (Individual Tax Identification Number) with the same format: ###-##-####.

Social Security Number
The social security number (SSN) is the most common tax identification number. SSNs are issued to individuals—U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and certain temporary residents—by the Social Security Administration. These numbers are formatted as XXX-XX-XXXX. The SSN is required to …

Individual Taxpayer Identification Number
The IRS issues the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to certain nonresident and resident aliens, their spouses, and their dependents when ineligible for SSNs. Arranged in the same format as an SSN (XXX-XX-XXXX), the ITIN begins with a 9. To get an individual tax id num … [this is the TIN man in The Wizard of Oz]

Makes me think the social also comes from IRS. Regardless, Social Security Administration and IRS work hand-in-hand.