• prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    2 months ago

    To be fair, gold is the same. It’s just more well established since it’s been around much longer.

    Not defending this shit, just pointing out that gold is also only worth what people are willing to pay for it. That’s kind of how all markets work.

    • vxx@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Gold works without energy. It doesnt oxidise or decay as other materials

      • thisorthatorwhatever@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Seriously when people say gold is worthless, what a joke. There is very little of it, as you mentioned it doesn’t oxidize, it’s the metal used in microchips. It ain’t sea shells or tulip bulbs or Bitcoin, that’s for sure.

        • vxx@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          I would agree for the case that we’re truly in end times where nobody has anything and people fight over scraps of food, that gold might be worthless.

          It’s still your best bet for all other scenarios that don’t involve you hiding in a cave and eating bugs.

        • BussyCat@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          If all society broke down and all currencies became worthless gold would still have value as it has intrinsic value due to its chemical properties. Bitcoin would be worth nothing

          • Boomer Humor Doomergod@lemmy.world
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            2 months ago

            There are easier and cheaper means of exchange. Indigenous people all over the world had access to gold but used it for decoration and not trade.

            • BussyCat@lemmy.world
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              1 month ago

              Gold is pretty damn “cheap” to use as a currency it’s a softer metal with a lower melting point which allows it to be easily minted and then since its properties are somewhat unique it makes it harder to counterfeit without more complex technology. It is also rare enough that small bits of it can be used for currency so you don’t have to use something like the giant stone discs of yap. Some places used food for currency like rice or cocoa beans but those had too little value per unit of currency which made them annoying.

              • Boomer Humor Doomergod@lemmy.world
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                1 month ago

                I really suggest you read Graeber’s “Debt” to get a more complete picture of how economies can work. It’s not all giant stone discs.

                Plus there’s tons of ways gold can be adulterated. Devaluing gold currency is incredibly easy, as is shaving or sweating the coins to get your own gold.

        • SilverCode@lemm.ee
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          2 months ago

          With a bar of gold you can crush someone’s skull in and steal their food. Try do that with Bitcoin.