What use is gold in say an EMP strike?

The really interesting thing about this scenario is that it is definitely going to come true at some point. All the other nightmares (nuclear war, global pandemic, etc) can potentially be avoided or at least mitigated. As a planet, we are sitting ducks for a solar catastrophe - it's just that we gamble on it not happening during our own lifetimes, because otherwise normal life would be impossibly complicated.

a reply to: audubon

1) It's very rare
2) It never corrodes
3) It's pretty and attractive

Rare? What will that matter when I trade you a gallon of water for gold and I have no more water?
See, the trade wouldn't happen.
It's not renewable - nor 'breedable' - nor does it grow.

Never corrodes? That's all good but it's too soft for a weapon. Maybe later on when we need it for whatever it is in electronics gold does for us (I admit to being ignorant to all the uses of gold).

Pretty and attractive?
I have a feeling after all the death and destruction and loss in the name of power and gold? Gold is going to become a pariah of sorts in the 'New World'.

peace

originally posted by: Skorpy
a reply to: Gargoyle91

Security will be number 2, the strong will take from the weak when there is no Government. Human nature at its finest.

Are you saying the strong doesnt take from the weak, as things are now? excuse me while i laugh.. heh ....ok iam done
But i agree, security will be high on the list, just as it is now. Security/goverment aint cheap, we are giving away most of our money right now, to buy that crap, so not much will change there i guess.

"I bring you security! all I need is food, water, shelter, medicin, everything needed for me to stay alive, so I can protect you, I also need to control everything, so I can make sure its safe, you can call me, GOVERMENT"

originally posted by: audubon
The really interesting thing about this scenario is that it is definitely going to come true at some point. All the other nightmares (nuclear war, global pandemic, etc) can potentially be avoided or at least mitigated. As a planet, we are sitting ducks for a solar catastrophe - it's just that we gamble on it not happening during our own lifetimes, because otherwise normal life would be impossibly complicated.

I agree it will be an EMP or a biological warfare additive to air, water, whatever that will take us down.

They will not destroy and make unlivable the areas they covet.

peace

a reply to: silo13
That's kinda how I see things, certainly for the medium term until some sort of organised society returns.
Gold doesn't fill an empty stomach...well it could, but poor nutritionally wise lol

What use is gold in say an EMP strike?

It's PRETTY to look AT?

originally posted by: silo13
a reply to: audubon

1) It's very rare
2) It never corrodes
3) It's pretty and attractive

Rare? What will that matter when I trade you a gallon of water for gold and I have no more water?
See, the trade wouldn't happen.
It's not renewable - nor 'breedable' - nor does it grow.

Well, you'll die too if you have no water, so this point is sort of redundant. On the other hand, if you knew someone who was willing to accept some kind of symbol in exchange for more water, you could do a trade with something completely useless but which is impossible to fake... something pretty-looking, perhaps something that never rusts... perhaps a metal of some kind...

Basically, I agree, "All is vanity, sayeth the Lord". Shrouds don't have pockets, and survival is the key thing. But what is the point of surviving at all, if no-one puts any effort into constructing a functional society?

No-one wants to see their kids die. That, fundamentally, is why civilisation progresses, and why it would come crawling back from the brink in short order if something catastrophic happened.

I think, just saving older pennies, pre-84 is the best investment. Copper has been revered around the same amount of time as gold...it also has some really good healing properties, gold has none other than a tiny tiny bit of colloidal gold is good for us. Just having some coloidal minerals once in a while has good health effects for most. Silver actually has a little better properties for health than gold. I would invest in a little silver, a small amount of gold, like rings and stuff. And also in copper pennies. Nickles are worth collecting too, the value of the nickle in a nickle is about five cents. Older silver coated quarters have a metal value of about a quarter. So just collect change and keep it in a bottle. New pennies have little metal value.

a reply to: rickymouse

Sounds great - but also sounds really heavy.

Going to be interesting to see how anyone is going to drag all that around while foraging.

a reply to: audubon

Well, you'll die too if you have no water, so this point is sort of redundant. On the other hand, if you knew someone who was willing to accept some kind of symbol in exchange for more water, you could do a trade with something completely useless but which is impossible to fake... something pretty-looking, perhaps something that never rusts... perhaps a metal of some kind...

More like something tasty, or growing or something I could breed to make more (rabbits etc).

I guess pretty would work if you were willing to sell yourself as a whore...

Never rusts? Well, too soft for tools? Maybe in time though. A long time.

In the first decade(?) or so I just don't see there being any use to gold unless someone is going to set up some kind of a cult with a golden calf.

Oh crap... I shouldn't have gone there, lol.

peace

originally posted by: silo13
More like something tasty, or growing or something I could breed to make more (rabbits etc).

What if the person you want to trade with has no need of rabbits? You'd be stuck then, because you wouldn't have anything to trade. Whereas if everyone sort of agreed to use one particular resource as a 'medium', you'd have something you could trade with anyone, for anything... see where I'm going with this?

I guess pretty would work if you were willing to sell yourself as a whore...

Is this some kind of proposition? If so, I accept. DM me your details and I'll be round in 20 minutes. But I want GOLD, not goddam rabbits!

originally posted by: silo13
a reply to: rickymouse

Sounds great - but also sounds really heavy.

Going to be interesting to see how anyone is going to drag all that around while foraging.

Mason jars full of coins can be buried where you can find them or stuck almost anywhere.

How many people are going to have change for an ounce of gold? If you go see the farmer, one ounce of gold or five pounds of copper will buy a bushel of potatoes. So another words, thirteen hundred dollars of gold or fifteen bucks of pennies.

originally posted by: audubon
On the other hand, if you knew someone who was willing to accept some kind of symbol in exchange for more water, you could do a trade with something completely useless but which is impossible to fake

How do you fake a cabbage or a bag of potatoes?

I live in very rural part of the U.S. , My main focuses would be water food and ammo. Which can get me more food . My property is adjacent 12,000 acres of public land with lots of deer and wild pigs. Me and mine would be ok for a long time . I wouldn't really worry until the crazy starving urban dwellers showed up

a reply to: audubon

What if the person you want to trade with has no need of rabbits? You'd be stuck then, because you wouldn't have anything to trade.

Ok, I do see what you mean.

But honestly... Have you ever been hungry? I have been. I've been hungry enough when I was a young girl I dove dumpsters.

In such a crisis of lack I know just what drives people and that's food and water. When food is scarce? There will be no pulling out your gold teeth buy a meal you can't eat now anyway.

peace

a reply to: InceyWincey

Kind of the opposite of a brave new world, but it would need brave people, pioneer type survival types i imagine.

As to other resources being worth more than gold, bullets, guns and penicillin spring to mind not to mention clean water and bleach.

One can only imagine the level of violence and anarchy that would take place.

originally posted by: InceyWincey
How do you fake a cabbage or a bag of potatoes?

Well, you don't, obviously, but how long can you store them before they rot and become worthless? Similarly with seeds, which have the additional complication that you need to plant them and then tend them carefully for several months.

It would be far handier for everyone if one person grew a huge number of cabbages (or potatoes) and people traded with that person for the number of cabbages they wanted, wouldn't it. Now imagine you are the cabbage-farmer. How many bartered rabbits do you realistically need?

a reply to: andy06shake

What about Solar panels and battery's-alternators and such wouldn't those still work ? The guys with electricity would be king. Why on Earth have I not thought about electricity before... inverters may be fried but I'm sure there's a work around.

a reply to: audubon

Food might not be as scarce at first as you think, plenty of meat of the two legged variety still walking around ripe for the picking unfortunately.

a reply to: audubon
If I was the potato farmer I reckon my gang of workers would take rabbits, pigeons, or any meat over gold, heck even sugar beet farmers would have a better product to trade than gold. Certainly in the medium term before society finds it's pecking order again with the hardest gang in town controlling stuff.