I know people out there who have invested a lot in gold under the belief that in the event of like complete societal collapse or hyperinflation, they could use it for purchasing.

I have the hunch it’s a scam, but I haven’t learned enough monetary theory, business, or economics to understand why.

  • hungryphrog@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    2·
    3 months ago

    Yeah, gold isn’t worth anything unless a community agrees to assign a value to it, which probably won’t happen in an apocalyptic scenario. If you really want to be prepared, you need to stock up on things that are actually useful:

    • non-perishable, nutritious food (preferably something that has a lot of calories in a small serving so you could carry it on you)
    • drinking water!! you would have to change it every once in a while though, so you wouldn’t be drinking germ soup if a societal collapse actually happens
    • durable, good quality clothing for various climates/weather conditions (due to climate change and the possibility that you would flee somewhere, you should preferably have clothing suitable for other climates than just the one you’re used to)
    • miscellanous supplies, like tools for building shelters, farming, making & maintaining different items, destroying things like trees or rocks to make space for building/agriculture or more likely, obtain materials. Things to protect yourself and your loved ones from the elements, like a good tent, sleeping bags, etc. Flashlights, powerbanks, batteries, water purifiers, multitools…
    • knowledge. No matter how much stuff you have, it’s no use if you don’t actually know how to do things. Learn canning, blacksmithing, sewing, gardening, fishing, carpentry, foraging, and so on.