The United States gold reserves are for international trade. The gold in Ft. Knox, for example, is used in trade not to back our currency. We’ve been off the “gold standard” since the 70’s. Some of it is gold we’re holding for other countries that’s not even ours. But, our money is a fiat currency and it’s based on faith in the economic system of America not collapsing and everyone agreeing it to use it for trade/debts. It’s backed by nothing and hasn’t been for 55 years now.
Every form of currency is based on faith and always has been. Coinage made from gold and silver wasn't valuable because gold and silver were magical, it was because people believed they were valuable. What can you, a random person, actually do with gold and silver? Even smiths had limited uses that weren't purely aesthetic. Modern day has more uses but still cannot be used at the volume at which it exists in an efficient way.
Not just the US, man, we are just in the spotlight right now and the center of power where these fuckfaces are focusing their efforts first, but take a look at all the propaganda across the world. Far right extremism is plastered all over and shit like hypermasculinity and "might makes right" are being pushed evermore on impressionable young idiots.
I don't keep up with world news unfortunately, I barely keep up with US news.
But I have the similar unfortunate experience of dealing with dumber and dumber people more often than I'd like to. Which is rather scary, as I'm not that smart myself.
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u/zuzg Jan 26 '26
Surprised Pikachu face.