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There are items with inherent value, like gold. It's value is inherent because of how we use it (electronics, jewelry), but that doesn't change the fact that th
by stcredzero 9y ago
There are items with inherent value, like gold. It's value is inherent because of how we use it (electronics, jewelry), but that doesn't change the fact that there is real value in gold.
Context. There are contexts where even gold has greatly reduced value. If you're on a sinking ditched airplane in rough seas, are you really going to try and stash that 1kg bar of gold bullion on your person? In that context, it arguably has quite a bit of negative value. I'd account the "getting you dead" property as conferring negative value.
In the same context, liter of salt water is worthless. In a different context, it would be worth many times what the gold would be worth.
- user5994461 9y ago1kg of gold is 1/10th the size of a coke can and is worth around $40k. If you want to save something in a life threatening situation, that's a fairly reasonable choice.
- stcredzero 9y agoIf you want to save something in a life threatening situation, that's a fairly reasonable choice. I wasn't talking about a life threatening situation. I was talking about a "life threatened by not being able to float well enough to breathe" situation combined with a "life threatened by not getting out of a sinking thing fast enough" situation. Also if you think it's a reasonable choice, and the next person thinks it's a crazy choice, that supports my point instead of contradicting it. (And yes, I planned that out!)
- user5994461 9y agoI was merely illustrating that gold has high value and high density. The hypothetical "1kg gold bar" would be the size of a highlighter more or less. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highlighter https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highlighter
- stcredzero 9y agoBothering to retrieve something so dense and heavy during a chaotic situation where being buoyant enough is a life or death issue -- it's worth a lot of money, but is it worth your life? If you're a very confident, strong swimmer, then maybe that's a rational choice. If you're certain that there's going to be rescue in just a few minutes, then maybe that's a rational choice. If the time and effort it takes to retrieve the thing isn't going to cost you your life by losing you a place dry and out of freezing water, then maybe that's a rational choice. What if all of those above knobs are cranked over to the most unfavorable position? This is precisely my point: The value of something is highly contextual. The context might well be different for each individual at different times.