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I’m always a bit surprised when people seem to imply that there’s a fundamental human right to perfectly stable stores of value (if you could even define such a
by md_ 5y ago
I’m always a bit surprised when people seem to imply that there’s a fundamental human right to perfectly stable stores of value (if you could even define such a quality), and that the absence of that—inflation, price fluctuation, etc—is somehow unfair.
Gold bugs like to say that “value” is what gold is worth, but if you look at the real value of gold over time—in terms of its ability to be exchanged for things that you might, you know, want—it’s anything but: https://www.macrotrends.net/1333/historical-gold-prices-100-year-chart https://www.macrotrends.net/1333/historical-gold-prices-100-.... Over a number of multi-decade ranges in the last century, a purchase of gold at the start of the period would leave the buyer the poorer at the end of it.
In reality, there just isn’t such a thing as a single “real” definition of “value.” Prices—of commodities, of securities, and, yes, of both fiat and cryptocurrencies fluctuate. A saver who wants to put money away to spend in the future must, unfortunately, make some sort of bet. (Even if such a magical instrument existed, savers who bought it would still be making a bet that the opportunity cost of avoiding growth investments does not outweigh the value of stability!)
Keeping all your savings in crypto—or in fiat, or in gold, or in your employer’s stock—isn’t a fantastic idea. But that’s not because someone is scamming you; it’s because there just isn’t such a thing as “the one true value”, and no asset that allows you to safely track it. That’s life.
- lowkey 5y ago> I’m always a bit surprised when people seem to imply that there’s a fundamental human right to perfectly stable stores of value If it were not for central bankers printing money into existence, a person could work their life, save a portion for retirement in a bank account or other fixed income product, while enjoying a positive return on their investment, without taking on market risk of loss of funds. I don’t think I am being entitled to believe that this option should exist for those who wish to take advantage of it. Forcing everyone into the stock or real estate markets just to stay ahead of inflation is a crime against the people. > A saver who wants to put money away to spend in the future must, unfortunately, make some sort of bet. This is only true because of the fradulent fractional reserve fiat money system we have been subjected to which allows the central bankers to steal from the populace to enrich their banker friends. If it were not for money printing, the saver would not have to risk their savings just to preserve purchasing power.
- md_ 5y ago“If it were not for central bankers printing money into existence, a person could work their life, save a portion for retirement in a bank account or other fixed income product, while enjoying a positive return on their investment, without taking on market risk of loss of funds.” Hmm. How would that work?
- Thiez 5y agoYes, it's very mysterious. If everybody put their money in the bank they would all be guaranteed a positive return on their investment, but there is no inflation and the money supply is fixed. So where does the money come from?
- lowkey 5y agoIt’s simple really. In finance this is called ‘the time value of money.’ Essentially, in order for me to be incentivized to use a savings vehicle, there must be a real incentive. This incentive is what motivates the saver to save. If not for the incentive, why would they lend their money out?
- lowkey 5y agoI mean it already works like that in cryptocurrency today. Look at the rates paid on stablecoins. For example look at UST a US dollar stablecoin. It currently pays 19.4% APY on savings. There are risks but for 2% on Nexus Mutual you can be insured against a failure of the dollar peg or a failure in the smart contract. The net yield on a USD pegged stablecoin with insurance is 17.4% - handily beating inflation risk-free. If the central bankers couldn’t print money you could beat inflation with any bank account.
- md_ 5y agoWhere do you think the zero-risk interest comes from?
- 5y ago