October 24, 2024 • 16 mins
Podcast Recap: In this episode of the Barndovilla podcast, the hosts explore the benefits of printed gold money and self-sufficiency as tools to survive economic collapse. With inflation and societal instability on the rise, the episode emphasizes breaking free from traditional systems, adopting Valaurum’s printed gold technology, and fostering resilient, independent economies. 1. The Economic […]
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
All right, let's do it.
Today we're taking a deep dive into
alternative economies.
Oh, yeah, Getting into that prepper
mindset.
Exactly.
Trading dollars for gold,
grocery stores for gardens.
You know, that whole thing.
Living off the grid.
We've got a bunch of sources to unpack.
OK, lay it on me.
We've got this blog post all about gold
backs and growing your own food.
(00:20):
It's interesting.
There's a website that lists all the states
that are making gold and silver legal
tender. Wow.
And we even have a podcast recap about gold
backed currency and self-sufficiency. Nice.
Plus a YouTube video and a company website
about something called Aurum.
Aurum.
What's that? It's basically gold infused
dollar bills. Whoa.
(00:42):
Like, actually gold.
Yeah, we'll get into that. Crazy.
It's like a whole different world, these
prepper communities, right?
All prepping for a system reboot, like a
total reset on how we value money, food,
even community.
Total reset, huh?
The question is, is this just fringe
prepping stuff, right?
Or is there something here for everyone,
even if you're not, like, building a bunker
(01:03):
in your backyard?
I mean, I'm always up for learning new
things. Me too.
So let's start with this Barndavilla blog.
OK, what are they saying? They're painting
a pretty intense picture.
Intense. How?
Talking about economic collapse,
social unrest, the dollar crashing.
They even bring up historical examples of, like,
price caps leading to famine.
Whoa, that's heavy stuff. Yeah.
(01:25):
They also touch on election integrity and
potential depopulation plans.
Wait, really? It's in there.
But remember, that's just what the blog
says, not necessarily what we believe, you
know? Oh, right, of course.
It's wild.
But the interesting thing is how they
connect all those economic anxieties
to this call for, like, radical
(01:46):
self-sufficiency.
Radical self-sufficiency.
What do you mean? They're basically saying,
forget grocery stores, forget banks.
Learn to do everything yourself. Whoa,
that's a big ask.
Yeah.
I mean, how many of us could actually
survive if?
Like everything just went poof,
right? It's a pretty drastic scenario,
but they do make some points about how
vulnerable our systems are.
(02:07):
That's true, I guess,
and how appealing it could be to have more
control over your own life, your own food,
your own resources.
I get that.
And that's where their whole obsession with
gold backs comes in.
Gold backs. Yeah,
they're all about using these little pieces
of gold, like tiny gold Nuggets,
as a way to buy and sell outside the normal
(02:27):
financial system.
Interesting.
So it's like
actual gold.
Yeah, but just a tiny amount.
Think of it like
a gold back represents a small fraction of
an ounce of gold.
OK, I see.
We even have this YouTube video where
someone uses a gold back to buy groceries.
No way.
At the time, 1 gold back was worth like
4.70 $4.70
(02:48):
for like a tiny piece of gold.
It's all about the value the community
agrees on, right? Yeah.
Could fluctuate.
So what? Like one day it's $4.70 and the
next it could be double that potentially. Yeah.
That's a whole other thing these systems
would have to figure out.
That's a pretty big difference from how our
normal money works.
Totally.
And it shows how important community
agreement is in these alternative systems,
right? Everyone needs to be on the same
(03:10):
page about what a gold back is worth for it
to work at all.
Exactly.
It reminds me of those local exchange
trading systems, the LETS.
Oh yeah, I've heard of those where people
trade stuff directly within a community.
Yeah, using their own credits,
but using gold instead.
That's a new twist.
It makes sense, though.
People want something tangible, right?
(03:31):
Something that feels real, something that's
historically held its value,
not something controlled by governments or
central banks.
Speaking of governments,
are we going to talk about those states
making gold and silver legal tender? Oh
yeah, definitely.
We have this article from World Population
Review.
What does it say?
Lists out all the states, states like Utah,
(03:52):
Texas, Wyoming.
They're going all in on this. Yeah.
Seems like a pretty big challenge to the
Federal Reserve.
They're saying.
We want control over our economies and we
want more options for our citizens.
Makes sense.
And get this, the article mentions these
laws could actually wipe out capital gains
taxes on precious metals.
Quite seriously.
Yeah, you could buy gold and silver without
(04:13):
the government taking a cut of your
profits.
Pretty big incentive, right? For sure.
It definitely creates a good environment
for alternative currencies to take off. Yeah,
definitely.
But it's not just about gold backs.
We also have this aurum thing.
Aurum, right.
Didn't you say those were like gold infused
dollar bills? Yeah,
basically.
That's wild, right? Like,
(04:33):
imagine a dollar bill, but it's got actual
gold in it.
That's what RM is trying to do.
Combine paper money with the security of gold.
I mean, it sounds cool,
but how does that even work?
It's this whole proprietary technology.
They embed a specific amount of gold right
into the notes.
That's pretty high tech, right?
It's mentioned in that podcast recap and on
(04:55):
the company website.
What are they saying about it?
Well, they're really playing up all the
benefits, durability, security,
flexibility.
They say it's easy to check how much gold
is in each note.
Interesting.
So it's like a gold backed dollar bill.
Kind of, yeah.
But like with gold backs, the big question is,
will people actually use it?
Right.
(05:15):
It's one thing to make a fancy new kind of money.
It's another to convince everyone to switch
from what they already know.
Exactly.
That's the challenge with any alternative
currency, getting people to trust it, to
build a network of users.
It's like trying to get everyone to switch
to a new social media platform, right?
Needs
a critical mass to work, right?
But
(05:35):
you know that Barnavilla blog,
they seem pretty confident that this is the
future.
Oh yeah, they're all in on this parallel
society idea,
operating totally outside the normal
systems.
Wow.
So they're not just talking about money, right?
They mentioned food, too.
Yeah, they're big on rejecting, like,
modern society's toxic offerings.
(05:55):
What do I mean by that?
It's about going back to our roots, growing
your own food, knowing where it comes from.
OK,
that's a pretty different perspective. It is.
But it all ties back into that
self-sufficiency thing, taking control of
your well-being, right? Right.
So it's not just about
each person surviving on their own. Nope.
They're also super focused on building
(06:15):
strong communities.
Oh, that's interesting.
How so? They talk about sharing resources,
open communication, learning skills like
first aid,
self-defense.
They even talk about creating private
Courier networks, alternative communication
methods.
Like what if the Internet goes down?
Exactly.
Like preparing for a world without cell
phones or the Internet.
(06:36):
That's a pretty intense vision. It is. Yeah.
But there are some interesting ideas there
about like.
The power of community, the importance of
being prepared for,
well, anything. Yeah.
So even if you don't buy into the whole
doomsday thing,
there's still something to be said for
being self-reliant
and having a strong community.
Totally makes you think,
(06:56):
what would you do if everything we rely on just
stopped working? Yeah, that's a good
question.
What skills would be the most valuable?
What resources would you prioritize? Who
could you depend on?
Definitely some things to think about.
We're back and still digging into these
alternative economies that purple
communities are so into.
(07:17):
Yeah, it's a lot, right? It's a lot to wrap
your head around,
especially that vision of a whole parallel
society, you know? Yeah,
right.
Running on gold gardens.
Community spirit. Yeah.
It's easy to focus on the doomsday side of it.
The what if everything goes wrong scenario.
But I think the mindset is really
interesting. Yeah.
They're not just passively waiting for the
world to end, right? They're building
(07:38):
something.
They're actively trying to create a better
way of life.
Like, OK, what if things do fall apart?
What can we do
to not just survive, but thrive?
Exactly. Yeah.
Be more self-sufficient,
connected, more in control. Yeah.
And that's where that whole resilience
thing comes in.
Being prepared for anything.
These communities, they're thinking about
all sorts of disruptions, economic
(08:00):
collapse, natural disasters, and they're
developing.
A ton of skills.
It's not just about starkpiling stuff,
right? It's about learning to.
Grow food,
fix things, build community, how to think
for yourself, solve problems.
It's like practical living 101,
but with a focus on independence and
self-reliance.
And honestly,
(08:21):
those skills, they're valuable no matter
what happens.
Yeah, you're right.
Even if you don't think society's going to
collapse, which hopefully it won't, right?
But knowing how to be adaptable,
resourceful, it can only help you.
So we might not share their anxieties about
the future, maybe not to the same degree,
but we can still learn something from these
preppers.
Definitely.
Their commitment to preparedness,
(08:43):
it's pretty inspiring, even if their vision
seems a bit out
there.
Yeah, and their focus on community.
That's powerful, too,
in a world that's so focused on the
individual.
Yeah, it feels like everyone's on their own.
They're emphasizing cooperation,
mutual aid, responsibility.
They're saying
we need each other.
Not just to survive, but to actually
(09:04):
thrive.
And I think that message resonates with a
lot of people,
people who are disillusioned with the way
things are, people who want to feel more
connected,
like they belong.
So what does this all mean for our
listeners?
We're not saying you have to, like,
go trade all your money for gold backs
or build a bunker in your backyard and not
unless you want to,
but it's worth thinking about your own
vulnerabilities.
(09:25):
Like, what would you do if the systems we
rely on suddenly weren't there? If the
grocery stores closed, what schools would
you need? What resources would be most
important?
Who would you turn to for help?
It's about being proactive, taking charge
of your own well-being, knowing you're not alone.
There are people out there thinking about
these same things, people working to build
(09:46):
a more resilient, connected future, and
whether you join them or just take
inspiration from them.
We hope this deep dive has given you
something to think about, some new ideas to
explore, skills to learn, maybe even a new
appreciation for the power of community.
OK, so we've talked about the why behind
these alternative economies, right? The
(10:06):
motivations, the whole
prepping mindset.
And we touched on the
how
building resilient communities, embracing
self-sufficiency, right?
But let's get into the what.
What are these gold backs and aurum notes,
really? And how do they work? Let's break
it down.
Gold backs, as we said before, are these
tiny little pieces of gold.
(10:28):
Each one represents a small amount of actual
physical gold.
That Barndavilla blog talked about
communities already using them to buy and
sell things instead of handing over
dollars.
They're using gold backs.
Yeah, like a little gold Nugget instead of
a $5 bill.
But remember, the value of that gold back
is set by the community using it.
(10:48):
It's not tied to the global price of gold,
so it could go up and down.
One community might say a gold back's worth
$5, another might say it's 10.
It's like a local barter system,
but with gold as the common ground.
Yeah, that's a good way to put it.
But that podcast recap pointed out a big
problem circulation, right? For any
(11:09):
currency to work, you need enough of it
moving around.
If there aren't enough gold backs out
there, it limits how much people can
actually use them.
Exactly.
And then there's that extra cost you pay
for a gold back.
The premium. Yeah,
you might end up paying $10 for a gold back
that only has like
$8 worth of gold in it.
And that premium can change too, right?
Making it even more complicated to use them
for everyday transactions.
(11:30):
Definitely adds another layer of
complexity.
So it seems like there's some kinks to
workout with gold backs.
What about Aurum? How does that system try
to solve some of these issues?
Well, Aurum takes a totally different
approach.
Instead of being little pieces of gold,
right, they're actually polymer notes,
like similar to dollar bills.
Yeah, but infused with gold.
(11:51):
That's pretty clever.
The Velarum website talked about their
technology, right? How they embed a certain
amount of gold right into each note.
Pretty high tech stuff.
Yeah, and I bet they're a lot easier to
carry around than a bunch of gold Nuggets
for sure.
Plus, Velarum really plays up the security
of Aurum.
They're tough to counterfeit, and the gold
content is easy to check.
So in theory, Aurum could be a more
(12:13):
practical option for everyday use than gold backs.
Maybe.
But it all comes down to whether people
will actually adopt it.
It's a tough sell to get people to switch
from what they're used to.
It's like that social media example again, right?
You need everyone on board for it to really work.
Exactly.
And remember,
these prepper communities, they're coming
from a place of distrust, distrust of the
(12:35):
systems we have now.
They believe those systems are flawed, that
they're going to fail eventually, and their
solution is to build something.
Totally new.
Something decentralized and
self-sufficient.
A radical vision for sure.
But even if you don't agree with them,
there are still some valuable lessons to be
learned from their approach,
like being more critical of the systems we
rely on,
asking
(12:55):
what would I do if those systems were gone,
and thinking about what skills and
resources would be valuable in a world with
different rules.
Those are questions we'll keep exploring
after the break.
Stay with us.
We're back, and we're still talking about
these alternative economies that prepper
communities are so into.
Yeah, it's a lot to think about.
That vision of a parallel society,
(13:18):
gold, gardens, community.
It's easy to get stuck on the doomsday
prepping aspect, right? Like they're just
waiting for the world to end.
But I think the interesting thing is their
mindset.
Like, it's not just about surviving.
It's about creating a better way of life.
Like they're asking, OK, what if things
really do fall apart? How can we thrive?
(13:38):
Not just survive.
How can we be more self-sufficient, more
connected, more in control of our own
lives? And that's where the resilience
comes in.
They're preparing for all kinds of
disruptions, economic collapse, natural
disasters, learning all sorts of skills,
not just stockpiling food and water.
It's about growing your own food,
fixing things, building community, learning
(13:59):
to think critically,
solve problems.
It's like a crash course in practical
living.
But with that focus on independence and
self-reliance and those skills, they're
valuable no matter what.
Even if you don't think society is going to
collapse anytime soon, which hopefully it
won't, right?
But knowing how to be adaptable,
resourceful, it can only benefit you.
(14:20):
So even if we don't share all their
anxieties about the future, right? Maybe
not to the same extent, we can still learn
from the prepper community.
Definitely.
Their commitment to being prepared is
really inspiring,
even if their vision of the future seems a
little extreme.
And that emphasis on community, that's
powerful too, especially in a world that
feels so individualistic,
(14:40):
everyone's on their own, but they're
emphasizing
cooperation.
Mutual aid, shared responsibility.
They're saying
we need each other not just to survive, but
to thrive.
And I think that resonates with a lot of
people, people who are disillusioned with
the way things are, people who are longing
for connection,
for belonging.
(15:02):
So what does all this mean for you,
the listener? Right.
What's the take away?
We're not saying you need to run out and
buy a bunch of gold backs or start digging
a bunker in your backyard.
Unless you want to, of course.
But it is worth thinking about your own
vulnerabilities.
What would you do
if the systems we rely on
disappeared? The grocery stores closed.
(15:23):
What skills would you need? What resources
would you prioritize? Who would you turn to
for help? It's about taking responsibility
for your well-being,
knowing you're not alone in this.
There are people out there thinking about
these same things.
People working to build a more resilient
future, more connected future.
And whether you join them
or just find inspiration in their ideas, we
(15:44):
hope this deep dive has given you something
to think about.
New ideas to explore, skills to consider
learning, maybe even a new appreciation for
community.
Because at the end of the day, resilience
isn't just about survival, it's about
thriving.
It's about connecting, creating,
contributing, even when things are
uncertain.
That's all for this deep dive into
(16:05):
alternative economies.
Thanks for joining us.
We'll see you next time for another
fascinating topic.
Until then, keep exploring, keep learning,
and keep diving deep.
All right, let's do it.
Today we're taking a deep dive into
alternative economies.
Oh, yeah, Getting into that prepper
mindset.
Exactly.
Trading dollars for gold,
grocery stores for gardens.
You know, that whole thing.
Living off the grid.
We've got a bunch of sources to unpack.
OK, lay it on me.
We've got this blog post all about gold
backs and growing your own food.
(00:20):
It's interesting.
There's a website that lists all the states
that are making gold and silver legal
tender. Wow.
And we even have a podcast recap about gold
backed currency and self-sufficiency. Nice.
Plus a YouTube video and a company website
about something called Aurum.
Aurum.
What's that? It's basically gold infused
dollar bills. Whoa.
(00:42):
Like, actually gold.
Yeah, we'll get into that. Crazy.
It's like a whole different world, these
prepper communities, right?
All prepping for a system reboot, like a
total reset on how we value money, food,
even community.
Total reset, huh?
The question is, is this just fringe
prepping stuff, right?
Or is there something here for everyone,
even if you're not, like, building a bunker
(01:03):
in your backyard?
I mean, I'm always up for learning new
things. Me too.
So let's start with this Barndavilla blog.
OK, what are they saying? They're painting
a pretty intense picture.
Intense. How?
Talking about economic collapse,
social unrest, the dollar crashing.
They even bring up historical examples of, like,
price caps leading to famine.
Whoa, that's heavy stuff. Yeah.
(01:25):
They also touch on election integrity and
potential depopulation plans.
Wait, really? It's in there.
But remember, that's just what the blog
says, not necessarily what we believe, you
know? Oh, right, of course.
It's wild.
But the interesting thing is how they
connect all those economic anxieties
to this call for, like, radical
(01:46):
self-sufficiency.
Radical self-sufficiency.
What do you mean? They're basically saying,
forget grocery stores, forget banks.
Learn to do everything yourself. Whoa,
that's a big ask.
Yeah.
I mean, how many of us could actually
survive if?
Like everything just went poof,
right? It's a pretty drastic scenario,
but they do make some points about how
vulnerable our systems are.
(02:07):
That's true, I guess,
and how appealing it could be to have more
control over your own life, your own food,
your own resources.
I get that.
And that's where their whole obsession with
gold backs comes in.
Gold backs. Yeah,
they're all about using these little pieces
of gold, like tiny gold Nuggets,
as a way to buy and sell outside the normal
(02:27):
financial system.
Interesting.
So it's like
actual gold.
Yeah, but just a tiny amount.
Think of it like
a gold back represents a small fraction of
an ounce of gold.
OK, I see.
We even have this YouTube video where
someone uses a gold back to buy groceries.
No way.
At the time, 1 gold back was worth like
4.70 $4.70
(02:48):
for like a tiny piece of gold.
It's all about the value the community
agrees on, right? Yeah.
Could fluctuate.
So what? Like one day it's $4.70 and the
next it could be double that potentially. Yeah.
That's a whole other thing these systems
would have to figure out.
That's a pretty big difference from how our
normal money works.
Totally.
And it shows how important community
agreement is in these alternative systems,
right? Everyone needs to be on the same
(03:10):
page about what a gold back is worth for it
to work at all.
Exactly.
It reminds me of those local exchange
trading systems, the LETS.
Oh yeah, I've heard of those where people
trade stuff directly within a community.
Yeah, using their own credits,
but using gold instead.
That's a new twist.
It makes sense, though.
People want something tangible, right?
(03:31):
Something that feels real, something that's
historically held its value,
not something controlled by governments or
central banks.
Speaking of governments,
are we going to talk about those states
making gold and silver legal tender? Oh
yeah, definitely.
We have this article from World Population
Review.
What does it say?
Lists out all the states, states like Utah,
(03:52):
Texas, Wyoming.
They're going all in on this. Yeah.
Seems like a pretty big challenge to the
Federal Reserve.
They're saying.
We want control over our economies and we
want more options for our citizens.
Makes sense.
And get this, the article mentions these
laws could actually wipe out capital gains
taxes on precious metals.
Quite seriously.
Yeah, you could buy gold and silver without
(04:13):
the government taking a cut of your
profits.
Pretty big incentive, right? For sure.
It definitely creates a good environment
for alternative currencies to take off. Yeah,
definitely.
But it's not just about gold backs.
We also have this aurum thing.
Aurum, right.
Didn't you say those were like gold infused
dollar bills? Yeah,
basically.
That's wild, right? Like,
(04:33):
imagine a dollar bill, but it's got actual
gold in it.
That's what RM is trying to do.
Combine paper money with the security of gold.
I mean, it sounds cool,
but how does that even work?
It's this whole proprietary technology.
They embed a specific amount of gold right
into the notes.
That's pretty high tech, right?
It's mentioned in that podcast recap and on
(04:55):
the company website.
What are they saying about it?
Well, they're really playing up all the
benefits, durability, security,
flexibility.
They say it's easy to check how much gold
is in each note.
Interesting.
So it's like a gold backed dollar bill.
Kind of, yeah.
But like with gold backs, the big question is,
will people actually use it?
Right.
(05:15):
It's one thing to make a fancy new kind of money.
It's another to convince everyone to switch
from what they already know.
Exactly.
That's the challenge with any alternative
currency, getting people to trust it, to
build a network of users.
It's like trying to get everyone to switch
to a new social media platform, right?
Needs
a critical mass to work, right?
But
(05:35):
you know that Barnavilla blog,
they seem pretty confident that this is the
future.
Oh yeah, they're all in on this parallel
society idea,
operating totally outside the normal
systems.
Wow.
So they're not just talking about money, right?
They mentioned food, too.
Yeah, they're big on rejecting, like,
modern society's toxic offerings.
(05:55):
What do I mean by that?
It's about going back to our roots, growing
your own food, knowing where it comes from.
OK,
that's a pretty different perspective. It is.
But it all ties back into that
self-sufficiency thing, taking control of
your well-being, right? Right.
So it's not just about
each person surviving on their own. Nope.
They're also super focused on building
(06:15):
strong communities.
Oh, that's interesting.
How so? They talk about sharing resources,
open communication, learning skills like
first aid,
self-defense.
They even talk about creating private
Courier networks, alternative communication
methods.
Like what if the Internet goes down?
Exactly.
Like preparing for a world without cell
phones or the Internet.
(06:36):
That's a pretty intense vision. It is. Yeah.
But there are some interesting ideas there
about like.
The power of community, the importance of
being prepared for,
well, anything. Yeah.
So even if you don't buy into the whole
doomsday thing,
there's still something to be said for
being self-reliant
and having a strong community.
Totally makes you think,
(06:56):
what would you do if everything we rely on just
stopped working? Yeah, that's a good
question.
What skills would be the most valuable?
What resources would you prioritize? Who
could you depend on?
Definitely some things to think about.
We're back and still digging into these
alternative economies that purple
communities are so into.
(07:17):
Yeah, it's a lot, right? It's a lot to wrap
your head around,
especially that vision of a whole parallel
society, you know? Yeah,
right.
Running on gold gardens.
Community spirit. Yeah.
It's easy to focus on the doomsday side of it.
The what if everything goes wrong scenario.
But I think the mindset is really
interesting. Yeah.
They're not just passively waiting for the
world to end, right? They're building
(07:38):
something.
They're actively trying to create a better
way of life.
Like, OK, what if things do fall apart?
What can we do
to not just survive, but thrive?
Exactly. Yeah.
Be more self-sufficient,
connected, more in control. Yeah.
And that's where that whole resilience
thing comes in.
Being prepared for anything.
These communities, they're thinking about
all sorts of disruptions, economic
(08:00):
collapse, natural disasters, and they're
developing.
A ton of skills.
It's not just about starkpiling stuff,
right? It's about learning to.
Grow food,
fix things, build community, how to think
for yourself, solve problems.
It's like practical living 101,
but with a focus on independence and
self-reliance.
And honestly,
(08:21):
those skills, they're valuable no matter
what happens.
Yeah, you're right.
Even if you don't think society's going to
collapse, which hopefully it won't, right?
But knowing how to be adaptable,
resourceful, it can only help you.
So we might not share their anxieties about
the future, maybe not to the same degree,
but we can still learn something from these
preppers.
Definitely.
Their commitment to preparedness,
(08:43):
it's pretty inspiring, even if their vision
seems a bit out
there.
Yeah, and their focus on community.
That's powerful, too,
in a world that's so focused on the
individual.
Yeah, it feels like everyone's on their own.
They're emphasizing cooperation,
mutual aid, responsibility.
They're saying
we need each other.
Not just to survive, but to actually
(09:04):
thrive.
And I think that message resonates with a
lot of people,
people who are disillusioned with the way
things are, people who want to feel more
connected,
like they belong.
So what does this all mean for our
listeners?
We're not saying you have to, like,
go trade all your money for gold backs
or build a bunker in your backyard and not
unless you want to,
but it's worth thinking about your own
vulnerabilities.
(09:25):
Like, what would you do if the systems we
rely on suddenly weren't there? If the
grocery stores closed, what schools would
you need? What resources would be most
important?
Who would you turn to for help?
It's about being proactive, taking charge
of your own well-being, knowing you're not alone.
There are people out there thinking about
these same things, people working to build
(09:46):
a more resilient, connected future, and
whether you join them or just take
inspiration from them.
We hope this deep dive has given you
something to think about, some new ideas to
explore, skills to learn, maybe even a new
appreciation for the power of community.
OK, so we've talked about the why behind
these alternative economies, right? The
(10:06):
motivations, the whole
prepping mindset.
And we touched on the
how
building resilient communities, embracing
self-sufficiency, right?
But let's get into the what.
What are these gold backs and aurum notes,
really? And how do they work? Let's break
it down.
Gold backs, as we said before, are these
tiny little pieces of gold.
(10:28):
Each one represents a small amount of actual
physical gold.
That Barndavilla blog talked about
communities already using them to buy and
sell things instead of handing over
dollars.
They're using gold backs.
Yeah, like a little gold Nugget instead of
a $5 bill.
But remember, the value of that gold back
is set by the community using it.
(10:48):
It's not tied to the global price of gold,
so it could go up and down.
One community might say a gold back's worth
$5, another might say it's 10.
It's like a local barter system,
but with gold as the common ground.
Yeah, that's a good way to put it.
But that podcast recap pointed out a big
problem circulation, right? For any
(11:09):
currency to work, you need enough of it
moving around.
If there aren't enough gold backs out
there, it limits how much people can
actually use them.
Exactly.
And then there's that extra cost you pay
for a gold back.
The premium. Yeah,
you might end up paying $10 for a gold back
that only has like
$8 worth of gold in it.
And that premium can change too, right?
Making it even more complicated to use them
for everyday transactions.
(11:30):
Definitely adds another layer of
complexity.
So it seems like there's some kinks to
workout with gold backs.
What about Aurum? How does that system try
to solve some of these issues?
Well, Aurum takes a totally different
approach.
Instead of being little pieces of gold,
right, they're actually polymer notes,
like similar to dollar bills.
Yeah, but infused with gold.
(11:51):
That's pretty clever.
The Velarum website talked about their
technology, right? How they embed a certain
amount of gold right into each note.
Pretty high tech stuff.
Yeah, and I bet they're a lot easier to
carry around than a bunch of gold Nuggets
for sure.
Plus, Velarum really plays up the security
of Aurum.
They're tough to counterfeit, and the gold
content is easy to check.
So in theory, Aurum could be a more
(12:13):
practical option for everyday use than gold backs.
Maybe.
But it all comes down to whether people
will actually adopt it.
It's a tough sell to get people to switch
from what they're used to.
It's like that social media example again, right?
You need everyone on board for it to really work.
Exactly.
And remember,
these prepper communities, they're coming
from a place of distrust, distrust of the
(12:35):
systems we have now.
They believe those systems are flawed, that
they're going to fail eventually, and their
solution is to build something.
Totally new.
Something decentralized and
self-sufficient.
A radical vision for sure.
But even if you don't agree with them,
there are still some valuable lessons to be
learned from their approach,
like being more critical of the systems we
rely on,
asking
(12:55):
what would I do if those systems were gone,
and thinking about what skills and
resources would be valuable in a world with
different rules.
Those are questions we'll keep exploring
after the break.
Stay with us.
We're back, and we're still talking about
these alternative economies that prepper
communities are so into.
Yeah, it's a lot to think about.
That vision of a parallel society,
(13:18):
gold, gardens, community.
It's easy to get stuck on the doomsday
prepping aspect, right? Like they're just
waiting for the world to end.
But I think the interesting thing is their
mindset.
Like, it's not just about surviving.
It's about creating a better way of life.
Like they're asking, OK, what if things
really do fall apart? How can we thrive?
(13:38):
Not just survive.
How can we be more self-sufficient, more
connected, more in control of our own
lives? And that's where the resilience
comes in.
They're preparing for all kinds of
disruptions, economic collapse, natural
disasters, learning all sorts of skills,
not just stockpiling food and water.
It's about growing your own food,
fixing things, building community, learning
(13:59):
to think critically,
solve problems.
It's like a crash course in practical
living.
But with that focus on independence and
self-reliance and those skills, they're
valuable no matter what.
Even if you don't think society is going to
collapse anytime soon, which hopefully it
won't, right?
But knowing how to be adaptable,
resourceful, it can only benefit you.
(14:20):
So even if we don't share all their
anxieties about the future, right? Maybe
not to the same extent, we can still learn
from the prepper community.
Definitely.
Their commitment to being prepared is
really inspiring,
even if their vision of the future seems a
little extreme.
And that emphasis on community, that's
powerful too, especially in a world that
feels so individualistic,
(14:40):
everyone's on their own, but they're
emphasizing
cooperation.
Mutual aid, shared responsibility.
They're saying
we need each other not just to survive, but
to thrive.
And I think that resonates with a lot of
people, people who are disillusioned with
the way things are, people who are longing
for connection,
for belonging.
(15:02):
So what does all this mean for you,
the listener? Right.
What's the take away?
We're not saying you need to run out and
buy a bunch of gold backs or start digging
a bunker in your backyard.
Unless you want to, of course.
But it is worth thinking about your own
vulnerabilities.
What would you do
if the systems we rely on
disappeared? The grocery stores closed.
(15:23):
What skills would you need? What resources
would you prioritize? Who would you turn to
for help? It's about taking responsibility
for your well-being,
knowing you're not alone in this.
There are people out there thinking about
these same things.
People working to build a more resilient
future, more connected future.
And whether you join them
or just find inspiration in their ideas, we
(15:44):
hope this deep dive has given you something
to think about.
New ideas to explore, skills to consider
learning, maybe even a new appreciation for
community.
Because at the end of the day, resilience
isn't just about survival, it's about
thriving.
It's about connecting, creating,
contributing, even when things are
uncertain.
That's all for this deep dive into
(16:05):
alternative economies.
Thanks for joining us.
We'll see you next time for another
fascinating topic.
Until then, keep exploring, keep learning,
and keep diving deep.
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