Gold is Worthless
Gold is praised as valuable—but why?
It doesn’t feed you, shelter you, or protect you.
Let’s explore why gold, despite its glittering reputation, might actually be worthless.
Gold has historically been idolised as precious, desirable, and valuable.
But does gold really have intrinsic worth? It’s shiny and rare—but you can’t eat it, build a house with it, or use it practically.
Let’s challenge the notion that gold is truly valuable.
Introduction: The Absurdity of Gold’s Value
Gold. Shiny, bright, valuable, precious—right?
Wrong.
Think about it for a moment: why is gold considered valuable?
Because society says so.
Because someone, a long time ago, decided this glittery metal had worth.
Yet, objectively speaking, gold is one of the most useless materials on Earth.
- You can’t eat it.
- You can’t drink it.
- You can’t build a practical shelter from it.
So, why exactly are we obsessing over gold?
Let’s dive into the strange world where humans pay enormous sums for something that, in reality, might actually be completely worthless.
1. Gold: The Ultimate Fake Value
Humanity assigns value to things in bizarre ways.
Take diamonds, paintings, or designer clothing—they’re valuable because we collectively agree they are.
Gold is exactly the same.
What Does Gold Actually Do?
- It doesn’t produce income.
- It has minimal practical uses.
- Its only real appeal is cosmetic and psychological.
Yet, it commands astronomical prices. Why?
Because of a collective illusion—a widespread agreement that gold has inherent value.
This illusion has been going on for thousands of years, largely unchallenged.
2. Why Do Humans Believe Gold is Precious?
Historically, humans chose gold as a store of value because:
- It’s rare: Limited availability made it feel special.
- It’s durable: Doesn’t rust, decay, or lose its shine easily.
- It’s attractive: Shiny things trigger our primitive brains into wanting them.
But rarity and shininess alone don’t give something intrinsic worth.
Scarcity of something useless is still uselessness.
A shiny pebble might be rare too—but that doesn’t justify insane prices.
3. Intrinsic Value vs Assigned Value
There’s a key difference between intrinsic and assigned value:
Intrinsic value:
Something essential, practical, or necessary—like food, shelter, or medicine.
Assigned value:
Something society collectively agrees is worth money—like gold, paintings, or luxury brands.
Gold falls squarely into assigned value. Its actual intrinsic value is minimal, limited primarily to niche electronics and decorative purposes.
4. What Can Gold Actually Do for You?
Let’s ask directly: What good is gold in real terms?
- Feed you when you’re hungry? Nope.
- Provide shelter during storms? Absolutely not.
- Save your life when you’re sick? Again, no.
In a survival situation, gold is utterly useless.
A loaf of bread or a clean glass of water would have infinitely more value.
Yet humans stockpile gold as if it’s their lifeline, instead of prioritising essentials.
5. The Myth of Gold as a Reliable Investment
Financial “experts” often recommend gold as a safe-haven investment.
But is it really safe or even a sensible investment?
Gold Produces No Real Value
- Unlike companies (stocks) that generate profits, gold produces nothing.
- Unlike farmland or real estate, gold doesn’t yield income.
Gold’s Value is Purely Speculative
- Its price relies entirely on market sentiment and fear-based speculation.
- Historical prices swing wildly without clear correlation to practical value.
Investing in gold is essentially betting someone else will buy it from you later at a higher price.
It’s pure gambling, with zero intrinsic productivity.
6. The Irrationality of Human Obsession with Gold
Humans often cling to gold because of irrational beliefs:
- Status symbol: Owning gold signals wealth—but only because we say it does.
- Fear-based investing: Gold is bought when people panic, making its value tied to fear and irrationality.
- Historical tradition: Society’s ancient obsession with gold keeps it artificially relevant.
But just because something is traditional doesn’t make it logical or valuable in real terms.
7. Alternatives Actually Worth Something
If gold is effectively worthless, what should you invest in instead?
- Land or property: It provides shelter, can produce food, and generates income.
- Knowledge or education: Empowers and equips you to earn income, contribute to society, and enrich your life.
- Health and relationships: True wealth comes from connections, well-being, and quality of life—not shiny metal.
In a real-world scenario, these things deliver genuine value. Gold simply can’t.
8. Challenging the Gold Standard Myth
Some might say, “But gold backed currency!” True, historically gold backed currency, but this was simply another societal agreement.
It provided psychological security, not practical or intrinsic worth.
- Today, gold doesn’t back modern currency—currency value relies purely on government stability and economic strength.
- Gold’s previous role as currency backing doesn’t increase its actual practical value.
9. Does This Mean You Should Never Buy Gold?
Does recognising gold as inherently worthless mean you must avoid it altogether?
Not necessarily.
You can buy gold jewellery for aesthetic reasons, or own gold as speculation if you’re comfortable gambling.
But buying gold under the illusion that it’s “safe” or “inherently valuable” is misguided.
Understand what you’re buying: a shiny, speculative object with little practical use.
10. Final Thoughts: True Worth Is More than Gold
Ultimately, gold is valuable because we collectively pretend it is—not because it inherently deserves its status.
Real value is rooted in usefulness, practical application, and genuine necessity.
Gold lacks these qualities entirely, and its value evaporates when society stops pretending it’s precious.
In the end, your real wealth isn’t measured in gold bars or shiny coins—it’s measured by the meaningful relationships you build, the useful skills you gain, and the quality of life you create.
When you finally grasp that gold itself holds no genuine value, you’re free to focus your attention on investments and decisions that actually matter.
Remember:
Gold is only as valuable as the illusion society maintains. Without it, gold is totally worthless.
