Well I mean money has been arbitrary since it was invented. Why is one shiny metal more desirable than another shiny metal? Because it’s yellow. Rarity didn’t even always factor into it; centuries ago the Spanish tearing up South America looking for gold dumped enormous amounts of platinum into the ocean because nobody “knew” it was valuable. Because it was the wrong color but not actual silver.
Fun fact: the capstone on the Washington Monument is a nine-inch tall piece of aluminum. It was expensive because it was difficult to refine until the Bayer process was developed two years after it was set.
Well I mean money has been arbitrary since it was invented. Why is one shiny metal more desirable than another shiny metal? Because it’s yellow. Rarity didn’t even always factor into it; centuries ago the Spanish tearing up South America looking for gold dumped enormous amounts of platinum into the ocean because nobody “knew” it was valuable. Because it was the wrong color but not actual silver.
Fun fact: the capstone on the Washington Monument is a nine-inch tall piece of aluminum. It was expensive because it was difficult to refine until the Bayer process was developed two years after it was set.