Even if you entirely eschew the concept of money, we'll bet you'd be hard pressed not to trade in some form of currency. Learn how everything from cows to cacao beans to tiny shells from Maldives have served as currency at some time or another.
AI Summary
The hosts of Stuff You Should Know dive into the fascinating history of money, starting with an intriguing fact about how tide laundry detergent has become an underground currency for drug transactions. They explore the evolution of money from ancient commodity-based systems like cacao beans and cattle to modern electronic currency, covering coins, paper money, and digital transfers along the way. The episode touches on everything from hyperinflation disasters to the Big Mac Index, revealing how our entire economic system is built on collective agreement about what has value.
"On the podcast, Hey Dude, the 90s called David Lasher and Christine Taylor — This is mentioned in an advertisement for another podcast during the episode."
Poltergeist
1982
1h 54m
★ 7.2
"Do you remember AOL instant messenger and the dial-up sound like poltergeist? — Referenced in an advertisement comparing dial-up internet sounds to the movie Poltergeist."
Saturday Night Fever
1977
1h 58m
★ 6.7
"New York Magazine, which is actually where the movie Saturday Night Fever came from — Josh mentions that the movie came from a fabricated article in New York Magazine while introducing the topic."
— Josh
"Are you watching the Simpsons every episode marathon? — Josh asks Chuck about watching a Simpsons marathon on FXX."
— Josh
The Wizard of Oz
1939
1h 42m
★ 7.6
"Did you know that's what the Wizard of Oz is about? It's an allegory for the gold standard — Josh explains that The Wizard of Oz is an allegory about the gold standard in economics."
— Josh
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