Toward a Grease-Backed Monetary System
For centuries, humanity has relied on gold, silver, paper notes, and digital numbers that exist mostly as vibes.
But what if we returned to something more stable?
Something tangible.
Something crispy.
What if bacon… was money?
Welcome to the first serious (extremely serious) economic evaluation of the Bacon Standard.
I. Historical Precedent: Meat as Money
Before fiat currency, societies traded goods directly:
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Grain
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Livestock
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Salt
And what is bacon if not the luxury derivative of livestock?
Unlike paper currency, bacon has:
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Intrinsic value
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Immediate utility
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Emotional stability (until eaten)
This makes it a strong candidate for a post-fiat breakfast economy.
II. Core Economic Properties of Bacon
For a commodity to function as currency, it must be:
1. Portable
Bacon: ✔
Fits in pocket. Might leave evidence.
2. Divisible
One strip can be broken into smaller crispy units.
Microtransactions achieved.
3. Recognizable
You cannot counterfeit bacon easily.
(If someone tries, you will know.)
4. Limited Supply
Pigs are finite.
This introduces scarcity, which economists adore.
III. Inflation Under the Bacon Standard
Let’s imagine a world where the global reserve asset is bacon.
When bacon production increases significantly, what happens?
Bacon Inflation.
Suddenly:
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A latte costs 3 strips.
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Rent costs 2,000 strips.
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Your salary is negotiated in thick-cut units.
To combat inflation, central banks would need to:
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Control pig populations.
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Adjust frying interest rates.
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Implement Strategic Bacon Reserves.
This is fiscal responsibility with a side of brunch.
IV. Volatility & Market Risk
Bacon prices fluctuate based on:
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Feed costs
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Weather
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Brunch demand
Unlike digital currency, bacon cannot crash to zero.
Worst-case scenario?
You eat your portfolio.
Name another asset class that delicious.
V. The Grease-Backed Banking System
Under the Bacon Standard, banks would operate as follows:
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Deposits stored in climate-controlled vaults
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Interest paid in “compound crispness”
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ATMs dispense vacuum-sealed strips
Credit cards replaced with:
Bacon-backed debit slices.
Defaulting on a loan means surrendering your freezer.
VI. International Trade
Countries rich in pork become economic superpowers.
Exports include:
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Smoked reserves
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Maple derivatives
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Premium artisanal cuts
Oil-producing nations would need to diversify into breakfast futures.
The new global question becomes:
“How many strips per barrel?”
VII. Black Market Implications
Inevitably, underground bacon exchanges emerge.
Illicit transactions conducted in:
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Pepper-crusted strips
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Rare heritage breeds
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Limited edition seasonal cures
This creates a shadow grease economy.
Regulators struggle.
Dogs flourish.
VIII. Long-Term Sustainability
Critics argue bacon cannot scale globally as currency.
But consider:
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It encourages responsible spending (you feel every transaction).
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Hoarding becomes risky (shelf life matters).
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Wealth redistribution happens naturally (hungry people exist).
This is built-in economic correction.
IX. The Psychological Advantage
Money today is abstract.
Bacon is not.
When you hand someone a strip, you understand value immediately.
It smells like effort.
It looks like reward.
It tastes like victory.
Consumer confidence skyrockets.
Literally. It smells amazing.
X. Final Verdict
Is bacon a perfect currency?
No.
Is it more emotionally satisfying than staring at a banking app?
Absolutely.
Under the Bacon Standard:
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Inflation smells better
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Savings taste better
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Economic collapse becomes a catered event
In conclusion:
Gold is shiny.
Crypto is volatile.
Paper is fragile.
But bacon?
Bacon is forever.
Or at least until lunch.