Reflecting on the story of stone and gold

With that perspective, he didn't care about the fluctuating price of gold, its soaring value, or its record highs. And he felt his life was still normal! As for giving gold as a wedding gift, he said: "Giving money is best; the young couple can buy whatever they want..."

My husband's comment that gold is just a rock is true; it's a mineral, a valuable "rock." But his deeper meaning refers to the fact that many people buy gold to store it – just like a rock, because it's not circulated or exchanged.

"

Furthermore, modern life has brought global and domestic financial transaction systems to a point of operation via electronic transfer buttons, leaving gold "behind."

Throughout its long history, gold has always been considered one of the world's most valuable assets and plays an undeniable role in the global financial system. Although it was once recognized as a currency in exchange and trade, it has "self-destructed" that role in modern society. This is because gold cannot (or rather, is difficult to) be divided into smaller units to serve basic daily transactions, especially when daily life revolves around transactions for things like vegetables, fish, rice, and potatoes. It's rare to see anyone using gold to buy such things.

My husband's story is further substantiated by news reports that, in many localities, despite sharp fluctuations in gold prices, gold and silver shops are experiencing a lack of customers and sluggish transactions. Even bustling areas like Quang Ninh are facing the same situation.

"

Strangely, in the days following the US presidential election, when Trump won (from November 6, 2024), the price of gold plummeted, almost uncontrollably. Yet, many people rushed to sell their gold.

Meanwhile, many experts predict that the price of gold is likely to continue falling in the near future.

Some shops explain that when gold prices started to rise, people brought their gold to sell. Now that gold prices are at record highs, many people are waiting for prices to rise even higher before selling, so there are very few customers coming to the shops. However, there is a counter-argument: "Why buy gold when it's so expensive?!" Therefore, many shops only record a few people buying gold rings as wedding gifts, not for investment purposes.

The story above doesn't mention gold traders. They "hoard" gold when they see a suitable price, intending to sell when the price rises. Therefore, when gold prices rise too high, they naturally don't "hold" it for fear of losses. As mentioned, gold is a precious mineral, but its role as currency in transactions in the 4.0 era is declining, with bank transfers becoming dominant.

Returning to the story of "my husband" giving money as a wedding gift, it's understandable, as many young people now openly share their bank accounts to receive wedding gifts via bank transfer. If we lived by his philosophy, we wouldn't be so caught up in the current fluctuating price of gold! Of course, gold is still a very precious "gem"!