Maybe I haven't read enough sci fi but wouldn't it act more like the gold standard, where currency represents an amount of energy as opposed to literally carrying around physical batteries or something on your person.
[Aoish credits] were just about
the only universally acceptable medium of exchange in existence, and each one entitled the holder to
convert a coin into either a given weight of any stable element, an area on a free Orbital, or a computer of
a given speed and capacity.
Found the main example that was sticking in my head. From Consider Phlebas.
It's talking about the theoretical ability to trade them in, but generally they're just used as currency.
Basically, although I thought it was interesting that the list included materials, and also ownership of a computer, rather than a specific amount of processing time. Made me think about the difference between how proles generally can only trade currency for a specific amount of value, but the bourgeoisie can trade currency for assets that yield profit at a constant rate. I wonder if there are effects that replicate that in this universe.
This particular thing seems unlikely though, trading actual energy would be pretty impractical so even in the worst ancap dystopia corporations would probably at least come up with some kind of currency that represented energy. Unless things are so bad that there's not enough stability for currency to be worth anything, in that case people could trade actual energy but that would really just be barter since there's no real reason they wouldn't trade other valuable shit too.
So I feel like a sci fi world where people pay for stuff in unexploded bombs is kinda just bad worldbuilding.
Maybe I haven't read enough sci fi but wouldn't it act more like the gold standard, where currency represents an amount of energy as opposed to literally carrying around physical batteries or something on your person.
Found the main example that was sticking in my head. From Consider Phlebas.
It's talking about the theoretical ability to trade them in, but generally they're just used as currency.
Yeah isn't that basically the gold standard, they're notes that entitle you to x amount of gold
Basically, although I thought it was interesting that the list included materials, and also ownership of a computer, rather than a specific amount of processing time. Made me think about the difference between how proles generally can only trade currency for a specific amount of value, but the bourgeoisie can trade currency for assets that yield profit at a constant rate. I wonder if there are effects that replicate that in this universe.
Working class people can buy stocks though, just not enough for a sizeable investment income unless you get really lucky playing the market
Ok that makes so much more sense
I mean I'm just guessing, maybe a lot of sci fi books do have the more literal interpretation
I feel like capitalism could produce a system that stupid so it could totally belong in dystopian scifi lol
This particular thing seems unlikely though, trading actual energy would be pretty impractical so even in the worst ancap dystopia corporations would probably at least come up with some kind of currency that represented energy. Unless things are so bad that there's not enough stability for currency to be worth anything, in that case people could trade actual energy but that would really just be barter since there's no real reason they wouldn't trade other valuable shit too.
So I feel like a sci fi world where people pay for stuff in unexploded bombs is kinda just bad worldbuilding.
Definitely not good worldbuilding. I was picturing it being used more as a spoof or gag.