What is it that draws us humans to gold?

I’m not talking about industrial usage or investment.

There seems to be something that draws humans to gold and makes us want it. My local dealers sometimes have 1 Kilo gold bars and they often let people hold them. Every single person who holds them has a sparkle in their eye and they want one. But they can’t afford it.

Now some may say “Duh it’s valuable that’s what draws people”, but to that I would reply that desire comes before value.

Gold is valuable because it’s desirable but why do we all desire it?

Is it the unique color?
Does it convey a sense of warmth?
Is it just the prettiest metal?

You’ll see in all kinds of fantasy stories that people get “gold fever” and basically go crazy for gold when they were normal before.

I think it sort of represents that hidden love for gold that we all have deep down inside us.

But I wonder why we all have that desire?

What do you guys think?

 

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To me it's the heft, this gold nugget is barely half the size of a penny, but weighs 3.6g.
It feels non-intuitive to hold something tiny so dense!

 

Hmm but what about other hefty metals like tungsten?

Maybe it’s the rarity?

 

For me, it's just the ultimate metal. I like silver and platinum alot, but i's just not the same.

Watching the old Westerns back in the day, sooner or later gold would appear or be mentioned in some way, whether prospecting transporting, or having.

It's the desire, mystique, what ever you want to call it. From ancient times it has just been the ultimate store of value, and inspires the imagination and action that let to California, Alaska, or any other gold rush.

 

Oh well yeah I was mainly talking about the very ancient times.

I am wondering what made civilizations cherish gold above all other metals.

Sure it’s rare but so are many other things.

 

MHO - It doesn't tarnish, it's easy to work with, it's pretty, it's rare. Probably a combination of things.
Once enough people accept it as valuable, more and more people want it.

 

I think because it has been part of our DNA since earliest times. Even the biblical Ark of the Covenant was layered in gold. How many would just pass over that story if it weren't layered in gold?

 

Value creates the desire. There's nothing special about gold itself other than its value. Thousands of years ago some humans decided it should be valuable then the humans that followed agreed with that. From childhood kids learn to want gold because it is valuable and a status symbol in the case of watches/jewelry.

If early humans had decided copper was to be valuable and gold piratically worthless you would be asking what draws us humans to copper instead.

 

Read your Bible. The answer to your question is there. From the beginning of time Gold was sought after, it was precious. So was silver but gold was more prized. It’s rarer than silver, easier to make things, prettier, the list goes on.

When God led the Hebrews out of Egypt what happened? They spoiled the Egyptians. Then later when Moses disappeared for 40 days on the Mountain and came back with the 10 Commandments the Hebrews had melted their gold jewelry that they took from the Egyptians and they made a golden calf.

Gold has always been prized and it will continue to be that way. But the answer to your question will be found in the Bible. Even in the end times as described in Revelation.

I’m not preaching and I’m not trying to force religion into this but I am trying to give you an answer.

 

As a scientist, I and you, may find it to be the ultimate "Noble" metal, known for its' beauty, inertness, malleability, thermal/electronic conductivity, rarity, etc..

The generally ultimate most functional metal known to man.

A metal which retains its' beauty in an adverse atmosphere, can be extruded to a millionth of an inch, doesn't oxidize. generally wont contaminate, and theoretically every atom found here will naturally always be here.

JMHO

 

It's a spiritual thing.
Exodus 25:39 "The menorah and its utensils are to be made of sixty-six pounds of pure gold."
Exodus 31:3-4 " I have filled him with the Spirit of God — with wisdom, understanding and knowledge concerning every kind of artisanry. He is a master of design in gold, silver, bronze,"

 

Given my choice for labware, though, I'd pick platinum every time. It just doesn't STAY as pretty or malleable as gold.

Why do people flock to gold? Because people flock to gold. If the other monkeys want it, I must want it, too!

 

A logical preference for the Noble metal Platinum, except when dealing with fused alkali oxides, peroxides, fluorine?

Monkeys want Gold? Do you Monkey around?

This link may help understand Gold attraction?:
https://theconversation.com/from-medicine-to-nanotechnology-how-gold-quietly-shapes-our-world-110515

 

DELETED ERROR

 

I assume if I get my choice of labware, I also get my choice of experiments. Molten lye? Fluorine? NO THANKS.

 

I don't have to go to church now
Collecting Nut

 

It's your inner animal....chasing shiny objects.

 

My Christmas ornaments are shiny but I don’t chase them. Hehehe

 

Could it be Because your not a sign of a cat?
No cat lineage?
Not a pharaoh in a past life?

 

I would say, its shiny, easy to work into other objects and does not corrode so stays shiny and it's rare.
My best guess.