We'll do this as a step-by-step bullet point thing, otherwise they might find it difficult to follow:
1) Show them a 1923 Silver Dollar (I have one right here).
2) Ask them how much silver is contained in the coin.
3) Congratulate the first one that says 24 grams (precisely it's 26.7g and 90% pure silver = 24.03g).
4) Ask them how much the contained silver is worth today (making sure you're not talking about its collector's value; my example has been valued at around U$300, but a truly perfect mint example of the "freedom dollar" can go into the thousands).
5) Congratulate the first one that says "over ten dollars" (in fact, using today's $13.76 London silver fix and doing the necessary calculations, it works out at U$10.63).
6) Ask them how much it seems the silver in that dollar has risen in dollar value in the 85 years since it was minted.
7) Congratulate the first one that says "over 90%" (90.6% if my quick math is correct, but there are a couple of variables), and then go on to say that apparently, and according to the pretty empirical evidence shown by that silver coin, it sure looks like the dollar has lost 90% of its value in the last 85 years.
8) Ask them to look around. Check the room, the street where they're standing, the city and the people. Ask them whether there has been a general improvement in the standard of living in the last 85 years, considering the economy, healthcare, education and any other measurement by which we tend to gauge that thing called "progress".
9) Ask them why they think the financial system will collapse if the hated fiat dollar loses another 90% of its worth in the next 85 years.
10) After a few minutes, I will guarantee that you need to tell one of them, "No, it's not a trick question."
1) Show them a 1923 Silver Dollar (I have one right here).
2) Ask them how much silver is contained in the coin.
3) Congratulate the first one that says 24 grams (precisely it's 26.7g and 90% pure silver = 24.03g).
4) Ask them how much the contained silver is worth today (making sure you're not talking about its collector's value; my example has been valued at around U$300, but a truly perfect mint example of the "freedom dollar" can go into the thousands).
5) Congratulate the first one that says "over ten dollars" (in fact, using today's $13.76 London silver fix and doing the necessary calculations, it works out at U$10.63).
6) Ask them how much it seems the silver in that dollar has risen in dollar value in the 85 years since it was minted.
7) Congratulate the first one that says "over 90%" (90.6% if my quick math is correct, but there are a couple of variables), and then go on to say that apparently, and according to the pretty empirical evidence shown by that silver coin, it sure looks like the dollar has lost 90% of its value in the last 85 years.
8) Ask them to look around. Check the room, the street where they're standing, the city and the people. Ask them whether there has been a general improvement in the standard of living in the last 85 years, considering the economy, healthcare, education and any other measurement by which we tend to gauge that thing called "progress".
9) Ask them why they think the financial system will collapse if the hated fiat dollar loses another 90% of its worth in the next 85 years.
10) After a few minutes, I will guarantee that you need to tell one of them, "No, it's not a trick question."