Here's the bottom line. Stackers are either right or they're wrong. I don't think there is any in between.
So if we're wrong, the majority can laugh at us and say, "I told you so" and I'll admit that I was wrong. In the end though, I'll still have my metals and I can exchange them for fiat currency. In other words, I didn't lose anything. There were no consequences.
But if the non-stackers (I don't know of another word to use
) are wrong, you're up a $hit creek without a paddle if the SHTF. Here, there are potential consequences.
That said, that is not the reason I stack. People stack for various reasons. I stack because I like the long term potential for silver. It's got a number of industrial uses. I can't verify this (and I'm too lazy to look it up), but I heard they passed a new law in California that starting in 2020 all new homes have to be solar powered. There is silver in solar cell panels. That's just one of the industrial uses, I won't get into all the others. But that's the reason I stack - for investment (and don't get me wrong, I still have my 401k and some other investments too). But, at the same time, I have to look what is going on with the government and the insurmountable debt and realize that a SHTF type of event could be a reality.
Oh, and the answer to the question, "What was Manhattan purchased for?" is beads. Manhattan was purchased for some beads.