As far as the economics of The Walking Dead: I think they are horrible. The writers have kneejerked into a Hobbesian nightmare vision of anarchy which, I’ve gotta say, you kind of sound like you are doing as well (referring to the “law of the jungle”). If, as you’ve noted, things like human skills and knowledge are in great demand, then it follows that instead of the few survivors going around shooting each other over one farm *when there are millions of farms out there for the taking for free*, the survivors would be desperately trying to find each other and trade their skills and knowledge.

I like the series but I’m very disappointed that yet another opportunity to show how the economics of self-interest would lead people to cooperate *more*, not *less*, in an anarchic situation has gone begging.

My holdings aren’t in gold, they’re in non-perishable foods, generators, machine tools and supplies; high quality, reliable firearms in useful chamberings, and parts, ammunition, and reloading components in useful chamberings etc…