Haha Money Printer Go Brrrrr

What Is Haha Money Printer Go Brrrrr?

Haha Money Printer Go Brrr is a picture that circulated during early 2020, portraying a younger male yelling at an older Federal Reserve boss who was printing money. The meme was generated in response to the announcement by the Federal Reserve (the United States central bank) of its intention to improve stock market liquidity. It attempted to pump $1.5 trillion into the economy through short-term loans in reaction to the COVID-19 epidemic.

The Concept That the Meme Demonstrates

The meme expresses reservations about the government's "creating money" to address economic difficulties. Since its introduction, it has gained popularity among people who oppose inflation in fiat money systems.  Such arguments often target government meddling in the economy, particularly the potential of the government to generate money "out of thin air." This is known as quantitative easing (QE). It is not as straightforward as simply creating money (it takes processes such as buying securities from banks), but it eventually raises the money supply. 

Detractors point to dangers such as hyperinflation whenever government printing becomes excessive, as it has in the past. In a less dire scenario, opponents appeal to the fact that a rise in the money supply devalues their holdings.

The colors of the anarcho-capitalist flag can be seen on the younger gentleman's bow tie. This school of thought opposes the concept of government entirely, with proponents preferring inherently valued forms of money (or, at least, backed by intrinsic value). Gold, for example, is not the same as fiat currency. 

Precious metals functioned well as currencies long before the advent of fiat due to a combination of variables (such as natural scarcity). As a result, there have been many variations of the meme, most of which follow the theme of one person being upset at another for breaking the rules.