There is a counter-argument (which I don't necessarily agree with, but is interesting to note) where the ability to accumulate assets that keep pace with inflation is the only thing that motivate extra work.

e.g. the ability to accumulate "Tokens of Power" (vs the equivalent of arcade game tokens for commodities) is what motivates the Steve Jobs and Elon Musks to do their universe denting.

This is quite different than say tribal societies where extra resources do not maintain their value across time. An abundance of meat and other resources can only be transmuted into common cultural power via Feasts and Festivals.

Metaphorically, "gold" creates "dragons" because it allows immortal hoarding. Dragons are the only thing with influenceable agency that can reshape "nature". Controlling dragons allows this dominance (for better or for worse) at the cost of dragon externalities (burned towns, randomly devoured livestock)