1. They lack imagination
   
2. These are the currencies they can still buy things in
   
3. These are the currencies dividends are paid in
   
4. If you want rice, you can't buy it from a hedge fund - you can only buy a first or second derivative bet on the sums involved in a possible rice deal, which you can't usually cook in a microwave and eat

This makes no sense - but since most of us live in the West, I'd suggest that perhaps it's better than the alternative.