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61 sats \ 6 replies \ @ek 6 Jul 2023 \ on: Have you ever got into trouble for mentioning Bitcoin? bitcoin
I mentioned bitcoin to one of my best friends. That was during my fall down the rabbit hole so I couldn't think or talk about anything else. For some reason she wasn't interested at all and just said "I don't want to talk about it.". The conversation basically went like this:
"Have you heard about bitcoin?" - "Yes and I don't want to talk about it." - "What, why?" - "I really don't want to talk about it."
I was quite confused by this reaction at the time but left it there.
However, I didn't get how much she did not want to talk about it since I gifted her a hardware wallet on her birthday, lol
She was furious, felt pressured and felt like I didn't respect her opinion
In hindsight, she was right. I shouldn't have made this gift to her when her first reaction to bitcoin was already that negative. But I still don't get why she reacted that way. We never talked about bitcoin again.
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51 sats \ 1 reply \ @f6287b82CC84bcbd 6 Jul 2023
The typical path of bitcoin is:
  1. Bitcoin
  2. "crypto"
  3. rekt
or
  1. Bitcoin
  2. "crypto"
  3. rekt
  4. Bitcoin only
Most people give up at 3
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @south_korea_ln OP 6 Jul 2023
Surprisingly accurate in terms of typical path.
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1 sat \ 3 replies \ @south_korea_ln OP 6 Jul 2023
For me, there are two main reasons people are put off by bitcoin:
  • Not knowing the difference between crypto and bitcoin. Crypto did more harm than good to Bitcoin, for sure. And all the related FTX and other scams. A lot of people feel the same way about bitcoiners as I do about crypto bros/scammers. And if I ever meet a crypto-bro, I also "really don't want to talk about it" if they try to explain why crypto is useful in their eyes.
  • The pollution narrative. It is only possible to understand why using so much electricity is warranted if one understands what Bitcoin brings to the table. But to get to that point, you need to get passed bullet point 1. So, it's a chicken and egg problem. If one does not want to talk about it, it's very difficult to get it.
These reasons are most prevalent in the Western world.... one where financial privilege does not incentivize you to worry about Bitcoin beyond the speculation bullshit. Reminds me I need to order Gladstein's book on the topic. Maybe that one could be an ice-breaker.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @xmrk2 6 Jul 2023
Speaking of the pollution, this is what I get when installing electrum on gentoo (well, it is calculate linux really, but same source basically):
 * Messages for package net-misc/electrum-4.4.3:

 * If you are new to BitCoin, please be aware that:
 * 1. Cryptocurrencies are volatile.  BTC has been subject to rapid
 *    changes of value in the past.
 * 2. Cryptocurrency ownership is determined solely by the access to
 *    the private key.  If the key is lost or stolen, BTC are unrevocably
 *    lost.
 * 3. Proof-of-work based cryptocurrencies have negative environmental
 *    impact.  BTC mining is consuming huge amounts of electricity.
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @f6287b82CC84bcbd 6 Jul 2023
pollution narrative is easily debunked as in the energy is already being generated so it will be used elsewhere and also cleaner energy alternatives can be used.
The more energy we use the better for the civilization. We're not even a type 1 yet.
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101 sats \ 0 replies \ @south_korea_ln OP 6 Jul 2023
The more energy we use the better for the civilization. We're not even a type 1 yet.
Seems like it is not that easy to debunk the energy narrative, after all, as you have not convinced me here, at least not with your second argument, even though I am a Bitcoiner.
I am of the conviction that, even though global warming is a real threat, Bitcoin warrants using the available energy as much as any other technology, if not more. And Bitcoin provides the means to stabilize the grid, incentivize the development of "cleaner" energy sources, etc. But by no means do I believe we should blindly burn fossils and ignore the current impact humanity has on the climate.
Not trying to convince you of my beliefs. They are beliefs as much as yours.
Just trying to illustrate that reconciling PoW with the belief in global warming requires some advanced understanding of Bitcoin. That is not something easy to achieve as it requires a much less aggressive approach than what the likes of Ammous Saifedean utilize in public fora.
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