Can You Be A Libertarian Toxic Bitcoin Maximalist? \ stacker news ~bitcoin

Can You Be A Libertarian Toxic Bitcoin Maximalist?

12k sats \ 83 comments \ @siggy47 13 Jan bitcoin

I’ve been a bitcoin maximalist for about four years now, and I can feel myself getting more toxic by the day. I have defined myself as a libertarian for almost 35 years. While wandering around Stacker News lately, I get more and more pissed off when I discover notions and attitudes I disagree with. In fact, I don’t like the strident tone of my inner voice, which sometimes reveals itself in comments here. I fully blame @DarthCoin.

At times I answer yes to the question above. I can be a libertarian toxic bitcoin maximalist. People can play with their shitcoins. I’m not stopping them. I am free to express my opinion about their choices. Still, I don’t like to even see stuff about shitcoins, I don’t wish to discuss shitcoins, and I certainly don’t want them talked about on Stacker News.

But, is that libertarian? Isn’t that stifling dissent in ways I really hate in other aspects of my life? Don't I believe in free speech? Libertarians believe in a free market of ideas. Shouldn’t we want to discuss alternative ideas (and coins)to argue that we’re right and they’re wrong? Isn’t this an opportunity to show shitcoiners the error of their way? We can even orange pill them.

I don’t want to come across as sounding as if I want to see more shitcoin posts on Stacker News. I don’t. I’m just having trouble reconciling my beliefs in bitcoin and my libertarian ideals.

Anyone else dealing with this?

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3415 sats \ 0 replies \ @elvismercury 13 Jan

I’m just having trouble reconciling my beliefs in bitcoin and my libertarian ideals. Anyone else dealing with this?

Almost everything that is at all interesting or important lives in tension with something that is nearly its opposite. I like this quote by Niels Bohr:

The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth.

Unfortunately it means you're probably always destined to struggle, and if you're not struggling, you've become trivial. Fortunately, the struggle is a sign that it matters.

1524 sats \ 1 reply \ @grayruby 13 Jan

I understand this dilemma. The older I get the more libertarian I become but also knowing how important Bitcoin could be to the world and wanting my kids to grow up in the best world possible, I am highly intolerant of shitcoins. At best they are a distraction and at worst they are an impediment to Bitcoin reaching its full potential.

I think you can still be both a libertarian and a toxic maxi but it is a fine line to walk.

519 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined 13 Jan

It's been so nice to find a place where the default views are at least similar to mine. I really don't mind when someone puts forward an idea contrary to what I believe, but I get upset when I feel like I have to deal with the same dumb lazy low IQ arguments here that pervade everywhere else.

1355 sats \ 1 reply \ @quark 13 Jan

I have been learning over the years to just relax, chill, and let the toxicity out. Some people save in fiat. I don't care if they want to invest in altcoins. If that make them happy, good for them. I only give them information about what they are doing if they ask me and show interest.

Some maxi toxicity could be helpful to stay focused. But too much toxicity is not good. It is fun for some time until it is not fun anymore. Spending some time with someone like Darthcoin is fun. But living with him all day could be exhausting LOL

But if we think about it, the fiat world is much more toxic and darker. To be a fiat toxic is far more toxic and worse than to be a bitcoin toxic maxi. So it's all good. Libertarian or not. :D

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @siggy47 OP 13 Jan

Well said.

1420 sats \ 2 replies \ @SqNr65 13 Jan

Unless and until you initiate violence to stifle dissent, you're not violating any libertarian principles.

Freedom of speech goes both ways. You can get as angry as you want, you can make every effort you possibly can short of violence to stifle dissent, you can be as toxic and unwelcoming as you want towards opinions you disagree with, and as long as you're not trying to get government to intervene or use violence or coercion for this purpose, you're actually embodying and upholding libertarian principles to their fullest extent.

If you see an opinion you disagree with, and you don't use the full extent of your knowledge and intellect to stamp it out as completely as you can, then you're abandoning your libertarian principles. Free speech means that we fight ideas with ideas, the moment you stop doing so you're betraying yourself.

So if you ask me, you're not being nearly toxic enough, you're not doing nearly a good enough job stamping out dissent, you need to up the ante by a lot, and the thoughts you're having are the opposite of what you're looking for.

Not liking something is your god given right, and speaking out against it is your moral duty, and doing so in a non violent way is your libertarian guiding principle.

If you launch your own version of stacker news or something similar, and you moderate the content and vehemently disallow and purge all shitcoinery, you're still not violating any libertarian principles. You can do whatever you want.

If you forcibly prevent someone from launching their own site, decidcated or tolerant of shitcoinery, then you're a communist. They can do whatever they want.

41 sats \ 1 reply \ @PlebeiusG 13 Jan

Well when university students start making fake bomb threats and pulling fire alarms when speakers come on campus that they don’t want, I call that too far. That’s not physical violence, but I don’t know what to call that. It effectively stifles speech unfairly and I say that’s ruining universities coast to coast.

120 sats \ 0 replies \ @mf 14 Jan

Since pulling the fire alarm most likely means that someone will come to tell everyone to stop listening and go somewhere else, those acts are just using legal tools to stop speech.

2385 sats \ 9 replies \ @justanumber 13 Jan

Seriously dude, why are you living your life constrained by labels? Get to a point where you give zero f..ks. You can still be civil and polite but at the same time you don't have to apologise for your opinion. If you treat people with kindness and let them get on with whatever bullshit things they decide to do with their lives, you have nothing to fear and you go to bed every night knowing you have been kind. You live in your truth and are content with that. I do know what you mean, though, about getting a bit toxic. As I start to not give a f.k the abrasiveness can start to creep in, so it's an ongoing work in progress for me.

I used to try to "pill" people to whatever it was I felt passionate about. Now I just state my opinion and if people think I'm talking BS I think okay whatever. Who I am to try to convince them?

Do you have kids? That's actually a great learning curve. You try raise them and best you can an equip them with the tools of life and one day they walk out the door and take no notice of you. Man, it's hard watching and knowing they are making huge mistakes and are they're going to feel max pain from their decisions but there's nothing you can do about it. We all have to make their own mistakes and fail lots to be able to learn.

But back to the labels... I have had involvement in many different movements, communities etc... and I flippin hate labels. They come with a set of rules in terms of what you can and can't, should and shouldn't do etc. People start to behave like they're in a cult or something and come up with catchphrases and motos. Whilst sometimes that can foster a team spirit, it can start become very toxic. It's often a slow creep I was raised in a culty religion, so I have a massive aversion to all that sh!t and recognise it in an instant. And it's everywhere! F..k that! We're free, sovereign individuals to be who we are and do as we please, aren't we?

btw are we allowed uncensored swearing on SN? I have just bleeped out my swearing but don't know if I need to XD

565 sats \ 1 reply \ @PlebeiusG 13 Jan

I like how you want OP to give zero fucks but censored your use of the word fuck.

958 sats \ 0 replies \ @justanumber 13 Jan

I know!! hehe The irony was not lost on me as I wrote that. Should I give minus fucks now I know it's fine? XD Something that I have been considering, since I've been in spaces outside of the main big tech platforms, is how refreshing it is not to have moderate my own voice to exist there (and it goes waaay beyond censoring a few swear words) plus catching myself in the act of self censorship and considering how deep that censorship goes, without me even realising I'm doing it! It's like having to deschool yourself from all the social conditioning. I should write more about this when I get time.

56 sats \ 6 replies \ @siggy47 OP 13 Jan

You can swear on Stacker News. Yes, I have an adult child. I can relate to what you're saying. Great reply. I'm curious about your upbringing in a cult. Are you familiar with Nick Carter's claim (among others) that bitcoin maximalism is a cult? What do you think? Do you see it that way? Here's a link: https://medium.com/@nic__carter/setting-the-record-straight-b4e1b415e7d9

475 sats \ 0 replies \ @PlebeiusG 13 Jan

Nick carter's odd ranty posts turned me off to him. Its not a literal cult, obviously. He's over the top. I also stop reading Jimmy Song's posts

247 sats \ 2 replies \ @justanumber 13 Jan

Thank you for the link, I will try to read this later and hopefully remember to come back to you.

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @siggy47 OP 13 Jan

Thanks.

1358 sats \ 0 replies \ @justanumber 14 Jan

Thanks for the link. I finally read it. I'm new to the btc space tbh, so I think I'll need to read it again ;-) xD But totally get the aversion when it comes to the laser eyes, steak carnivore stuff and memes. Now I'd add stuff like the mandalorian quotes such as "This is the way" I cringe and groan internally when people say that. That whole ethos screams cultish to me. By my very nature I am a non-conformist, so I'm usually repelled when it comes to doing things that everyone else is doing. That's why I'd never put laser eyes on anything lol. When I first saw ppl doing that, I thought wtf are you all doing?! I've got used to seeing it now. I think get why they're doing it but don't think it's anything to do with btc getting to $100k

A couple of points I'm with him on:

people making bitcoin their entire personality
when he said: "Ultimately, Bitcoin is not a lifestyle. Bitcoin is not a steak dinner. Bitcoin is not memes and it’s not laser eyes. Bitcoin is a profoundly useful tool. It is impregnated with some ideology, but it is not the ideology that these people profess. The core Bitcoin values have to do with property rights, individual human dignity, self-determination, privacy, autonomy, and monetary predictability. Bitcoin attracts me for that reason".

51 sats \ 1 reply \ @justanumber 15 Jan

so, it seems you are fine to swear on SN but when Iook at my satistics on posts where I have sworn (only about 2 I think), vs ones I haven't, I got almost half as many sats. So, are we punished for swearing?

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @siggy47 OP 15 Jan

I have been on here a while. I think your sample size is too small. I doubt any correlation you notice is real. I have seen guys running the site use colorful language. Do what's comfortable for you. No one gives a fuck about obscenities.

1105 sats \ 1 reply \ @CryptoTweetie 13 Jan

We all have a natural tendency to lean into stuff that lines up with what we already believe. Think of beliefs as these little mental apps we have running in the background. Take the term 'Bitcoiner' — it's not just about the cryptocurrency, it's a whole identity, kind of like a viral meme that people get behind. When you're part of the Bitcoiner crowd, it's like being in a special club that boosts your ego.

Now imagine your Bitcoiner belief app gets a bit of a shake-up from someone outside the group, maybe someone dubbed a 'shitcoiner.' That's when the mental alarm bells start ringing. It's not just a debate about crypto, it feels like a personal attack. So what do we do? We get mad. It's our brain's way of trying to protect our Bitcoiner club card and, in a roundabout way, our own pride.

And hey, it's similar with other labels like being a libertarian. That's another identity with its own set of mental apps. Sometimes these belief apps can run side by side without any hiccups. But when they do clash, or when someone pokes at them, we feel those negative vibes. It's like our mind's way of saying, "Heads up, something's poking at your identity. Time to take a closer look.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @siggy47 OP 13 Jan

Great reply. You basically summed it up.

358 sats \ 1 reply \ @Natalia 13 Jan

but why do you need to be a libertarian in the first place 🤔 they are just name tags to separate people right? like I never bother with BEING anything but myself.

79 sats \ 0 replies \ @siggy47 OP 13 Jan

Fair point, Natalia. I used to be a more formal libertarian (big L, as they say.) I couldn't swallow the hypocrisy of being a freedom party that relied on Robert's Rules Of Order for meetings. Maybe just substitute belief in freedom for libertarian.

102 sats \ 7 replies \ @kepford 14 Jan

I think some people think like libertines not libertarians. That's fine and sometimes there's overlap but in my mind a libertarian is most concerned with the states violations of rights. Negative rights. Not positive rights. I see no conflict between being a toxic maximalist and a libertarian. But as soon as you start advocating for the state to ban shitcoins or infringe on rights then you can't really call yourself a libertarian.

Also, the fact that I think most shitcoins are scams, that has nothing to do with free speech. We all have opinions. You and I do not have the ability to take people's free speech away with our words.

As far as territories and censorship that is also completely libertarian. Its property rights. If I control a web site I can censor or choose what I want and don't want. I own/control it. If you come to my house I have expectations about you conduct yourself. There is no difference here. Has nothing to do with being a libertarian.

My 2 sats.

33 sats \ 6 replies \ @siggy47 OP 14 Jan

I think some people think like libertines not libertarians. That's fine and sometimes there's overlap but in my mind a libertarian is most concerned with the states violations of rights.

Of course you're accurate. There's no doubt @k00b and his partners aren't government agents (am I being naive? That @ekzyis guy worries me). I meant basic principles, and not in a libertine, anything goes sense. I'm thinking about the pre- authoritarian ACLU defending Nazis marching in Skokie sense. Embracing the free market crucible of ideas where you're willing to debate people and opinions you disagree with, and even loathe.

253 sats \ 0 replies \ @ek 14 Jan

There's no doubt @k00b and his partners aren't government agents (am I being naive? That @ekzyis guy worries me)

This double negation confuses me. And maybe I am a double agent. Or triple agent?

A triple agent is a spy who pretends to be a double agent for one side while they are truthfully a double agent for the other side. Unlike a re-doubled agent, who changes allegiance due to being compromised, a triple agent usually has always been loyal to their original side. It may also refer to a spy who works for three opposing sides, such that each side thinks the spy works for them alone.

— Wikipedia, Triple Agent

Okay, this confuses me even more.

357 sats \ 3 replies \ @kepford 15 Jan

@siggy47 I hope you get my intention here. Appreciate you sharing this conflict you feel. I do not mean to belittle this feeling. Based on what you are saying you sound like a fair minded and logical person. Arguing and combating bad ideas is not anti-libertarian. Nor is muting people if you don't want to do that.

Here's what bothers me about some maxis (a very small number). They seem to want them to be banned by the state. They seem to believe that some day they will no longer exist. That some day everyone will be a maxi. I do not share these views. I want to live in a truly free world and in a truly free world people will do both dumb and evil things as they do today. The difference will be that a lot of these evil and dumb things will not be encouraged and protected from consequences by the state and their corporate partners.

I do not believe that even in 100 years everyone will be a bitcoin maxi. Think about the current world. Is everyone a fiat maxi? No. But fiat and the states that control it are dominant. Bitcoin will eventually have enough adoption and true believers to lead it to dominance but other views will exist. People will hate it.

People that live in largely free market nations like the US hate capitalism. Yet, they participate in it. They profit from it. We will never intellectually change all minds. We don't have to. Just a critical number. The masses will use what works.

Appreciate ya @siggy47

0 sats \ 2 replies \ @siggy47 OP 15 Jan

I always appreciate your input. In fact, I usually wind up agreeing with you:) Especially with this reply.

51 sats \ 1 reply \ @kepford 15 Jan

Well, my ego has been helped by your comment :) Thank you sir.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @siggy47 OP 15 Jan

Thank you. We're all in this together.

51 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford 15 Jan

So again the ACLU defended peoples rights against the government. As an individual I am under no obligation to waste my time listening to shitcoiners. That isn't anti libertarian of me or you. Just saying I don't think you should feel this conflict. Not if you are convinced in your mind of your position on a topic.

102 sats \ 0 replies \ @turker 14 Jan

I guess I am a Bitcoin maxi too. I have to admit that I was not like that before. I got a bag with different coins back than. I was researching and learning anything that I found about Blockchain tech. At some point, when I feel so sick about all those rugs, scams, useless projects, money laundering things, gambles and so on; I decided to go all in for Bitcoin. At that point, I realized that all these projects are cheap fakes of the original. Nothing I read put anything above the original idea of Bitcoin. They were like a grain of dust compared to the great change brought about by Satoshi. It is not right to compare a revolutionary project like Bitcoin with other projects. This is an evaluation in completely different tracks. It's like comparing Da Vinci to other painters. Yes, Da Vinci is also a painter, but his creativity, originality and revolutionism set him apart from others. What needs to be done is to put Bircoin in a separate place and evaluate other projects separately. Others cannot be Bitcoin alternatives, they can be alternatives to each other. I think this is not contrary to the libertarian view.

242 sats \ 0 replies \ @TNStacker 13 Jan

I consider myself libertarian meaning as long as no one is getting hurt non-consensually, what people do is none of the government's business. Yours either. And your business is not mine.

289 sats \ 3 replies \ @k00b 13 Jan

Of the toxic maxi maxims:

I least understand anger toward people who haven't yet examined their choices
I somewhat understand anger toward people who are wrong or misinformed yet are confident they're right
I most understand anger toward people who are consciously misleading and harming people

Shouldn’t we want to discuss alternative ideas (and coins) to argue that we’re right and they’re wrong?

Those of us that want to see bitcoin succeed should be trying to surface the best ideas from anywhere and everywhere. Yet one can safely assume, non-toxically:

most coins are scams and/or doomed to fail
most improvements to bitcoin are ill-conceived
bitcoin's network effect and distribution are not easily reproduced and bitcoin will be the last coin to fail
bitcoin is not perfect and might fail to meet our expectations

51 sats \ 2 replies \ @fm 13 Jan

one can safely assume, non-toxically: most coins are scams and/or doomed to fail most improvements to bitcoin are ill-conceived bitcoin's network effect and distribution are not easily reproduced and bitcoin will be the last coin to fail bitcoin is not perfect and might fail to meet our expectations

Yet, the sum of this is what turn some of us to a desperate nihilistic attitude that is considered toxic..

52 sats \ 1 reply \ @k00b 13 Jan

We’d have to define toxic because it means different things to different people.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @fm 13 Jan

Thats a good point

268 sats \ 1 reply \ @gd 13 Jan

Have you ever read (or listened to) "Letters from a Stoic" — Seneca?

I feel like that book set me off on a fruitful journey for dealing with feelings like this.

110 sats \ 0 replies \ @siggy47 OP 13 Jan

Yes I have, and I agree. So many valuable lessons. For me, after a lifetime of striving and never being satisfied, the lessons on "enough" were important.

114 sats \ 9 replies \ @ek 14 Jan

Shouldn’t we want to discuss alternative ideas (and coins)to argue that we’re right and they’re wrong? Isn’t this an opportunity to show shitcoiners the error of their way? We can even orange pill them.

We should and it is, but at some point, we need to preserve our own time since human time is the only thing that is more scarce and valuable than bitcoin.

And explaining this to some people is just literally a waste of time. We can orange pill more people by spending our time differently than arguing with all of them individually.

So imo, part of the art is to not get triggered (control your emotions) and just to stop replying when it's going nowhere.

Also kind of funny way to look at it. Maybe @Natalia needs to make a post with the title The Art of Toxic Bitcoin Maximalism one day? And then forward sats to @DarthCoin to trigger him?

Anyone else dealing with this?

Yes :)

100 sats \ 4 replies \ @Natalia 14 Jan

I guess the most toxic thing one can do is LIVE your life the way you want, and don't give a sh*t of anything but only those actually matters. 👀

is @DarthCoin agree with me?

0 sats \ 3 replies \ @ek 14 Jan

@DarthCoin once showed up in my dream and he just listened to all I was saying but didn't say anything.

That was also pretty toxic. Very respectful since I think he really listened and didn't have to ask anything since he just immediately understood all I was saying. But still toxic.

0 sats \ 2 replies \ @Natalia 14 Jan

haha, but what do you want him to say?

and why do you care so much what he has to say? 🤠

21 sats \ 1 reply \ @ek 14 Jan

and why do you care what he has to say?

Maybe I'm still not toxic enough :)

Or I like to care about (what) other people (think). Just need to find the right balance.

Other people can blow your mind in unexpected ways with just a few words.

haha, but what do you want him to say?

I intend to slowly reveal this over time to the world. The world can't handle so much toxicness at once.

128 sats \ 0 replies \ @Natalia 14 Jan

deleted by author

52 sats \ 3 replies \ @siggy47 OP 14 Jan

Nice Satoshi reference at the end there :)

51 sats \ 2 replies \ @ek 14 Jan

Huh, where? I edited my comment, I might have deleted it, lol

111 sats \ 1 reply \ @siggy47 OP 14 Jan

I assumed you were thinking of Satoshi's old email quote:

If you don't believe me or don't get it, I don't have time to try to convince you, sorry.

102 sats \ 0 replies \ @ek 14 Jan

Ahh, yes. I think that's where this notion originally comes from that time > bitcoin. That's also why I don't judge people who spend their bitcoin one day. We all die one day so taking our bitcoins to the grave is a nice donation but was it really worth it then?

But I didn't literally quote it so that confused me lol

72 sats \ 1 reply \ @Krv 14 Jan

Can someone give me a definition of 'toxic' in this context? Does it mean just simply direct / curt speech about the truth of a topic? I suspect that for most people in our society, simply saying things outside of comfortable normal beliefs are upsetting and thus 'toxic'.

For me, if you state your belief matter-of-factly and are not insulting or abusive, I would not consider it toxic. Ideally, one would state a position then provide their reasons. In such case, even things I strongly disagree with are not toxic.

31 sats \ 0 replies \ @siggy47 OP 14 Jan

When I made the post I had in my mind the loose characterization described by those like Nick Carter. The thrust of what I guess I meant by toxic in this context would be words or actions that inhibited a free and open discussion of opposing views, an intolerance which prevents open discourse. I chose the word "toxic" simply because it has become a catch phrase.

257 sats \ 1 reply \ @BitcoinIsTheFuture 13 Jan

Meh. Live your life how you want. No need for labels. Be you

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @siggy47 OP 13 Jan

It's not so much labels as principles. In this case, clashing principles.

247 sats \ 3 replies \ @fm 13 Jan

. I fully blame @DarthCoin.

LMAO 🤣

455 sats \ 2 replies \ @siggy47 OP 13 Jan

My post will piss him off so much he may return just to abuse me. Perhaps that was my plan all along:) I can hear him now: "libertarian is shit, like a shitcoin. "

321 sats \ 0 replies \ @fm 13 Jan

Sounds like a plan

Lets bring @DarthCoin back!!

237 sats \ 0 replies \ @Natalia 13 Jan

🤣🤣🤣

247 sats \ 0 replies \ @cryotosensei 14 Jan

I’m in my 40s now and as I get increasingly aware of my limited mortality, I realise the more I can’t stand bullshit these days. Time is our most precious asset, so I’m not afraid to call out something that I know for sure is crap. I think being older and wiser also affords me the confidence to be “pissed off”, as you say.

In fact, during my last work review, my reporting officer commented that I seem rather insular because I pick and choose the ways I wish to collaborate with my colleagues. My counter to her was that if someone is going to ask me to do some ridiculous thing last minute, of course I am going to say nope because I need to protect my time.

Not sure how this would help you, but yup you are not alone

247 sats \ 0 replies \ @riberet19 13 Jan

What would become of us if we didn't have to face things we don't like every day? The fact that you have those thoughts doesn't make you better or worse, you only have strong ideals related to Bitcoin, and I see it well, but you have to try to control your emotions, because sometimes in life, not everything is black or white.

247 sats \ 0 replies \ @PRA3S3NT1A 13 Jan

I think everyone need to keep a healthy balance in everything. I realised on my journey that unfortunately not everybody can be saved. If the person is incapable of realising that he/she is in trouble than there is nothing that you can do about it. Until he/she can not see that some change has to happen, nothing will change. Leave them to grow with their speed. Don't rush them, everybody have a unique journey.

237 sats \ 0 replies \ @JuanMiguel 13 Jan

deleted by author

237 sats \ 6 replies \ @SimpleStacker 13 Jan

Hmm, not sure I see what the tension is. How you choose to engage with others (e.g. toxicity) is orthogonal to your political beliefs.

You can hate seeing and talking about shitcoins, but are you advocating that the government use its monopoly of power to shut down all shitcoins? No? Then isn't that already libertarian enough?

1010 sats \ 5 replies \ @siggy47 OP 13 Jan

This is more what I'm getting at: https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/five-bad-arguments-to-restrict-speech/

Without free speech people stop thinking, losing out on all but a narrowing band of ideas. Open discussion, debate, and argument are the core of democracy. Bad ideas are defeated by good ideas. Fascism seeks to close off all ideas except its own.

279 sats \ 4 replies \ @SimpleStacker 13 Jan

I guess I see it this way. There are some topics that I personally don't have the patience to engage with. Usually it's because I've come to view people with opposing positions as possessing fundamental misunderstandings that I (personally) am not interested in correcting.

But just because I'm personally not interested in engaging doesn't mean I don't believe in the ideals of free speech, open debate, and limited government. I'm happy for others to engage and I don't believe the speech of my opponents should be shut down by forcible coercion.

0 sats \ 3 replies \ @siggy47 OP 13 Jan

Makes sense. A personal choice not to engage. Here's where I struggle: Are you okay with shitcoin territories on Stacker News?

331 sats \ 2 replies \ @SimpleStacker 13 Jan

I'd be okay with shitcoin territories on SN. In fact, I'd probably prefer that SN allow shitcoin territories than try to ban or censor them. I just rarely think shutting down speech is the right answer. If it's a problem for people I think the solution would be create more tools to let users filter only the content they want to see.

That being said, I wouldn't see SN banning something as the same degree of problem as the government, or YouTube banning something. Scale matters when talking about censorship, it's not just a private/public distinction.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @SpaceHodler 14 Jan

I'd put SN banning something in the same bucket as YouTube banning something. The difference is only quantitative, not qualitative. Normal business operation. Your house, your rules.

But the government banning something is a different bucket altogether.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @siggy47 OP 13 Jan

I agree with your logic, but I still would hate to see shitcoin territories. This is Stacker News, and was started as a bitcoin site. I guess at the point the nostr sub was formed the gates are open. That's probably for the best

51 sats \ 0 replies \ @mf 14 Jan

There is nothing wrong with letting bad ideas come to the arena. It's the best way for the good ones to prove themselves worthy of everyone's attention.

Remember, bitcoin is anti-fragile, so the more it's attacked the better.

And if you just want to filter out the noise and shut youself down in your own corner, altough that affectively gives more space to the shitcoins, you are also free to do so. Also, not all battles are worth fighting for.

Balance the time you have and the time you really want to spend towards others, because you won't ever get it back.

I'll leave you with this Ayn Rand clip about Altruism. Just replace giving money, with giving time to others - which is basically the ssme as we know.

270 sats \ 0 replies \ @fred 14 Jan

I feel as far as you are toxic about anything, there isn't room to be a libertarian about it

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @anon 14 Jan

Libertarian is often mistaken for “accepting everything”. That’s actually what I would call “libertine”. Libertarianism is a political philosophy, not a blueprint to run every detail of your life. It simply states that you don’t want people arrested for doing things that don’t harm anyone with their property, regardless of if you like it or if you hate it. You don’t even have to tolerate it personally.

Opposing something vehemently is part of how a healthy market operates, as is supporting something. You’re not stifling anything by simply casting judgment. You’re just being an actor in a market.

10 sats \ 1 reply \ @fredosha 14 Jan

The funny thing about you people that call yourselves libertarian or free speechers, is that, anything that doesn't go inline with the way you think must be destroyed or deplatfirmed. You guys are no different from dictators. There's nothing free about your ideologies, you guys are full embodiment of slave drivers.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @fredosha 14 Jan

The funny thing about you people that call yourselves libertarian or free speechers, is that, anything that doesn't go inline with the way you think must be destroyed or deplatfirmed. You guys are no different from dictators. There's nothing free about your ideologies, you guys are full embodiment of slave drivers. And that is how the western society is generally.

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @karanjajes 14 Jan

Just follow what you believe in. People have different ideas and if you differ with them just be kind,be you and follow what you like,period.

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @JesseJames 13 Jan

The moment you start talking "... I certainly don’t want them talking... whatever" you start sounding like a raging democrat...lol . Live and let them be, don't tell people what to do.. clean up your own act before you judge anyone else.. and yeah, stay humble and stack sats :-) The badger still doesn't care what you think....

0 sats \ 4 replies \ @bitentrepreneur 15 Jan

why is it so important to find a label for oneself?

100 sats \ 3 replies \ @siggy47 OP 15 Jan

People keep bringing up labels. I'm talking about principles. The free market of ideas. Knowledge.

51 sats \ 2 replies \ @bitentrepreneur 15 Jan

i see what you mean. i am always trying to question my own beliefs and am vigilant in any complacency of my ideas or knowledge.

100 sats \ 1 reply \ @siggy47 OP 15 Jan

Exactly. I'm trying too. Unfortunately I woke up this morning thinking "fuck Nick Carter." It's a struggle.

51 sats \ 0 replies \ @bitentrepreneur 15 Jan

lol

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @TomK 15 Jan

As it is nothing more than a stupid extension of Fiatlandia it is Your good right to avoid this bs and leave it for the MSM to discuss.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @fredosha 14 Jan

deleted by author

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @OriginalSize 13 Jan

It's an important question. I've never been a fan of labels because each feels like a cheatcode, a surrender to something imprecise just so others can feel like they understand me. I'm toxic when I see dishonest Shitcoins. I'm maxi when my ultimate goal is sats. I'm libertarian when I want the free market to thrive sometimes by testing Bitcoin but mostly against monopolistic corporate activity. It's complicated but I don't feel a need to be simple as reality is unknowably complex.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @piecover 13 Jan

Yes