Alternative to Bitcoin Maximalism \ stacker news ~alter

2830 sats \ 23 comments \ @DesertDave 23 Mar alter_native

I believe I am a die hard Bitcoiner these days. Meaning, I highly doubt anyone at anytime in any place will be able to shake my core beliefs on Bitcoin. To me, it is the best money and it will not be dethroned any time soon. It is hard to say exactly when I fully adopted this mindset. I first got involved in 2017, like many. I went down all the “wrong” roads and lost a LOT, many times. I am stubborn and foolish and so I had to learn many hard lessons to get here. I am a trial by fire kind of guy. All this to say, Bitcoin is a journey.

We say, people get Bitcoin at the price they deserve. Once someone has done the work to actually start holding bitcoin long term, they start to reap the real benefits of Bitcoin. For most people, this takes a full cycle or two of paying attention. It usually takes a good bit of time and learning. And everyone learns in different ways. For some people, spending two years trading jpegs for altcoins on leverage on their favorite defi site, is part of that learning. It was for me. I was clueless.

Talking down to people who just aren't there yet but are seeking to understand this strange new world is not helpful, in my opinion. Calling people “shitcoiners” is not helpful.

What I believe is helpful, is listening to a person and understanding their prospective. Then that person may feel heard and may be willing to open themselves up to listening and receiving the true blessing that is Bitcoin.

When some people think of a hard core Bitcoiner right now, they might think of a guy who works out the gym, eats steaks, and talks shit to “shitcoiners”. I do non of those things, but yet I am probably a “Bitcoin Maximalist”. So.

What does it mean to be a Bitcoin maximalist?

How do we promote a culture that is inviting to new people?

Can we be more compassionate to people that aren't Bitcoiners quite yet?

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486 sats \ 2 replies \ @gmd 23 Mar

I personally hate it when some say people buy Bitcoin at the price they deserve. It's just a tribalistic way for people to make themselves feel special for being in the cool kids club. I went to the Philippines recently and while browsing SN I was lamenting that nobody there owns Bitcoin- most people are desperately poor and just trying to survive. When you're making 6 dollars a day you aren't saving much in any currency.

I'm happy I was orange pilled but I think it was more luck and circumstance than any special insight on my part.

289 sats \ 0 replies \ @elvismercury 23 Mar

There's a powerful human urge towards self-justification and self-congratulation, and bitcoiners are not exempt from either.

109 sats \ 0 replies \ @DesertDave OP 23 Mar

It is a gift and it feels good to look to share it with everyone possible. People in need will open up easier. Others haven't been through enough pain.

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @DiedOnTitan 24 Mar

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239 sats \ 0 replies \ @riberet19 23 Mar

I'm compassionate with people who don't use Bitcoin because that person was me one day and I was just playing fiat games, I try to explain to them as best I can what Bitcoin is and how they can join the movement, there hasn't been a resounding success but I've managed to get a few people into the movement, That for me, that's already a win, including good friends and family, if each of us manages to introduce 1-2 people in Bitcoin, half of the work is done.

240 sats \ 1 reply \ @oliverweiss 23 Mar

Bitcoin normalism.

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @DesertDave OP 23 Mar

I really like that. I see Bitcoin as a natural and inevitable truth. It is normal. So we may help let people see that apparent truth.

101 sats \ 2 replies \ @grayruby 23 Mar

Yes we can be compassionate to people who aren't Bitcoiners but are open minded. I don't think we need to be compassionate to perversely incentivized fiat or crypto maxis.

60 sats \ 1 reply \ @DesertDave OP 23 Mar

I agree. I only aim to put energy where it feels like it might make an impact.

101 sats \ 0 replies \ @grayruby 23 Mar

Probably a good strategy.

88 sats \ 1 reply \ @Coinsreporter 23 Mar

IMO, Bitcoin Maximalism is not a bad ideology at all. In fact, everyone is free to practice their choice.

The problem however rises with the over hyped imbalanced between two or more core ideological principles.

Anyways, I am not new to Bitcoin but I am new to practising its ideology. So I can just say that A bitcoin maximalist should be someone who believes in decentralization and freedom of money.

As a Bitcoiner, one must be ready to pass on his experience and knowledge with others rather imposing himself or his narratives.

Yes, compassion is a virtue and if we can't spread it, we can't spread Bitcoin.

11 sats \ 0 replies \ @DesertDave OP 23 Mar

That makes sense to me. I suppose Bitcoin maximalism has many definitions.

44 sats \ 0 replies \ @frostdragon 24 Mar

Facilitate and encourage curiosity. Don’t do things that quench curiosity. Every new belief starts with curiosity.

You can’t force a new belief to happen, and ego is a huge turn off. Don’t act like an expert. Most of us aren’t. But most of us are pretty open. Or, at least we were when we started learning about bitcoin. You kind of have to be open to be this early imo.

Ask questions about what people believe and why they believe it. Present information that peaked your interest, and don’t debate. Give plenty of space for people to come to their own conclusions. Don’t be in a rush to orange pill people, or it’ll sound like you’re in an MLM, haha.

(I’m telling this to myself, because I default to debate, especially with people I’m comfortable with).

44 sats \ 0 replies \ @jgbtc 24 Mar

A lot of the anti-maxi crowd are just scammers who got exposed. Of course, then they try to portray maxis as the bad guys. The supposed "toxic maxi" who ridicules precoiners is a non-existent straw man as far as I can tell. The only toxicity I've seen is directed at shitcoin scammers or intellectually dishonest nocoiners. I see how this might come off as abrasive to uninformed bystanders, which is exactly what scammers exploit to make maxis look bad.

44 sats \ 3 replies \ @OT 23 Mar

You can. And there are people that use bitcoin from all kinds of backgrounds and beliefs.

I think its just an internet problem. In real life I doubt hardcore Maxi's would call people sh$tcoiners to their face.

With that being said, some of the sh$tcoin crypto projects need to be called out or exposed though. These can be lengthy discussions and when either side is deeply convinced and has a lot of capital on the line, the conversation can get heated and go round and round. This is why it is easier to just call someone a sh$tcoiner.

0 sats \ 2 replies \ @DesertDave OP 23 Mar

That makes sense. I suppose calling bad actors out is part of the work. I guess there is a difference between something shilling shitcoins and someone who just isn't there yet also.

44 sats \ 1 reply \ @OT 23 Mar

Yeah, asking questions like: What's the supply? Who distributes the token? ETC can start them thinking about the important stuff a bit more. If its just about number go up and selling for more dollars its going to take some time to get through to them.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @DesertDave OP 23 Mar

That's the real shift. Seeing a value for value future. And not, how many dollars when I sell.

44 sats \ 4 replies \ @jakoyoh629 23 Mar

I think it's important to differentiate between a maxi and a toxic maxi. I can't imagine a toxic person ever changing, but I can see a maxi respecting individual decisions, even if they don't agree with them.

53 sats \ 3 replies \ @DesertDave OP 23 Mar

I see your point. I wonder how people view bitcoiners in general from the outside? I think many my see us as arrogant know it alls. Which isn't inviting.

44 sats \ 2 replies \ @jakoyoh629 23 Mar

I don't think there's much point in trying to change someone so that others will see them differently. It's a waste of time and energy, and it can lead to the person losing their identity and sense of self.

Humans are naturally competitive, and it's impossible to make people change their attitude. I think only time will bring about change.

I only got into Bitcoin because my mentor was already a Bitcoin maxi. He had dabbled in altcoins before, and he warned me not to waste my time with them. I'm cool with whatever people choose.

55 sats \ 1 reply \ @DesertDave OP 23 Mar

I think leading by example is most helpful.

44 sats \ 0 replies \ @jakoyoh629 23 Mar

While I agree that leading by example is the best and most effective way to lead, I also believe that changing your behavior with a specific goal in mind can be counterproductive. It can send the message that you have an ulterior motive. Ultimately, I believe that we cannot force this to happen. It must come naturally and be genuine.