What's the first sentence to convince Nocoiners?
327 sats \ 41 comments \ @kilianbuhn 27 Jul 2022 bitcoin
I do often want to explain the value of Bitcoin to people.
The thing is that most people don't know the keyword like "decentralization" or "permissionless" or "self sovereign" etc
There are lots of suggestions what YouTube 📺channels or books📖 to recommend. But how do I even get to the point? Trying to open the topic usually gets me rolling eyes, a gentle laugh and a pet on my head.😂😂
If I can't say the first sentence how will I get them to watch a single YouTube video? What is the first sentence? What are your strategies?
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251 sats \ 2 replies \ @nullcount 28 Jul 2022
"I'm buying, but you shouldn't." That one gets the gears turning.
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10 sats \ 0 replies \ @cryptocoin 28 Jul 2022
Brilliant!
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10 sats \ 0 replies \ @kilianbuhn OP 28 Jul 2022
Interesting, might try this
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168 sats \ 2 replies \ @SimpleStacker 27 Jul 2022
I usually start with: "Bitcoin is basically a public ledger, one that anyone can write to but somehow everyone trusts. We've never had that before."
The conversation then usually goes in one of two directions: 1) how does Bitcoin achieve this, or 2) why does this matter? I trust that you'll be able to take it from there :)
I like starting with that because it focuses on the actual technological innovation and what's got people so excited. It works better than talking about the gainz since 1) not everyone is interested in gainz and 2) gainz are not guaranteed over any particular period of time and 3) they probably know someone who got burned chasing gainz
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124 sats \ 1 reply \ @nout 28 Jul 2022
FWIW: from my experience people have no idea what is "ledger", especially non-native english speakers... I had no idea what that means before learning about Bitcoin.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @SimpleStacker 28 Jul 2022
I think this is fine, as long as they can grasp the overall concept of a ledger.
Sometimes people will ask why we haven't had a trusted public ledger before Bitcoin, at which point I will discuss the problem of everyone keeping their own copy and the double spend problem
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193 sats \ 1 reply \ @jeff 28 Jul 2022
Subtly, and non-ironically, slamming fiat by calling it:
  • legacy
  • analog
  • non-programmable
  • designed to go down in value by 2% to 3% or more per year
...then pointing out "When was the last time the digital thing didn't replace the analog thing? Alarm Clocks. Cameras. Thermostats. News papers. Writing is on the wall, we know how this ends. It won't be any different."
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21 sats \ 0 replies \ @kilianbuhn OP 28 Jul 2022
This actually sounds like a good strategy
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131 sats \ 0 replies \ @lrz 27 Jul 2022
Besides the "what to say" I think it's important to try to meet them where they're at, with empathy (until a certain point I guess). There a several good books about persuasion.
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147 sats \ 0 replies \ @moel 28 Jul 2022
Last week to a friend of mine: "It keeps crashing, First it crashed to $100, then to $3000, and now it crashed again, to $20.000"
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110 sats \ 0 replies \ @frostdragon 28 Jul 2022
A few options, depending on the person and how much they trust me:
  • Bitcoin is as innovative and game changing as the printing press, electricity, and the internet.
  • There currently is not a way to save money without losing it slowly. Bitcoin fixes this, and it’s a matter of time before people realize this and choose it over the dollar.
  • Bitcoin is probably the only thing that’s existed on the internet for over a decade that has never once been hacked.
  • Bitcoin is the most secure piece of technology in existence.
  • We quadrupled our money supply between 2010 and 2020, and then printed 40% of all USD in existence between 2020 and 2021. Bitcoin fixes this.
  • Bitcoin is value stored as information that is as immutable as 2+2=4
And, if they’re particularly conservative:
  • Elizabeth Warren hates bitcoins lol
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100 sats \ 0 replies \ @lrz 27 Jul 2022
Great question. I wonder if we can compile very short sentences/questions (maybe in the form of a decision tree chart) to address the why's or the FUD
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7 sats \ 1 reply \ @m4 27 Jul 2022
" Bitcoin will cost $1 million by 2030" is usually enough.
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5 sats \ 0 replies \ @tomlaies 27 Jul 2022
Provocative, I like it.
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5 sats \ 2 replies \ @Ge 28 Jul 2022
My first sentence that I've been using is, So let me ask you a question what makes money valuable?(proceeds to pull out a USD note)
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @kilianbuhn OP 28 Jul 2022
Hmmm, I think that's an eye rolling opening as well. But maybe it works in the right situations or with the right people 🤔🤔
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3 sats \ 0 replies \ @Ge 28 Jul 2022
tbh i think all these maybe work in the right situations with the right people just depends how the subject gets brought up really can come at it from so many different angles
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3 sats \ 0 replies \ @DarthCoin 28 Jul 2022
https://darthcoin.substack.com/p/21-reasons-why-bitcoin-will-save
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3 sats \ 0 replies \ @cryptocoin 28 Jul 2022
This is what worked starting nearly a decade ago (before the term got hijacked for a shitcoin):
"It's magic internet money."
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5 sats \ 0 replies \ @TheBTCManual 28 Jul 2022
You probably don't need it, but I do
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5 sats \ 1 reply \ @LibreLoya 28 Jul 2022
Why exchange your limited time for limitless fiat?
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @kilianbuhn OP 28 Jul 2022
See, that's the kind of sentence that gets eyes rolling with people that don't know about Bitcoin
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @a 29 Jul 2022
Typically when the topic of Bitcoin comes up and I say "people are so afraid of Bitcoin" they become more open to the idea of it. Then if I send them some sats on muun then they start to see the point
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @random_ 28 Jul 2022
I usually start with a question.
  • what is 'real' money?
  • what is the dollar backed by?
  • do you ever wonder why prices go up, but quality goes down?
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @bitcoingraffiti 28 Jul 2022
"This is probably not for you."
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @zeRealSchlausKwab 28 Jul 2022
"Ever wondered why there is only 21 million?"
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @EnormousPony 28 Jul 2022
My sentence is "I've no time to convince you"
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @nout 28 Jul 2022
When talking with folks outside of US, this is somewhat easier
  • "It's a money that works internationally anywhere around the planet, you can send those from a person in South Africa to a person in Germany. For small amounts in seconds, for crazy large amounts within one hour. Anyone with phone or computer can open account without any limitations."
  • "It's not like anything else we have seen before, so I can't really tell you 'it's like X', because there's nothing like it. Bitcoin changes so many things."
  • and "If you are interested in any specific aspect, I'm really happy to explain more, but all this is up to you - no one is forcing Bitcoin on you, everyone is free to use it or not, but in the case it catches on it might be worth getting at least couple dollars worth."
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @faithandcredit 28 Jul 2022
that there are many skeptics and it could be undervalued but in time if enough merchants adopt it then it just becomes a natural thing to own and u wont need to convince ppl but lets see
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @softglitter2d 28 Jul 2022
Most people come to me and ask questions about bitcoin and the finance issues, mostly people that want to invest, therefore they need some kind of strategy involving understand what they have in their hands, how can they learn and the classic cash-out.
So, as OP said use words like decentralization or permissionless is not worth it...at that point of the conversation, later yes, maybe, not now.
However, how to convince nocoiners? Most people just want to know two things:
  • Does bitcoin have value?
  • How can they make money?
My strategy is simple:
  1. Get a wallet
  2. Explain how to DCA with bitcoin. Save, no invest.
  3. Usally at this point and if they bought their first satoshis, they'll learn more about other projects, most of them, pure crap. So..
  4. I show them how this PoW alterative works and how most of them are doomed to fail misserably and make the cautious annoucement that the only thing now can make is to accumulate satoshis.
At this point, most people, blinded by greed, will open a Binance/Kraken/Fav CeFi to purchase some dog coins, monkey coins among others. You can't do nothing, just a friendly reminder about what the f**k they did it. Doing this is the reason we're maxis, so no worries.
Finally, the (alterative) final stage: most nocoiners will not pass the second step, so to them -and you OP- I leave this known quote:
If you don't believe me or don't get it, I don't have time to try to convince you, sorry. --Satoshi Nakamoto
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @BeardedSaintRef 27 Jul 2022
Buy Bitcoin, if you don’t, I’ll say I told you so!!
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @Lost_dogz 27 Jul 2022
Nocoiners (likes of Roubini, Schiff, Munger) are a lost cause. Don't waste time on those. Pre-coiners are where it's at
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @kilianbuhn OP 28 Jul 2022
99% of them are not Schiff or Munger...
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0 sats \ 2 replies \ @pony 27 Jul 2022
"have fun staying poor" "Bitcoin fixes this"
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3 sats \ 0 replies \ @lrz 27 Jul 2022
Terrible advice... that's not how you persuade anyone. HFSP is something to be used as last resort
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @nout 28 Jul 2022
This is sad :(
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @sb 27 Jul 2022
"Are you allowed to print units of your local currency? Well, let me tell you about the organizations that can and do so ad-infinitum" :)
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @lrz 27 Jul 2022
I like that angle, like why do you have to work for money but the government does not?
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @one92eight 29 Jul 2022 freebie
Do you think the money on bank account is yours?...and then a moment of silence.
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @santos 28 Jul 2022 freebie
"Bitcoin has the best monetary attributes of any money ever in history and it can be sent programmatically cheaper than any technology before it with instant or near instant finality."