Replying to Avatar Steven Day

Half formed long post I wanted to get out while not sleeping.

I wanted to think through some of the visceral negative reactions to anything and everything Bitcoin among people in technology, including my peer group.

A few things pop to mind.

"You can't fix a system from within a system" - Jeff Booth

And

"Enough people will have to get burned on the stove over and over again to get it" - Odell paraphrase

When the wine is flowing, food is cheap and abundant, no one is thinking about bad times. When things get slightly worse, people are still not thinking worst case.

It's only when things get THAT bad that people start paying attention and it's too late.

Many tech professionals, including my peer group, have good jobs, live comfortable, and enjoy the benefits of the global north (west, 1st world etc).

Even when inflation has hit they have enough earning power to handle it and may even stay ahead of it. Even with some layoffs, things are temporarily inconvenient, and then they bounce back.

Enter the idea of Bitcoin.

If you come upon Bitcoin with no perceived or actual view of a systemic failure of money, incentives, and the economy, you're going to look at it purely in terms of the current system.

At best it's a way to get more fiat. "It's an investment like stocks". At worst it's a speculative asset scam with no backing "Bitcoin is just a number, it's worthless."

On the other end of the spectrum you will have people who are crushed by our modern ponzi, when that happens, it's sometimes feels too late (at least short term).

All this is to say that your asymmetric advantage with Bitcoin is to be in a position where things are going well (enough) AND realize the problems. Most people in that former position won't do this.

Recognize there IS a problem and do the research. #Bitcoin won't mean much otherwise.

I feel this. I read over and over that it was not a good use of time trying to convince anyone and my experience has given further evidence to this advice. I believe (hope?) that bitcoin is fair. Hopefully it’s impact will be randomly distributed and hopefully everyone will buy at the price they deserve, hopefully

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The pattern you find is that “we” usually stop trying to convince and maybe you might get some questions about it when ready.

I think emphasizing the problems you and I believe are happening and how the bad money drives bad incentives may at least meet them half way.

I hear you. The idea of “bad money” is very outside of the system. In that system, money is everything and the money itself cannot be bad. On the other hand “bitcoin money” is not the “real money” and so therefore can only be bad/fake money. It’s really a catch-22. I found bitcoin trying to make the most of the old system. This I think, more than Austrian economics or hope for a better world, will be the best argument