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Bye-bye, Bitcoin: It's time to ban cryptocurrencies

thehill.com

31–40 of 184 posts

Re: Bye-bye, Bitcoin: It's time to ban cryptocurrencies

#31
Yes, it's about time. These steamy piles need to be banned - it's the only way to cut down on the greed-fueled scams. They solve no problems - despite of their "whitepapers"! They are the Rube Goldberg machine of the 21st century - invented as a honeypot by NSA or as means for the Chinese to export capital.

Note: Dear HODLers, instead of downvoting me, get lives!

Re: Bye-bye, Bitcoin: It's time to ban cryptocurrencies

#32

> But dollars, euros and yen are backed by nations’ respective treasuries. If someone invents a cryptocurrency, any value is based solely on convincing others it has value. They lost me here. Most countries indeed have currency that is backed by their nation's respective treasuries. However, those treasuries are filled dollars, euros and yen. All fiat money no longer backed by gold or anything tangible and whose valu…

The notion that nation-state issued fiat currency is based “solely” on convincing others they have value is quite a reductive over-simplification. The existence of organized societies with some central government body has shown value, and the means of exchange amongst citizens and with citizens of other societies is backed in part by that value. It’s quite a bit more complex than you suggest.

Re: Bye-bye, Bitcoin: It's time to ban cryptocurrencies

#33
post #12

This is some of the worst junk writing I've seen on the hill. Some pretty wrong things in here, like insinuating that the only value of crypto is to criminals, and all but saying that the reason there are hackings to things like critical infrastructure is because crypto exists, which is just silly. Then it flags bitcoin as an environmental hazard, though estimates seem to be ~50-70% of BTC energy use is from renewabl…

> though estimates seem to be ~50-70% of BTC energy use is from renewables

Bullshit. When one coal mine in a remote region of China flooded, the Bitcoin hash rate measurably dropped by 30%. Keep in mind this was just one coal mine. Not all of China's production.

https://fortune.com/2021/04/20/bitcoin-mining-coal-china-env...

> it's more apt to call it Web 3.0 than cryptocurrency at this point.

I've said this so many times: But what does it doooooo??? Name one project that isn't "speculation" or "loans" built on cryptocurrency that has seen any uptick or utility. NFTs sure ain't it. DAOs sure ain't it. Supply chain tracking sure ain't it.

I haven't seen one work. Don't say it's the early internet and we'll find one eventually, because it's been 12 years since Bitcoin's launch in 2009, and the ideas are all still junk. Widespread broadband to the home was in strong demand in the early 90s, and Amazon was already selling books while dwellings with connectivity were in the single-digit numbers. The 80s saw university lines saturated by BBSes, newsgroups and MUDs. There was far more demand than supply, and it was very immediately clear what the utility was.

Re: Bye-bye, Bitcoin: It's time to ban cryptocurrencies

#34
post #33
post #12

This is some of the worst junk writing I've seen on the hill. Some pretty wrong things in here, like insinuating that the only value of crypto is to criminals, and all but saying that the reason there are hackings to things like critical infrastructure is because crypto exists, which is just silly. Then it flags bitcoin as an environmental hazard, though estimates seem to be ~50-70% of BTC energy use is from renewabl…

> though estimates seem to be ~50-70% of BTC energy use is from renewables Bullshit. When one coal mine in a remote region of China flooded, the Bitcoin hash rate measurably dropped by 30%. Keep in mind this was just one coal mine. Not all of China's production. https://fortune.com/2021/04/20/bitcoin-mining-coal-china-env... > it's more apt to call it Web 3.0 than cryptocurrency at this point. I've said this so many…

Not even that there is absence of evidence -- but absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Moreover, your cherrypicking of "Internet-type" inventions that develop very quickly are definitely outliers. By contrast, the answering machine was invented in the 1930's, and didn't take off until 50ish years later.

It's absurdly and ignorantly early to declare "crypto has no utility."

Re: Bye-bye, Bitcoin: It's time to ban cryptocurrencies

#35
post #12

This is some of the worst junk writing I've seen on the hill. Some pretty wrong things in here, like insinuating that the only value of crypto is to criminals, and all but saying that the reason there are hackings to things like critical infrastructure is because crypto exists, which is just silly. Then it flags bitcoin as an environmental hazard, though estimates seem to be ~50-70% of BTC energy use is from renewabl…

the people calling to ban crypto don't care about the environment, that's just an easy selling point for them to garner public support from people who normally wouldn't care. It's all about control of the financial system

very much agree

Re: Bye-bye, Bitcoin: It's time to ban cryptocurrencies

#36
post #33
post #12

This is some of the worst junk writing I've seen on the hill. Some pretty wrong things in here, like insinuating that the only value of crypto is to criminals, and all but saying that the reason there are hackings to things like critical infrastructure is because crypto exists, which is just silly. Then it flags bitcoin as an environmental hazard, though estimates seem to be ~50-70% of BTC energy use is from renewabl…

> though estimates seem to be ~50-70% of BTC energy use is from renewables Bullshit. When one coal mine in a remote region of China flooded, the Bitcoin hash rate measurably dropped by 30%. Keep in mind this was just one coal mine. Not all of China's production. https://fortune.com/2021/04/20/bitcoin-mining-coal-china-env... > it's more apt to call it Web 3.0 than cryptocurrency at this point. I've said this so many…

> I've said this so many times: But what does it doooooo???

It lets me transact value online without sacrificing my privacy.

Re: Bye-bye, Bitcoin: It's time to ban cryptocurrencies

#38
post #34
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> though estimates seem to be ~50-70% of BTC energy use is from renewables Bullshit. When one coal mine in a remote region of China flooded, the Bitcoin hash rate measurably dropped by 30%. Keep in mind this was just one coal mine. Not all of China's production. https://fortune.com/2021/04/20/bitcoin-mining-coal-china-env... > it's more apt to call it Web 3.0 than cryptocurrency at this point. I've said this so many…

Not even that there is absence of evidence -- but absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Moreover, your cherrypicking of "Internet-type" inventions that develop very quickly are definitely outliers. By contrast, the answering machine was invented in the 1930's, and didn't take off until 50ish years later. It's absurdly and ignorantly early to declare "crypto has no utility."

Utility is subjective. If you don't find utility in something, don't use it. Compare these voluntary relationships to the coercive government solutions, like the CBDCs favored by the author.

Re: Bye-bye, Bitcoin: It's time to ban cryptocurrencies

#39
post #12

This is some of the worst junk writing I've seen on the hill. Some pretty wrong things in here, like insinuating that the only value of crypto is to criminals, and all but saying that the reason there are hackings to things like critical infrastructure is because crypto exists, which is just silly. Then it flags bitcoin as an environmental hazard, though estimates seem to be ~50-70% of BTC energy use is from renewabl…

the people calling to ban crypto don't care about the environment, that's just an easy selling point for them to garner public support from people who normally wouldn't care. It's all about control of the financial system

I know a lot of people in XR and FF who are against crypto because of the environment.

Re: Bye-bye, Bitcoin: It's time to ban cryptocurrencies

#40
post #12

This is some of the worst junk writing I've seen on the hill. Some pretty wrong things in here, like insinuating that the only value of crypto is to criminals, and all but saying that the reason there are hackings to things like critical infrastructure is because crypto exists, which is just silly. Then it flags bitcoin as an environmental hazard, though estimates seem to be ~50-70% of BTC energy use is from renewabl…

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