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The Face Behind Bitcoin?

mag.newsweek.com

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Re: The Face Behind Bitcoin?

#261

Post by atmosx »

Cool article but says virtually nothing. We have:

* A smart man, according to the article * Who worked for the government at some point in time (according to the article) * Who's name is Satoshi Nakamoto * Who values privacy (so much that he used his real name LOL)

So apart from the stalking and extremely irritating privacy breach this article shows about Newsweek's[1] journalists and chosen course of action, proves or states nothing.

He didn't admit anything, but seriously... Even he did, why do we care at this point?

[1] I was holding NS in low regard anyway. Now it's as low as it gets in my eyes.

Re: The Face Behind Bitcoin?

#262

Post by bruceb »

stefanve wrote: post #37

So Newsweek hires paparazzo's now? The need to disclose everything about the guy and call several family members etc is really wrong. Which I could undo my click...., no need to invade his privacy so much, "fun to know because interesting" is not a good enough reason to write the article...

Call his family, that is what reporters do to confirm a story. The man created a currency that is used world wide, is talked about every day on HN. Can you imagine if facebook was created and we didn't know who did it?

Re: The Face Behind Bitcoin?

#263

Post by MadManE »

omegaham wrote: post #149
bane wrote: post #101

Topic other than discussing the irresponsibility of "outing" a guy using the clever tricks of using his name and public records look ups. > A libertarian, Nakamoto encouraged his daughter to be independent, start her own business and "not be under the government's thumb," she says. "He was very wary of the government, taxes and people in charge." > What you don't know about him is that he's worked on classified stuff…

Oh god yes. I'm currently a relatively junior flunky in the Marine Corps, and the GS civilians who work here are hilarious. "We need to cut the fat!" We work at a minor airbase in the middle of nowhere... oh. Oops. Whatever we are, it sure as hell ain't muscle. "Government spending is out of control" while talking about how they exploit the DTS system to get as much per diem as possible. "Those lazy people who expect…

Taking advantage of the existing situation for maximum personal gain doesn't indicate doublethink. It only indicates that they care more about themselves than they care about "the greater good" - which, in my opinion is how it should be.

Somebody's going to be getting paid for doing nothing - it might as well be me.

Re: The Face Behind Bitcoin?

#264

Post by sarreph »

I'm not up-voting this because Leah Goodman has violated even the most simple of journalistic integrity that should be afforded to such a sensitive topic.

Firstly, she very dubiously breached Nakamoto's trust by attempting to get through to him by talking about his passions. Then, when she didn't get the response she wanted, she posted this article that lists multiple family members' full names, most of Nakamoto's (if this is even the real Nakamoto) personal and employment history, and then has the audacity to post a photo of Nakamoto's house that is close enough to a google street view photo, enabling others to pinpoint his location.

If something bad happens to Nakamoto as a result of the personal information disclosed in this report, it will be a great shame for Newsweek.

Re: The Face Behind Bitcoin?

#265

Post by potatoman2 »

"This man is Satoshi Nakamoto."

"What?" The police officer balks. "This is the guy who created Bitcoin? It looks like he's living a pretty humble life."

- I do not believe this exchange took place. The police would've had his name from his initial call to them, and a random officer from the Sheriff's department would not likely recognize that name as the creator of Bitcoin. Just saying.

Re: The Face Behind Bitcoin?

#266

Post by bruceb »

r4pha wrote: post #45
continuations wrote: post #29

Does the concept of privacy mean anything to Newsweek?

As much as I don't like this - at the very least - ridiculously unethical article, I'm pretty sure a lot of papers would be dying to publish this piece.

How is it unethical? The guy created a currency that is used around the world and is a mystery.

Re: The Face Behind Bitcoin?

#267

Post by wpietri »

spindritf wrote: post #169
bane wrote: post #101

Topic other than discussing the irresponsibility of "outing" a guy using the clever tricks of using his name and public records look ups. > A libertarian, Nakamoto encouraged his daughter to be independent, start her own business and "not be under the government's thumb," she says. "He was very wary of the government, taxes and people in charge." > What you don't know about him is that he's worked on classified stuff…

the paradox of the deeply conservative anti-federal government types who work for the government - directly or as a fed contractor Those are the people who have a realistic, first hand understanding of the government innerworkings. Also, a contradiction between believing that allocation of capital would be more efficient under a less centrally-influenced system, and being willing to accept higher pay and benefits fro…

I think what your proposed cognitive model of anti-government government workers is missing is something Upton Sinclair pointed at:

"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it."

I've worked for financial trading companies and for advertisers before, but I can't do that work anymore because I think those industries mainly make the world worse. Not won't do it, but can't. The daily conflict between my principles and my actions would be too painful.

Cognitive dissonance is really uncomfortable. I don't think most people can live with the cognitive dissonance of being an anti-government government worker. Not without falling into what user omegaham correctly identifies as doublethink.

And I think that would be especially true of the libertarians I have known. If I were to generalize about them, I'd say that on average they're unusually thoughtful and unusually principled. Most people don't even try for a coherent political philosophy. I just don't know a lot of people who will think that deeply and then be totally ok not living by those principles.

Re: The Face Behind Bitcoin?

#268

Post by mikeash »

twoodfin wrote: post #245
mikeash wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My favorite are the guys who rail against socialized medicine while simultaneously praising the care they get from the VA. I think a lot of these people just subconsciously see "the government" as simply not including the security apparatus.

So because the government feeds its soldiers it would be hypocritical or illogical to rail against nationalizing farms and supermarkets?

If the government did a good job of feeding its soldiers such that every time you get a government meal you're talking about how great it is, it would be inconsistent to say that government-provided meals are a disaster and that nationalizing meals would make everything related to it terrible.

Re: The Face Behind Bitcoin?

#269

Post by deong »

aestra wrote: post #158
deong wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That isn't, strictly speaking, true. It's certainly his right to refuse to comment, appear on camera, accept interviews, etc., but it's also Newsweek's right to say what they want about his life and his work. As long as they aren't writing falsehoods and don't cross the line into harassment, they're free to publish.

Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

Oh, I agree with you. The Grantland thing from a bit ago is I think a better example than this Newsweek piece though. Here there's arguably a legitimate public interest served by knowing where this huge and valuable thing comes from. While it right on the border, and others may certainly disagree, I think it's a stretch to call this piece so far over that line as to merit outrage about it.

Re: The Face Behind Bitcoin?

#270

Post by sarreph »

joncrocks wrote: post #88
watty wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why couldn't a random officer know what Bitcoin is? My father heard of it and knows nothing about technology. It's no longer a secretive online currency, it's everywhere.

If you read the article, it suggests that the police officer is told that the person is Satoshi Nakamoto and the officer exclaims: "What?" The police officer balks. "This is the guy who created Bitcoin?" I can accept that the man on the street would have heard about bitcoin, but to know the name of the person who did the original work on the currency? That just seems a bit unlikely.

I also find this incredibly dubious.
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