Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Those coins were also pretty much worthless early on. ...hence the "pump" stage of the pump-and-dump scheme being conducted quite extensively, with all forms of scammers publicizing the immense virtues and magically perpetual low value of bitcoin, hoping that the next batch of fools and idiots open their wallets to finance the value pumping.
> publicizing the immense virtues and magically perpetual low value... This happens every day in securities. Those "pumpers" are called "analysts". They sometimes work for investment banks and research firms. You can choose to follow their advice or you can bet against it. Apple shares were $0.50 (unadjusted) in its early history. By your definition, anyone espousing the future of Apple and computers at that point is…
Apple and stocks also generate value, whereas Bitcoin and PoW software burns electricity/value.