That's right, time to move on. Please do. Bitcoin is really not for you.

Tuesday, 19 January, Year 8 d.Tr. | Author: Mircea Popescu

Since yesterday's recap of the sad track record of the USG, the toomim clown received some bad news, with which he coped in the usual manner : by having a rather amusing public meltdown under the influence. Meanwhile the poopaganda machine came out in force with a pathetic chorus bemoaning "Bitcoin's death".

Whatever. For once we do agree : it's time to move on. Please do.

Bitcoin was never for you. Bitcoin was never for the poor ; Bitcoin was never for the voluble if worthless "social media" tramp ; Bitcoin was never for the soi-dissant "activist" aka scammer. Bitcoin was not for you.

And since we're doing this, let's proceed to dispell some myths.

I. It is false that Bitcoin has to be used by you for it to be valuable.

You believe man to be the measure of all things. This is a purely religious belief, exactly identical, and directly reducible, to the notion that there's a magical teapot spinning in the sky.

You believe that you are man, in the strict and strictly laughable sense that everything is equal to everything else and thus therefore you see yourself as not merely a uniquely bent spoon, vaguely related to various other better implementations of an ideal spoon and thus twice removed from that ideal but instead fully and completely, in and by yourself, equal and idempotent to everything man is, ever was or ever could be. This is also a religious belief, I suppose, although more indicative of psychopathology than what usually is called religion - on the continuum between the buddhist chanting and the fanatic beheading this sort of nonsense is certainly past the fanatic, hapilly floating in a schizoid sea towards waxy flexibility.

You put these two together and what comes out is the directly falsifiable notion that in order for Bitcoin to be valuable, it has to be usable by you. This is obviously not so : cars your whole bloodline could never, no matter what, ever afford are still cars, and valuable and enjoyed by those of your betters that can actually buy one. That nobody in your family ever wore shoes does not imply that shoes are now worthless, or "not usable". It certainly does not imply that shoes should be doing things differently. Learn a trade, marry well, do something with your life so that you too might enjoy the glory of footwear, perhaps, however briefly, however distantly in the future.

II. It is false that Bitcoin has to "do good" in order to continue to exist.

Bitcoin can kill all your friends, and all the people you respect, and every other kitten. It can poop in your drink and insult your friendship and rape your pets for all the difference it makes. If lightning strikes where you sit, whether you feel a warm cozy sort of love for it or the most burning hatred imaginable is strictly irrelevant - electricity stays. If tomorrow your house burns down you'll be advised to take more care - blaming the victim as it were. Nobody's ever going to try change the fire. More generally : the world is not built on emotions, whether you "love" world peace or "hate" world peace or both or neither makes exactly not one grain of difference to world peace.

Bitcoin is not a product, like a belt that's tied too tight and so you can adjust to be less tight, or like an engine that runs too hot and so you can adjust to run a little cooler. Bitcoin is a rule, and if you're not happy with how it works you have to change, just like if you're unhappy with the effects gravitation has on your planned plane, you must change the plan. You can't attempt to change gravitation.

And there is no such thing as voting rules. The things you vote upon are laws, not rules. They really don't matter one bit.

There are other silly things ESLi muppets believe, such as that they are creative (they're not, and I don't mean that they aren't the most creative - I mean they're below average, and markedly so) and that they're "civilised" (god help you), and that the only way they've ever seen things done is necessarily the best possible way (do read Voltaire when you have a moment) and on it goesii. But let's keep things simple and sweet, in step with the comprehension and attention span of five year olds captive in seemingly adult bodies : it's time to move on. Please do.

Bitcoin really is not for you.

———
  1. English as a single language. []
  2. Add that VC's have money (no, they don't), and that they matter in the world (no, they don't) and tons and tons of other things. []
Category: Bitcoin
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19 Responses

  1. Well, I wonder if bitcoin is for me. It's rules I understand that.
    My mistake is only that I think I love my wife and funnily; go ahead laugh I wanted to clear my mortgage debt that we share as a birthday present to her about 2 years ago. We had bitcoin and just about this time 2 years ago. I sat and looked at my position carefully. My funds are in limbo at Gox. It was horrendous because we kept our initial investment. I just wish the government complex will help creditors. I now can see your reference to stay away from Gox. I now face a large tax bill as I've been working as an optometrist helping people see! The irony of regulation is not lost on me. I am exasperated and reading your blog is nice. It's right on many matters and therefore I will continue to follow it. We staked our debt on that place on regulation / honesty / trust - yes Madoff comes to mind and I will wait it out. I would like the same benefits as other "wealthy" people - the ability to raise my children have spare time with my family and all the things that paying off debts have now I am stuck with a huge tax bill and doubt - as you say bitcoin and gonzo porn might have traits in common - now its all changed. Blocksteams Adam Back said the funds in limbo might ( for some ) be the best form of cold storage after the corrupt exchange filed for bankruptcy - since then I've tried to understand what he meant. I think yes - the change comes from within - now I have to ask myself - what will happen with the bitcoin I will receive at Kraken - the whole story is interesting and yet - the reality of the conclusions drawn - mostly in agreement with the sentiments your blog so eloquently lays out - are more important - so thank you.

  2. Mircea Popescu`s avatar
    2
    Mircea Popescu 
    Saturday, 6 February 2016

    Thanks. This might interest you.

  3. Most people don't appreciate what you have done in clearing up multiple issues around that fact that philosophy is different to mathematics and the mental contructs they hold. At this point I hold no bitcoin or Ethereum. I just saw Nimiq do 500,000% in gains. Now the whole ecosystem is not for most. This is a game of real returns where people want to manifest value. That look different things to different people - but mostly it's cars bitches and and more cars ... dumb fucks have no respect for the greats who got us here ..

  4. Mircea Popescu`s avatar
    4
    Mircea Popescu 
    Wednesday, 19 July 2017

    Earlier I ate an orange, and this one ant saw 500`000% in gains. It was a tiny drop of juice, not worth the mention but for the ant.

  5. I really enjoy simply reading all of your articles. Simply wanted to inform you that you have people like me who appreciate your work.

  6. Mircea Popescu`s avatar
    6
    Mircea Popescu 
    Thursday, 12 April 2018

    You're welcome.

  7. Cecila Neudorf`s avatar
    7
    Cecila Neudorf 
    Saturday, 25 April 2020

    At times its a pain in the ass to read what people wrote, but Trilema takes the cake. My head hurts

  8. Mircea Popescu`s avatar
    8
    Mircea Popescu 
    Saturday, 25 April 2020

    Well... you know what the title says.

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