Can Bitcoin save the world?

Matthew Light

Active Member
Dec 25, 2015
134
121
I write this in all seriousness.

It has been clear to me since 2005 or so with the collective insanity of the American housing bubble that our collective financial arrangements have become increasingly unmoored from reality and more and more destructive of our collective and individual welfare. Until about a month ago, I was expecting an economic collapse when our financial system fails within the next decade. Until I took a deeper look at Bitcoin, saw how far it has come since I became aware of it in 2010, and became convinced that this new version of money can actually do what humanity needs much better than fiat currencies or precious metals.

Money is the circulatory system of our economic body. And the degree of specialization required in our modern economy really does require an electronic form of money. A gold-based electronic currency would work if we could fully trust the institutions that would run it, but the last decade has demonstrated to the observant and thoughtful that large institutions with enormous power inevitably become corrupted.

But Bitcoin can be that electronic currency. It is backed both by strong cryptography, a branch of the science of mathematics, and by the currency owners collective interest in maintaining its value. We finally have a fully electronic money that can be trusted and cannot be manipulated by the powerful. When these fiat currencies expire from terminal indebtedness, over-issuance and demographically-impossible promises, Bitcoin will still be there, able to continue the vital work of resource coordination, without the horrible distortions and capital consumption bubbles caused by seigniorage and debt-fueled speculation generated by the fiat-banking complex and without the enormous inefficiencies of political allocation of resources.
 
Last edited:

Erdogan

Active Member
Aug 30, 2015
476
855
Yep, it is the long time goal. Laissez faire believers have wanted it for centuries. No fiat money, nor gold backed paper money can be entrusted to governments to handle. Gold money for direct use has been argued for, but has not been sufficiently practical to outcompete fiat.

As long as secure hashes, public key cryptographic signatures, and randomness exist, there will be electronic money based on the satoshi invention. Free market sound money for the world. It is the maximum improbability drive for markets. The success is guaranteed.
[doublepost=1451476728,1451475948][/doublepost]And regarding saving the world: Yes, our most severe problems have their roots in the money systems, where bad actors can operate behind the curtain to rob and steal and generally fuck the world up. Bitcoin will be used primarily because it is practical and holds its value, but it will also shed light on the nastiness going on, therefore make the world better.
 
Last edited:

AdrianX

Well-Known Member
Aug 28, 2015
2,097
5,797
bitco.in
Well it's going to be hobbled if it's limited to 1MB. There is also a huge risk bitcoin isn't aloud to grow this year delaying any growth and loosing momentum while the super rich make other plans.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Joel Dalais

AdrianX

Well-Known Member
Aug 28, 2015
2,097
5,797
bitco.in
the link to the article didn't work for me.

but just thinking of an absurd idea in relation to mining, Why sell arms if you're the dominant arms manufacturer and why does the buyer trust the seller when they can just use them to gain dominance over them. (obviously there is a morel component if you are in a democracy.) but still the buyer is in a compromised position as they can't get the weapons needed to enforce the trade.

there must be something to the idea behind bitcoin that cooperation is more profitable than being uncooperative even when you have centralized control in mining.

this gives me confidence that when a miner becomes too centralized and dominates the network it's in his best interests to diversify and sell mining equipment thus restoring diversity. (just imagining that image shows the bitcoin mining market results in just 2 dominant asic manufacturers)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: lunar