Seattle:
I find it strange that your work in international banking has done nothing to inform or influence your views about Bitcoin. But, whatever. I guess I'm supposed to take that at face value?
No. I don't make that claim. I often express my opinions here. However, I try to clearly differentiate my personal opinions from "facts", whenever it is important to do that.
I made no claim. I asked you a question.
You've said that now. But before, you were belligerently insisting that you needn't declare any vested interests you might have, and refusing to say whether you were a paid promoter or not. Your mate Sarkus chimed in last time to vigorously defend your right not to declare vested interests, too - though that's another story.
I think I was clear about what is my hunch and what isn't.
You seem to be suggesting, consistently, that you think that Bitcoin is a good investment. Coming from a guy who worked in international banking, some might consider that financial advice. But it's just your opinion, completely uninformed by your work experience. Well, okay, if you say so.
At least this is clear now. All I ever wanted was clarity from you on this.
What's religious advice?
Full disclosure: yes, I am, in a way. But nobody is paying me to promote science here, on sciforums.
Yes, my day job is "related to science".
Tell me why you think I should.
Okay. Whatever.
If there's something specific I have stated about Bitcoin that you believe is false or inaccurate, I think you'd be better off bringing that up directly.
Undoubtedly, on many topics.
In what way? Be specific.
Probably. I'm happy to answer specific questions, if you have them.
About what? Why?
Would it matter to you if I was? Tell me why.
An atheist? Yes, I am, in fact. Why do you ask? Couldn't you tell from my posts?
Doesn't seem like it to me. What do you think?
Maybe.
Happy?
It's odd that you've asked me why certain things that I brought up matter and yet you do it and it seems to matter to you. Those things I brought up don't matter to me, that was the point.
Regarding banking, I was in trade finance. That has nothing to do with Bitcoin. I wasn't some personal banker pushing investments. I wasn't in a branch. Think more about the financial instruments and rules and regulations to finance a Rolls Royce engine on a Boeing airline or finance a container ship full of timber for Sunkyoung, or dealing with capital exchange controls in Korea.
Regarding your comments and Bitcoin, you just seem ignorant (not in a pejorative sense) meaning not well informed of the most basic facts of the subject matter. Do I think Bitcoin is a good investment? Yes, for some but I don't really care about what people invest in. That would also involve assessing risk, size and diversification, time frame and an understanding of the subject in general. I'll discuss stocks, real estate or anything else that someone may find interesting. My purpose wouldn't be pushing investment advice. I have no interest in that nor have I ever been involved in that as a career.
I'm also interested in economics and will discuss that. That doesn't mean I'm pushing economics or trying to change anyone's opinion unless it's in the sense of someone wanting to learn more.
There's a lot of ignorance regarding Bitcoin so if someone wants to discuss it in a more informed way I'm happy to oblige. If you saw that someone was ignorant (mistaken) regarding some scientific subject you would probably respond to help them out if learning is what they were after.
If they just were choosing to be ignorant (which often happens) then you would just move on I'm guessing. Those who insist on pushing some pseudo science are going to get a different reaction from you than someone who wasn't clear about how evolution works, was talking about monkeys, you clear that up and they became better informed regarding evolution.
On the other hand if they insisted that "I didn't come from no damn monkeys" then you would probably just leave them in their ignorance. That's my approach as well.
If someone wants to focus on Bitcoin not being backed by anything, being used by criminals, using too much energy and not being a better currency than the dollar then after some discussion and they continue with those things, I just move on as well.
My negative concerns with Bitcoin would be along the lines of what happens after several more halvings will they will have less and less affect, how will a fixed supply work in a growing world, and there's several more unknowable aspects. There are also possible replies to my concerns.
This isn't the equivalent to Bitcoin being "bad" or "good". You can have Bitcoin coexist with traditional finance even though traditional finance is worried. Governments are worried because with competition they can't expand the money supply so easily.
Some aspects of Bitcoin not applicable in developed countries are very important in 3rd world countries. It's not one size fits all and it's not all or nothing.
Most of the "fear" or "ignorance" regarding Bitcoin is just making up fake fears and then attacking them. Cars were going to kill everyone. Let's stay with horse and buggies. It's not that there was no truth to any of that but it was overblown and missing the point.
There is going to be some form of digital money in the future. Government digital money is very open to abuse. Bitcoin is decentralized and fixed and it has a large market and there are several reasons why it will probably continue to be dominate. It may not however.
The same can be said however for the dollar. My point is just that the "anger" that pops up when someone brings up Bitcoin is largely overblown and is due to lack of knowledge regarding the subject. It's like AI. Some fear that it will end the world and others love it. The reality is likely to be that it's here to stay and that there will be some pros and some cons just like with anything else.
Nothing is perfect and most things aren't that dramatic and nuance is more important than overreacting.
Most people (including me) went through similar stages when reacting and learning about Bitcoin. Initially it's reading the definition of Bitcoin, thinking OK but ...what is Bitcoin.
Then it's thinking this is just like Pet Rocks or some other fad. Then it's understanding that it really isn't about a "currency" for the most part. It's about a store of value. Then it's learning that it's been around for 11 years, learning about the blockchain, addressing the issues of energy, criminals, how it works, the need for a perfectly designed from scratch digital money that moves at the speed of light (basically), low expenses, no "clearing", no need for trust, and on and on.
Someone said that you have to study it for about 100 hours before you have any understanding of it and maybe 1000 hours before you aren't a novice. You read "The Bitcoin Standard" and then "The Fiat Standard" and then "The Price of Tomorrow."
You set up an account and buy a little and learn about the actual infrastructure and so on.
It's not for everyone and it's not the end all be all. Like ChatGPT it might be in the same category as being as important and impactful in the future as the internet is today.
That's why I'm at least interested in it just as I am with ChatGPT.