this post was submitted on 19 Jun 2023

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Is Crypto Finally Dead? (beehaw.org)

submitted 3 years ago by peanuts4life@beehaw.org to c/technology@beehaw.org

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Yes, I know that it still exist, and yes, decentralized currency which utilizes distributed, cryptographic validation is not actually a strictly bad idea, but...

Is the speculative investment scam, which crypto substantially represented, finally dead? Can we go back to buying gold bars and Pokemon cards?

I feel like it is, but I'm having a hard time putting my finger on why it lost its sheen. Maybe crypto scammers moved on to selling LLM "prompts?" Maybe the rug just got pulled enough times that everyone lost trust.

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[–] TheTrueLinuxDev@beehaw.org 16 points 3 years ago* (3 children)

Oh boy, wait until you find out about CBDC (Government's version of cryptocurrency with dypotian spin on it such as deleting your money if they don't like you.)

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[–] QHC@kbin.social 9 points 3 years ago (2 children)

You mean the thing that was a blue sky research effort? From that website it doesn't even sound like anything exists, it's just a thought experiment to see if it would make sense. How is that in any way dystopian or nihilistic or whatever tone you appear to be going for?

This is how public policy should work. It would be foolish and irresponsible not to investigate if a new technology has a valid and useful application.

This is like noticing that the Army has plans for a Zombie invasion without applying any of the context and then using that as evidence that zombies are real and the gubment is covering it up. Instead of applying a tiny bit of actual research and finding out it's a common way that the military plans for politically unsavory possibilities like Canada invading the US. Also known as doing their actual job in a professional and not-at-all-suspicious way.

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[–] TheTrueLinuxDev@beehaw.org 4 points 3 years ago* (1 child)

The problem with CBDC is that they are actively developing it in a way they intended on rolling it out to the public (they are trying to set up campaign to roll it out) and we would be very screwed if it ever goes live, because it is not decentralized and the authority is controlled by the government which historically have screwed people over repeatedly, just look at civil forfeiture surpassing robbery in USA, they could just do it with a mouse click in CBDC.

Even Yermack points out the risk of political abuse of CBDC and yet they are still going for it.

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[–] jmp242@sopuli.xyz 2 points 3 years ago (1 child)

Why does the US even need crypto though? What problem is that solving? All they need to do is make a government version of Zelle that every bank in the US has to use (in addition to any private tools they like) to settle electric funds transfers and do it for free to the end user and bam, everything from digital cash, with none of the crypto overhead.

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[–] TheTrueLinuxDev@beehaw.org 1 point 3 years ago (2 children)

You're asking the right question, this is something they don't need and yet they have been pushing this for years.

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[–] CoderKat@kbin.social 2 points 3 years ago (1 child)

The phrasing I like is "crypto is a solution searching for a problem".

Crypto enthusiasts start with the existence of crypto and try to fit it as a solution to some problems rather than trying to solve those problems without already having chosen the solution. The reasoning is often flimsy as a result. They're not actually trying to solve a problem and thus won't consider things like "how is this better than a centralized system?".

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[–] TheTrueLinuxDev@beehaw.org 1 point 3 years ago

Ok, so how would you purchase something like something from Wakfu MMO or other services when at the time they were blacklisted by credit card or payment processing gateway? Literally the only way at that time is to purchase crypto like dogecoin so that you could actually buy something on those services. It still happen today where other services are classified as "high risk" depending on what they offers, where they are, and so forth. They get blacklisted by credit card company and payment processing company, so they literally have to resort to using crypto to work around this problem, because what else are they supposed to do?

But go ahead and make up crap about crypto like how it solve nothing. I am honestly tired of people whining about "muh energy efficiency", if you cared that much about energy efficiency, why don't you use the same energy protesting the crypto and instead protest the billionaire flying in their private jets or even better, why not ban computer games altogether? Stop being a hypocrite, I am honestly tired of this.

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[–] jmp242@sopuli.xyz 1 point 3 years ago

I guess I thought it was just because of hype, and to say re China - look, we're doing it too. We're not falling behind. I.e. entirely optics and eventually it'll fade away as one of those things that no one cares about.

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[–] Anomandaris@kbin.social 3 points 3 years ago* (1 child)

That's a reasonable response, but the other guy's concerns are absolutely not meritless. Tech platforms demonstrating and offering up these kinds of currencies or tokens do explicitly talk about ideas such as limiting certain currencies from being spent on certain things, or enabling/disabling from a central authority.

China is already rolling out this type of currency albeit with limited success, and while I haven't heard anything about the e-CNY being tied to their social credit system, or punishments being inflicted in the shape of limiting access to funds, it's absolutely a possible option.

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[–] QHC@kbin.social 2 points 3 years ago

The concern in concept is totally valid, yes, but presenting it as if something that is being actively pursued for nefarious purposes is just misleading.

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[–] borkcorkedforks@kbin.social 5 points 3 years ago (2 children)

They wouldn't delete your money just because they don't like you.

They'd "arrest" your money for some crime that may or may not be legit. Paperwork and people getting their cut would be involved.

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[–] TheTrueLinuxDev@beehaw.org 3 points 3 years ago (1 child)

Well they can delete your money for not liking you, just look at how Republicans have been treating the LGBT community lately. if they have the chance to, they would absolutely love to delete all money owned by LGBT people.

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[–] lolpostslol@kbin.social 2 points 3 years ago

If you think about what side is more tech-savvy, more likely the gays find a way to delete anti-gay money first lol. Even if they are less likely to use it

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[–] lolpostslol@kbin.social 2 points 3 years ago

I mean, this already happens. Most states can easily freeze domestic assets when crimes are suspected

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[–] shipp@mastodon.coffee 4 points 3 years ago (1 child)

@TheTrueLinuxDev @peanuts4life Have you not heard of a bank account before lol. They can already freeze your assets at will.

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[–] TheTrueLinuxDev@beehaw.org 7 points 3 years ago (1 child)

And we have the option to use the paper dollars, by depreciating that, you have no safety net during a bank run. GG.

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[–] shipp@mastodon.coffee 1 point 3 years ago (1 child)

@TheTrueLinuxDev I haven't used cash in ages lol

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[–] TheTrueLinuxDev@beehaw.org 6 points 3 years ago (1 child)

That's good and all, but if you haven't diversify your assets, equity, and capitals, then you are still putting all of your eggs in one basket.

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[–] shipp@mastodon.coffee 3 points 3 years ago (1 child)

@TheTrueLinuxDev you can't do any of that with cash. Where are you investing with cash?

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[–] TheTrueLinuxDev@beehaw.org 4 points 3 years ago

You can purchase certain kind of assets that appreciate in value over time.
Back in the day, people actually purchase/exchange bitcoins/crypto in cash before crypto exchange is around, those are still going today.
Exchanging currency is still a thing even if it's in person, one currency can drop in value faster than the other during an inflation squeeze.

I could go on and on, you absolutely can with cash and people do it all the time.

We almost had a bank run in America a few times now, cash is good to have if you're in the middle of a bank run in America and you have to buy things now.

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