The intelligence injustice of Bitcoin

[ransomer]

The bitcoin concept (what it is, whether it is useful etc.) is still quite complex. I think we can agree that it takes some minimum level of intelligence and perseverance to figure these things out.

It could be argued that with FIAT currencies the poor had a hard time getting rich and as such there was a demographic divide with limited social mobility. For example, someone really smart might be born into a situation with tough chances of being financially successful.

If Bitcoin succeeds it seems the intelligent and the early adopters has a huge advantage already. As such, the 'injustice' is still there it has mere shifted demography. Where it might take intelligence to make FIAT money, it does not really take much intelligence to be interested in it, understand it, or use it.

It seems that Bitcoin heavily and negatively biases the groups with less than average mental capacity.

Sure low intelligence was never a benefit, but at the current state of bitcoin affairs which less intelligent person would ever consider Bitcoin an option? It seems the troubles of this group of people are even worse than using FIAT?

Does it matter? Do we care that Btc favors the geeks and nerds like us? That it's success basically could redistribute wealth in the world (to some degree) even more sharply along a low vs high intelligence dimension?

[redsn0w]

Another thread, bitcoin for the moment is easy to use only by who have a good knowledge of a personal computer (in general) and internet. So yes, you are basically correct in your through... FIAT is more easy to use because the services related with are really simple, bitcoin is more difficult to use because it's a new thing and it is NOT simple to use and understand (the concept or ideology of "not controlled").

However, there are some people who don't want to understand the differences between FIAT and cryptoCurrency and those people deserve to stay ignorant.

[jonoiv]

Another thread, bitcoin for the moment is easy to use only by who have a good knowledge of a personal computer (in general) and internet. So yes, you are basically correct in your through... FIAT is more easy to use because the services related with are really simple, bitcoin is more difficult to use because it's a new thing and it is NOT simple to use and understand (the concept or ideology of "not controlled").

However, there are some people who don't want to understand the differences between FIAT and cryptoCurrency and those people deserve to stay ignorant.

Well said!

[RodeoX]

I think this will change. Kinda like the early internet. I remember when you had to type in everything to just connect. Then you had to guess domain names since there were no search engines. And even before that I used to have to war dial to find computers. It was really only for the most dedicated computer geeks. Now Grandma uses the internet. 

[astrobitcoin]

it all depends on the application level, if something easy to use gets to the masses then bitcoin would be used as fiat

for example you don't really need to understand how your computer, memory, hardware and software works.
that's why anyone at any level can buy a pc, use facebook and google etc

[ransomer]

it all depends on the application level, if something easy to use gets to the masses then bitcoin would be used as fiat

for example you don't really need to understand how your computer, memory, hardware and software works.
that's why anyone at any level can buy a pc, use facebook and google etc

Certainly. We are going that way. The way of MacOS and other things that drove mass adoption. The alternative is that bitcoin will fail.

However, in that process, will we not see an even sharper divide of less and more intelligent than we know now? Simply because early adapters have a considerable advantage.

On the other hand some might argue that "the dumb deserve to be poor"?

[QuestionAuthority]

Unfortunately, stupid people are going to be impoverished. That's the way it works. Fortunately for them, the world needs ditch diggers and landscapers too. It all works out at the end of the day.

[yayayo]

Intelligence is not distributed evenly among people. That's a fact. If you prefer to call this fact "injustice" then it's the injustice of nature.

Just because nature is a bitch and doesn't care about justice, it doesn't mean that Bitcoin is any more unjust than nature itself.

However the very concept of "justice" is difficult to define to begin with...

ya.ya.yo!

[TheButterZone]

Harder to link bank accounts & cards to PayPal than to use BTC.
Harder to set up an email account than to use BTC.

[gogxmagog]

There is a lot of VC money flowing to developers specifically working on the user friendliness aspect of handling BTC they know it's difficult for many and that this is an obstical to adoption.
We are young community yet. You will see services that are easier to use as time progresses, much like email and connecting to the Internet. Frankly, whomever comes up with a simple, seamless, and secure BTC wallet/exchange/app will have the "killer app" we have all been waiting for, making my themselves rich and sending BTC moon-ward in the process.

[gentlemand]

I don't think it's a case of intelligence or unintelligence. It just requires some thought. Stupid people can figure it out just fine too. The overall concepts are not beyond the grasp of anyone. You can be a bit dumb and still know what's what in the world.

It will be the lazy, ignorant or irrationally hostile who will be the last to get on board.  

[QuestionAuthority]

I don't think it's a case of intelligence or unintelligence. It just requires some thought. Stupid people can figure it out just fine too. The overall concepts are not beyond the grasp of anyone. You can be a bit dumb and still know what's what in the world.

It will be the lazy, ignorant or irrationally hostile who will be the last to get on board.  

You're right, stupid people can figure it out too. Reading the posts of about 70% of the people here will tell you that's true. lol

[ThEmporium]

Harder to set up an email account than to use BTC.

And it is harder to wait for bitcoin exchange confirmations than to send and receive email successfully, Just sequel of your words lol.....

[Beefcake]

I agree that it is hard to use them right now, but as the technology and related services evolve it will be easier.  How many people know what makes their car go, or an airplane fly?  Practically no one because we don't have to.  It is not a matter of intelligence, it is a matter of convenient service.  I think well designed mobile wallets and ease of turning fiat into coin are the two big deals for making bitcoins more popular.

[aso118]

I agree that it is hard to use them right now, but as the technology and related services evolve it will be easier.  How many people know what makes their car go, or an airplane fly?  Practically no one because we don't have to.  It is not a matter of intelligence, it is a matter of convenient service.  I think well designed mobile wallets and ease of turning fiat into coin are the two big deals for making bitcoins more popular.

We just need people getting used to let their mobiles make their payments. Apple pay could actually do this job for us. Once people are comfortable with Apple pay, they will realize how much better Bitcoin is.

[Beliathon]

The bitcoin concept (what it is, whether it is useful etc.) is still quite complex. I think we can agree that it takes some minimum level of intelligence and perseverance to figure these things out.

It could be argued that with FIAT currencies the poor had a hard time getting rich and as such there was a demographic divide with limited social mobility. For example, someone really smart might be born into a situation with tough chances of being financially successful.

If Bitcoin succeeds it seems the intelligent and the early adopters has a huge advantage already. As such, the 'injustice' is still there it has mere shifted demography.

This insight is a very real possibility, but I think you're overlooking something important. Political power has never before been granted on the basis of raw intelligence, benevolence is not unlikely here.

I think often about how global bitcoin adoption might be humanity's first step toward transcending capitalism. I imagine hundreds of suddenly super-rich smart people begin funding new types of schools, which focus on critical reason, empathy, civics, ethics, ecology, and conflict resolution skills. Most modern nationalized schoolsystems teach obedience and conformity first and foremost, with bureaucratic dogma one-size-fits-all teaching systems that force kids to memorize and regurgitate information on command as if these young minds are military trainees or zoo animals.

I mean this very seriously: World Peace and permanent environmental sustainability are both possible in a future when we teach our children to distinguish the Stuff That Matters from distraction bullshit.



Yours in compassion and solidarity,

World Citizen Beliathon

[Gleb Gamow]

Another thread, bitcoin for the moment is easy to use only by who have a good knowledge of a personal computer (in general) and internet. So yes, you are basically correct in your through... FIAT is more easy to use because the services related with are really simple, bitcoin is more difficult to use because it's a new thing and it is NOT simple to use and understand (the concept or ideology of "not controlled").

However, there are some people who don't want to understand the differences between FIAT and cryptoCurrency and those people deserve to stay ignorant.

I recall back in the day having to jump through hoops with Netteller (and some other like entity whose name eludes me) so to quickly fund poker sites to take advantage of their reload bonuses.

[TheButterZone]

Harder to set up an email account than to use BTC.

And it is harder to wait for bitcoin exchange confirmations than to send and receive email successfully, Just sequel of your words lol.....

Patience is not equal to intelligence.

[franky1]

The bitcoin concept (what it is, whether it is useful etc.) is still quite complex. I think we can agree that it takes some minimum level of intelligence and perseverance to figure these things out.

It could be argued that with FIAT currencies the poor had a hard time getting rich and as such there was a demographic divide with limited social mobility. For example, someone really smart might be born into a situation with tough chances of being financially successful.

If Bitcoin succeeds it seems the intelligent and the early adopters has a huge advantage already. As such, the 'injustice' is still there it has mere shifted demography. Where it might take intelligence to make FIAT money, it does not really take much intelligence to be interested in it, understand it, or use it.

It seems that Bitcoin heavily and negatively biases the groups with less than average mental capacity.

Sure low intelligence was never a benefit, but at the current state of bitcoin affairs which less intelligent person would ever consider Bitcoin an option? It seems the troubles of this group of people are even worse than using FIAT?

Does it matter? Do we care that Btc favors the geeks and nerds like us? That it's success basically could redistribute wealth in the world (to some degree) even more sharply along a low vs high intelligence dimension?

bitcoin is no more geeky than fiat.
people do not need to read the protocol to use it. just like people dont need the chemical composition of FIAT bank note ink. people dont need to mine bitcoins or know the technology requirements to hash blocks. just like people dont need to know or have a printing machine and bank note plates to make bank notes..

to get a bitcoin address is easier and faster than registering with a bank and waiting for a bank card to be delivered.
to use bitcoin is simpler than online banking
to make bitcoin is exactly the same as selling anything online or on the street.. show what you are selling, display the price and method of payment.

the problem is not bitcoin, but the lack of marketing to prove how easy it is to just get on and use it.

[Beliathon]

Harder to set up an email account than to use BTC.

And it is harder to wait for bitcoin exchange confirmations than to send and receive email successfully, Just sequel of your words lol.....

Patience is not equal to intelligence.

The Stanford marshmallow experiment[1] was a series of studies on delayed gratification in the late 1960s and early 1970s (...)

A child was offered a choice between one small reward provided immediately or two small rewards if they waited for a short period, approximately 15 minutes, during which the tester left the room and then returned.

In follow-up studies, the researchers found that children who were able to wait longer for the preferred rewards tended to have better life outcomes, as measured by SAT scores,[2] educational attainment,[3] body mass index (BMI),[4] and other life measures.[5]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_marshmallow_experiment

Obligatory video with adorable children attempting to resist sweets