2013-05-18 RT News (TV) - New segment, mostly a new interview with Amir Taaki

[StarfishPrime]

Another RT news segment - they've been covering the DHS seizure heavily the past few days, almost hourly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKWFdfLrZGE

Mr. Taaki appears without his hoodie, although the unfortunate anti-establishment / pro-underground economy ranting remains.

edit: RT just ran another segment w/ Amir Taaki that included a ongoing survey of why people believe the US gov't is 'cracking down' on bitcoin. Over 50% (so far) believe it is to maintain control of the financial system.

[1714792735]

1714792735

[cypherdoc]

once again, the media keeps focusing on Amir as the "center" of Bitcoin.  geez, getting old.

nonetheless, this time did pretty well upholding Bitcoin's main tenets although he started breaking down at the end.  

[RationalSpeculator]

I think he did a very good job. He looks like an anarchist, talks passionately, trashes police and promotes the underground economy. A rebel and that is exactly what bitcoin is. Thanks Taaki for spreading the message.

[theBigBadWolf]

I think he did a very good job. He looks like an anarchist, talks passionately, trashes police and promotes the underground economy. A rebel and that is exactly what bitcoin is. Thanks Taaki for spreading the message.

You know where this is going to end? Squatting is illegal in the UK. Eventually police will come round, arrest him. He will be spouting about freedom and injustice incoherently like he is now and it will be shown to the whole world - "This is your future if you get into bitcoin". It will scare the majority and slow down the adoption.
He and you probably don't realize it, but he is being used like a clown to discredit bitcoin.
It's clear some bad thing happened to him and he likes attention, but he has to realize that the little world he lives in is not the world most people live in.
Anarchist and libertarians already got the message - they are already on board. It's time to step back and let the diplomatic people do the talking.
Amir, if you reading this, please take some time off, get a perspective. You are a talented guy, stop wasting your time being used by the media. You were developing bitcoin, Intersango.. WTF happened?
I know that I'm just a random guy on the internet, who is saying something that you probably don't even want to admit to yourself, but talk to your friends, people you trust. If they are your good friends, they will have the courage to tell you the truth.

[genjix]

Squatting is not illegal in the UK. Squatting commercial properties is fine. It's the police that are breaking the law. I've seen them do it many times against other people with no recourse against them.

And no, I won't stop talking about Bitcoin or my views to anyone who asks. Otherwise Bitcoin will become co-opted. The personal computer revolution of the 70s was hijacked in a similar way. The people who built the early technology failed to speak up, and the movement became co-opted by corporations. I could maybe buy the argument we should play it safe when Bitcoin was small, but not anymore. Everyone knows it exists. The highest echelons of government are inviting us to give presentations about Bitcoin to them (see http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/42ca6762-bbfc-11e2-82df-00144feab7de.html#axzz2TGGzzaez ). Now is the time to push our message loudly. Bitcoin is a revolution in finance that undermines the whole industry. We are not aiming to make banking more efficient - we want to get rid of them. If you want to lie or say anything opposite then you are already co-opted and working against Bitcoin. Don't end the FED, bypass the FED. Real change comes from bottom up.

If you're trying to convince people, then you won't do that by dressing the same as every other banker on TV and saying Bitcoin is this new safe payments option. You have to be true to yourself. To speak with passion about things you feel, and tell people how it actually is. I don't buy this talk of hiding your true thoughts and feelings. Maybe you lose some votes, but you also gain the trust of the true people out there who are able to see you are a real person speaking truth, not a diplomat in a suit. I get emails from people reaching out to me from the darkness, and thanking me for my appearances. People see I'm carrying a message from the heart.

When I met Birgitta Jonsdottir (Icelandic politician), she was totally messy with torn clothes. I asked her doesn't she need to put on a show and dress nicely to win votes. She told me that's absolute rubbish. Real support is created by being open as a person, and not hiding who you are. And she has strong support globally because she's such a cool person that people trust her. She talks about things personal to herself. It comes from her heart.

That's my aim with unSYSTEM: http://unsystem.net - I want to make a conference which shows Bitcoin as cultural movement. Not a conference which is giving facts and info, but something which people feel and intuitively understand.

Nothing will slow Bitcoin's adoption now. It will grow regardless of what people say. The technology is so strong that it will win out by itself. If not Bitcoin, then another cryptocurrency. The idea is here to stay. What is dangerous is how it will grow. If Bitcoin grows completely in white market, becomes totally regulated and everything then we lose any power that we gained with Bitcoin. We have to stress and force its growth in the right direction otherwise the movement will become hijacked and amount to nothing useful whatsoever.

You know sometimes I go to these hackerspaces, and I see people working with technology, electronics, programming, industry, ... and I see powerful guys which can topple states or delete entire industries. Instead they waste their skill making pointless toys like moving cat ears. I want nothing to do with them. They are a waste of space and total zombies. You have such a big power and then use it to make toys instead of tools for people. The reason we have the internet now, and the reason it's so great is because the guys who made the internet imbued it with their ethics and morals. The internet could've turned out very differently. Instead we have an amazing world-changing tool for humanity. We have co-opted mercenary programmers making proprietary crap that goes into a corporate blackholes. They rationalise destruction of the world as saying they need to pay bills to look after their kids and wife. And loads of zombies do the same helping empower states and overly powerful corporations to oppress people. They're idiots, and if you have this amazing skill then you should be carrying the torch of the same scientists and technologists before you who created all this wealth for everyone. What are you doing with your life otherwise? Making money and getting along? Come on. Waste of space.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_Memory

[davidgdg]

"If Bitcoin ....becomes totally regulated"

Would this even be possible? 

[davidgdg]

"If Bitcoin ....becomes totally regulated"

Would this even be possible? 

sure, the DHS will just raid the raid the block chain if we don't comply.

What does that mean?

[elux]

"If Bitcoin ....becomes totally regulated"

Would this even be possible?  

sure, the DHS will just raid the raid the block chain if we don't comply.

What does that mean?

It's a joke. Trollgoat...

What he's suggesting is impossible.

Well, perhaps not impossible. It's around as possible as, say,
confiscating all the water and all the air in all the world.

You do have your drinking and breathing license, right?

The genie really, truly can't be put back in the bottle.

And that's the joke.

[davidgdg]

"If Bitcoin ....becomes totally regulated"

Would this even be possible?  

sure, the DHS will just raid the raid the block chain if we don't comply.

What does that mean?

It's a joke. Trollgoat...

What he's suggesting is impossible.

Well, perhaps not impossible. It's around as possible as, say,
confiscating all the water and all the air in all the world.

You do have your drinking and breathing license, right?

The genie really, truly can't be put back in the bottle.

And that's the joke.

Phew. He had me worried ;-)

[RationalSpeculator]

I think he did a very good job. He looks like an anarchist, talks passionately, trashes police and promotes the underground economy. A rebel and that is exactly what bitcoin is. Thanks Taaki for spreading the message.

You know where this is going to end? Squatting is illegal in the UK. Eventually police will come round, arrest him. He will be spouting about freedom and injustice incoherently like he is now and it will be shown to the whole world - "This is your future if you get into bitcoin". It will scare the majority and slow down the adoption.
He and you probably don't realize it, but he is being used like a clown to discredit bitcoin.
It's clear some bad thing happened to him and he likes attention, but he has to realize that the little world he lives in is not the world most people live in.
Anarchist and libertarians already got the message - they are already on board. It's time to step back and let the diplomatic people do the talking.
Amir, if you reading this, please take some time off, get a perspective. You are a talented guy, stop wasting your time being used by the media. You were developing bitcoin, Intersango.. WTF happened?
I know that I'm just a random guy on the internet, who is saying something that you probably don't even want to admit to yourself, but talk to your friends, people you trust. If they are your good friends, they will have the courage to tell you the truth.

Maybe the one dressing up in tie and promoting bitcoin because of 'cheaper transaction costs' is being used as a clown?

Maybe you don't realize that?

It is clear some bad things happened to you?

It's time to step back and let the true honest people do the talking?



Bigbadwolf, maybe it's time to do some self reflection?

Why did you choose this username?

You are a talented guy, stop wasting your time being used by the media ...

[dancingnancy]

I'm really liking the interviews with Amir.  He is super enthusiastic and makes pretty good points. 

[aigeezer]

That's my aim with unSYSTEM: http://unsystem.net - I want to make a conference which shows Bitcoin as cultural movement. Not a conference which is giving facts and info, but something which people feel and intuitively understand.

Wow - amazing list of speakers.

I admire your energy.

[theBigBadWolf]

Maybe the one dressing up in tie and promoting bitcoin because of 'cheaper transaction costs' is being used as a clown?

So when you hear/watch interviews by John https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xKaeS1iLec, Jeff https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhj1zeisqWY, Trace https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfknveaWQ_4, Gavin or any other balanced individual you must be thinking - all these douche-bags explaining bitcoin to general population in a calm and simple way - it's PR nightmare. We will never get our message across?

And when you see this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3q-zWEcTg0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQPBVOwLKcM // it's cause he'z got skilzz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwNfBgwbqng
what thoughts cross your mind? Oh, this guy is doing a great job. Not being able to put a normal sentence together on a national television while wearing a hoodie - yea, that's the way to go!?

I'm speechless. It's like 2010 all over again when all the loonies started joining the forum

[noedaRDH]

Maybe the one dressing up in tie and promoting bitcoin because of 'cheaper transaction costs' is being used as a clown?

So when you hear/watch interviews by John https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xKaeS1iLec, Jeff https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhj1zeisqWY, Trace https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfknveaWQ_4, Gavin or any other balanced individual you must be thinking - all these douche-bags explaining bitcoin to general population in a calm and simple way - it's PR nightmare. We will never get our message across?

And when you see this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3q-zWEcTg0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQPBVOwLKcM // it's cause he'z got skilzz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwNfBgwbqng
what thoughts cross your mind? Oh, this guy is doing a great job. Not being able to put a normal sentence together on a national television while wearing a hoodie - yea, that's the way to go!?

I'm speechless. It's like 2010 all over again when all the loonies started joining the forum

Yeah Amir is a great guy, I like his enthusiasm. But it doesn't seem like he's able to articulate his points very well without getting way too emotional. We need more stable, level-headed people advocating for Bitcoins, not someone who looks like he's on a the fringes.

[noedaRDH]

Not being able to put a normal sentence together on a national television while wearing a hoodie - yea, that's the way to go!?

"Ad hominen" and "responding to tone", which are the two weakest forms of disagreement and contain no merit. Do you have any actual arguments?

While it is an ad hominen, you really have to consider the type of audience that Amir is speaking to. Yes, it'd be nice if the masses will ignore Amir's appearance and instead focus on his content, but we unfortunately don't live in such a world.

[noedaRDH]

Not being able to put a normal sentence together on a national television while wearing a hoodie - yea, that's the way to go!?

"Ad hominen" and "responding to tone", which are the two weakest forms of disagreement and contain no merit. Do you have any actual arguments?

While it is an ad hominen, you really have to consider the type of audience that Amir is speaking to. Yes, it'd be nice if the masses will ignore Amir's appearance and instead focus on his content, but we unfortunately don't live in such a world.

Some will be more inspired by his energy than by the type of presentation given by the more polished types. Luckily, with the massive media influx in recent months, we have a large variety of material for people to dig in to. And most of it is of the more polished type, so don't worry too much.

Don't get me wrong, I like Amir's energy, but for some people Amir must be the only "face" to Bitcoin they see for some time (most people won't bother to dig through things if they don't like it at first glance). It wouldn't hurt if he brushed up his hygiene a bit before being on camera; a dirty hoodie may not be the end of it all but first impression still matters, even if it's just at a subconscious level.

[RationalSpeculator]

Maybe the one dressing up in tie and promoting bitcoin because of 'cheaper transaction costs' is being used as a clown?

So when you hear/watch interviews by John https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xKaeS1iLec, Jeff https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhj1zeisqWY, Trace https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfknveaWQ_4, Gavin or any other balanced individual you must be thinking - all these douche-bags explaining bitcoin to general population in a calm and simple way - it's PR nightmare. We will never get our message across?

You are creating a strawman or asking a rhetorical question.

I will imagine that you asked a real question.

I enjoy most the interviews by Trace Mayer and John Matonis, because they succeed in wearing a tie while also addressing the many unethical government interventions.

The people wearing a tie and only talking about cheaper transaction costs leave me cold frankly. I don't even know their names. I do enjoy Gavin his interviews but less than Trace or John.

The people trying to silence other people, with many critics and sometimes even insults, while at the same time unable to take any critics themselves, I enjoy the least.

[noedaRDH]

Maybe the one dressing up in tie and promoting bitcoin because of 'cheaper transaction costs' is being used as a clown?

So when you hear/watch interviews by John https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xKaeS1iLec, Jeff https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhj1zeisqWY, Trace https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfknveaWQ_4, Gavin or any other balanced individual you must be thinking - all these douche-bags explaining bitcoin to general population in a calm and simple way - it's PR nightmare. We will never get our message across?

You are creating a strawman or asking a rhetorical question.

I will imagine that you asked a real question.

I enjoy most the interviews by Trace Mayer and John Matonis, because they succeed in wearing a tie while also addressing the many unethical government interventions.

The people wearing a tie and only talking about cheaper transaction costs leave me cold frankly. I don't even know their names. I do enjoy Gavin his interviews but less than Trace or John.

I think purely based on appearance and overall presentation, Trace has it best. He's young, but not too young. Technical, but not too technical. Quick-witted and able to translate things into easy to understand layman analogies.

[theBigBadWolf]

Not being able to put a normal sentence together on a national television while wearing a hoodie - yea, that's the way to go!?

"Ad hominen" and "responding to tone", which are the second and third weakest forms of disagreement (right above name-calling) and contain no merit. Do you have any actual arguments?

The argument here is very simple.
In the UK press(especially Guardian) convinced everybody this homeless guy invented bitcoin. And he is on TV speaking about drugs and guns.
Sure this appeals to a lot of people

[RationalSpeculator]

Don't get me wrong, I like Amir's energy, but for some people Amir must be the only "face" to Bitcoin they see for some time (most people won't bother to dig through things if they don't like it at first glance). It wouldn't hurt if he brushed up his hygiene a bit before being on camera; a dirty hoodie may not be the end of it all but first impression still matters, even if it's just at a subconscious level.

Fair point.

I do think his positives (deep passion & great content) far outweigh his negatives here (unattractive appearance and hard to understand articulation).

I would still give it an 8 in 10.