http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/bitcoin-and-other-financial-fictions-20140203-31w7h.htmlHow should we think about a currency like Bitcoin? The first thing to remember is this: Money is a sort of collective fiction. What money we choose to trust says much about how we see the world.
Above the simplest exchanges, most money has limited use. Gold, the most common historical currency, is good almost only for adornment. To its fans, gold's uselessness is a value in itself; since the stock of gold is not consumed, it is reasonably stable, while governments can print all the currency they want.
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http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/bitcoin-and-other-financial-fictions-20140203-31w7h.html#ixzz2sDiI1G4J
