Shower thought. Why is Bitcoin hard to define?

[BeManga]

A non-Bitcoiner friend asked me, "What is Bitcoin?", I was unable to answer directly as my mind was racing to find an answer. My first instinct was to tell him that it was a "peer to peer digital ecash for the internet", but should something global, trustless, provably scarce, independent, open, and censorship-resistant be described as something so shallow?

Bitcoin is much more, but it's very hard to find the words to describe it.

yes its really hard to describe but when someone ask me about bitcoin
i dont explain it i just simple answer its a currency

[maldini]

Just give a definition of bitcoin, and give an explanation of the advantages of bitcoin compared to fiat they will certainly understand your point.

[maxreish]

That was true. Actually, I was kinda tired of explaining to them what really is bitcoin. Even if I express in a simplest and nicest way, they are really confused about it. But one time I just said that it can be used as an online payments and can also be possible to become an investment then they said, "Oh, I get it."
See? If they are an open minded person, they'll probably understand.

[TheCoinGrabber]

I simply tell them it's money that don't have any physical form, that they'll onlybever hold them in a digital wallet. After I tell them how it can be spent and stuff, they'd usually be cool bout it. Of course I can also tell them they don't actually "own" the bitcoin, that it's all ledger and stuff but that would just get complicated. They'd be able to use it without knowing all those.

[Japinat]

Depending on our level of understanding, for me every time I have a friend who ask me about bitcoin, I would tell it's a currency or online payment system rather than an investment. It would be easier for them to understand if we will use a common terms, the difference from other online system is that bitcoin is decentralized and that makes it unique and transparent, so far, I explained it well and they just do the rest of the research.

[eann014]

A non-Bitcoiner friend asked me, "What is Bitcoin?", I was unable to answer directly as my mind was racing to find an answer. My first instinct was to tell him that it was a "peer to peer digital ecash for the internet", but should something global, trustless, provably scarce, independent, open, and censorship-resistant be described as something so shallow?

Bitcoin is much more, but it's very hard to find the words to describe it.

Don't explain bitcoin on a difficult way to understand, try to explain it in a simple way, like, bitcoin is a digital currency that we can use online like buying kinds of stuff or paying online bills, or simply say, it is already one of our currencies now like fiat the difference between the two is that, bitcoin can only be used online while fiat is used for physical stores.

[Ipwich]

A non-Bitcoiner friend asked me, "What is Bitcoin?", I was unable to answer directly as my mind was racing to find an answer. My first instinct was to tell him that it was a "peer to peer digital ecash for the internet", but should something global, trustless, provably scarce, independent, open, and censorship-resistant be described as something so shallow?

Bitcoin is much more, but it's very hard to find the words to describe it.

Don't explain bitcoin on a difficult way to understand, try to explain it in a simple way, like, bitcoin is a digital currency that we can use online like buying kinds of stuff or paying online bills, or simply say, it is already one of our currencies now like fiat the difference between the two is that, bitcoin can only be used online while fiat is used for physical stores.

True, be a teacher and know your student, it's easy to educate them if you know them.
Bitcoin is complicated to some, especially those who sees it a wrong way, like they see it as an investment rather than a cryptocurrency.

[snakey]

Bitcoin is hard to define because of its diversity, it is hard to just say it as a peer to peer payment, it has showed a deep root to block chain technology and hyper ledger.
So e pray bitcoin as a life saver, some as technology revolution while some who hate government and wanna topple the economic tradition.
In short everyone has its own definition.

[illusioNiZt]

Most of the people are confused with Bitcoin and use it as a long-term investment which will give them profits with time, they forget the part that its a crypto-currency which can be used just like other currencies.

[shoreno]

A non-Bitcoiner friend asked me, "What is Bitcoin?", I was unable to answer directly as my mind was racing to find an answer. My first instinct was to tell him that it was a "peer to peer digital ecash for the internet", but should something global, trustless, provably scarce, independent, open, and censorship-resistant be described as something so shallow?

Bitcoin is much more, but it's very hard to find the words to describe it.

Don't explain bitcoin on a difficult way to understand, try to explain it in a simple way, like, bitcoin is a digital currency that we can use online like buying kinds of stuff or paying online bills, or simply say, it is already one of our currencies now like fiat the difference between the two is that, bitcoin can only be used online while fiat is used for physical stores.

True, be a teacher and know your student, it's easy to educate them if you know them.
Bitcoin is complicated to some, especially those who sees it a wrong way, like they see it as an investment rather than a cryptocurrency.

If other people see it as an investment than a curency , i think those people are already aware with a crypto and there is no point of teaching them  . explaining them that crypto should be primary used a currency and not as investment will only make the situation worst because they will only argue on what you are trying to explain  .  me , i dont teach people around me but ill only wait if they will ask me something about bitcoin and crypto . thats the time that ill teach them in a non technical way  .

[Kakmakr]

I also struggled with the same problem in the beginning and I totally over complicated the issue when I tried to explain it to people. I then took some time to re-think my strategy and decided to make it as simple as can be.

I now start by telling people that it is a alternative payment option, but that is so much better than other payment methods, because it is not centralized. That provoke the normal reaction that I want, which is the most logical question.... Why is it better? I then start by going into the details and differences. 

[Dingdongjl]

If you are actually intending to explain it to a newbie, it is better to just give them a simple and short definition of bitcoin which is a digital currency. Then explain it's convenience. Do not explain the whole scope of bitcoin, trust me I have been into crypto for 5 years and I still find it boring to hear technical and deep conversations about crypto. LOL!

Yeah right after you explain it to them for almost an hour they will just ignore it because in real they really dont understand what we are talking about.

[CBANX Ltd.]

Is there anyone who can define Bitcoin?  For newcomer and seasoned player as well "Bitcoin is the cryptocurrency" or in an elaborated way "Peer-to-peer electronic cash for internet" but more than that if someone wants to define Bitcoin then it will be a book itself because rather just knowing, it is important to understand the extinguishing concept behind Bitcoin and its working functionality.

[Hardtolife]

A non-Bitcoiner friend asked me, "What is Bitcoin?", I was unable to answer directly as my mind was racing to find an answer. My first instinct was to tell him that it was a "peer to peer digital ecash for the internet", but should something global, trustless, provably scarce, independent, open, and censorship-resistant be described as something so shallow?

Bitcoin is much more, but it's very hard to find the words to describe it.

It is indeed very difficult to explain because it is not in the form of an object so it is also difficult to believe for those who ask questions and often say gambling. If I am asked like that, I only answer that bitcoin is the same as shares. We must also be able to choose a reasonable answer not the original answer.

[Ayiranorea]

A non-Bitcoiner friend asked me, "What is Bitcoin?", I was unable to answer directly as my mind was racing to find an answer. My first instinct was to tell him that it was a "peer to peer digital ecash for the internet", but should something global, trustless, provably scarce, independent, open, and censorship-resistant be described as something so shallow?

Bitcoin is much more, but it's very hard to find the words to describe it.

It is indeed very difficult to explain because it is not in the form of an object so it is also difficult to believe for those who ask questions and often say gambling. If I am asked like that, I only answer that bitcoin is the same as shares. We must also be able to choose a reasonable answer not the original answer.

Every user has got the same though about explaining bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. If an object can be felt physically it is easy to explain while same is not possible with cryptocurrency. The virtual presence is quite hard to define as it will be entirely a new thing for the common people to believe. Probably people will soon get to know about it as the change keeps going with more people have begun to spend time on learning it.

[Indamuck]

I've explained bitcoin to many people and they usually have a hard time trying to understand how bitcoins are generated with math and electricity.  People assume it is easy money to mine bitcoins without knowing how massive the hashrate  of the network is.

[BrewMaster]

I've explained bitcoin to many people and they usually have a hard time trying to understand how bitcoins are generated with math and electricity.  People assume it is easy money to mine bitcoins without knowing how massive the hashrate  of the network is.

it is exactly because of this reason that whenever someone asks me about how bitcoin is "generated" and generally about technical stuff, i refuse to answer them and instead ask them to tell me how other things they use daily work. for example i ask them how an ATM machine encrypts the communication with the bank and how it reads the data from the cards,...
people are usually weird only when it comes to bitcoin just because it is new. we have to tell them that they don't have to know the technical details to use bitcoin just like they don't know how 90% of things they use every day work and still they enjoy using them.

[Bagaji]

Just give a definition of bitcoin, and give an explanation of the advantages of bitcoin compared to fiat they will certainly understand your point.

It could have be done by that; but many will ask further questions if your explanation to Bitcoin is not elaborated. A colleague of mine had one time asked me to explain in details the true definition of Bitcoin, and i basically told her that, Bitcoin is a technology, payment method, currency. .... but she never understood until she bought some Books about Bitcoin.

[monalia]

A non-Bitcoiner friend asked me, "What is Bitcoin?", I was unable to answer directly as my mind was racing to find an answer. My first instinct was to tell him that it was a "peer to peer digital ecash for the internet", but should something global, trustless, provably scarce, independent, open, and censorship-resistant be described as something so shallow?

Bitcoin is much more, but it's very hard to find the words to describe it.

Explaining with its all features and the problems causing by the centralized government also need to explained because the problem will be there in the government not in the bitcoin side. If you tell to any person you are using bitcoin and earning in this field means no one will be understand you that you doing in legit way as well.

[figmentofmyass]

A non-Bitcoiner friend asked me, "What is Bitcoin?", I was unable to answer directly as my mind was racing to find an answer. My first instinct was to tell him that it was a "peer to peer digital ecash for the internet", but should something global, trustless, provably scarce, independent, open, and censorship-resistant be described as something so shallow?

Bitcoin is much more, but it's very hard to find the words to describe it.

in three words: magic internet money

the unfortunate truth is the concepts underlying bitcoin are complex and can only be dumbed down so much. i often begin by explaining that bitcoin is math-based money. it's secured by cryptography and regulated by an economic design bound by code which means it eliminates all the trust-based failures in banking and government-issued money. then we can delve into the "hard money" aspects of bitcoin based on its scarce commodity-like nature.....