Why do ordinary people feel afraid of Bitcoin?

[Silberman]

Someone told me not long ago: Bitcoin is a dangerous game. It is even possible for some people or groups to take over the blockchain through a majority and destroy the entire mechanism. People don't know they are playing these games.

This is a classic case of how misinformation travels a lot faster than accurate information, taking over the network is not as easy as you make it seem and even if malicious actors were able to get that kind of control over the network and try to destroy bitcoin in the worst-case scenario the developers could just make a hard fork to the moment before those actors got control of the network and change the mining algorithm to make their mining rigs useless which means that those people will waste tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars just for the damage to the network to be reversed in a matter of days or weeks.

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[Trinx01]

People are afraid of bitcoin or cryptocurrency because of thinking that they could get scammed from it, I have a friend who doesn't even get interested in it even though how many times I told him about it, well I already expected that this thing would happen because, in our country we have this kind of saying or statement  " for you to earn money you have to work hard for it, your sweat makes money as well". Both cryptocurrency and fiat currency is hard to earn but based on mine if you have good knowledge of cryptocurrency then it would not be too hard for you t earn compared to fiat currency.

[Twentyonepaylots]

It's untested waters for these people, they clearly have no idea of what bitcoin is or what cryptocurrencies are in the first place, so they fear of putting money into it not realizing the great potential bitcoins and cryptocurrency in general can give. Nonetheless, this fear is justified since from a logical standpoint, this is the optimal solution. To fear and stay away from it.

[kawetsriyanto]

There are many possibilities, it depends on the individuals. We don't know what exactly was happening to the individual, so we need to ask first why they think it is dangerous in their own view. However, generally, I think here is the most likely happening to the people who say Bitcoin "dangerous".

1. They don't know well about Bitcoin.
2. They are affected by others to stay away from Bitcoin.
3. They hate Bitcoin because of certain purposes.

[Welsh]

I personally don't feel its because of many of the reasons listed above, except for being "new". Even then, I don't think people are concerned about the longevity of the currency, as its been around much longer than most people invest in. Instead, I believe its the lack of documentation, and usability that scares people away. Unfortunately, for Bitcoin to exist in the way it does, it had to step out of the comfort zone of many people, and introduce new concepts. Now, its known that the majority of people aren't particularly fond of change, which Bitcoin does a lot. Traditional currencies have always been pretty much the same, and the principles are taught at school from a young age.

Bitcoin doesn't have this luxury, and currently we are stuck between unnecessary complexity, and jargon. Even when you come to this forum, many experienced users who have great knowledge in the subject aren't particularly good at communicating in laymen terms. Of course, Bitcoin requires someone to be specific in order to be clear, and concise about what you're talking about, but this is not friendly those that are just adopting it. I'm guilty of using jargon, not because I'm trying to sound like a smart arse, but that's how it rolls off the tongue, and is specific to what I need to communicate when asked a question about Bitcoin. However, that's just going to confuse, and scare someone new away. Unfortunately, the documentation which exists online isn't that great in communicating in laymen terms either. This is not only stunting Bitcoin's growth, but its hurting the chance for someone to come back later, and be willing to learn.

The challenge that we have as a community is trying to make it accessible for anyone to adopt Bitcoin in a quick, but secure fashion while also introducing new concepts. For example, a paper wallet is actually quite complex to a new user, because they aren't used to the practice. Unfortunately, the very name "paper wallet" although seemingly self explanatory is something hard to grasp for a new user. A "seed" is also something alien to them. These are just some of the very basic issues that we have to find a solution for to make it easier to adopt. I know, the general consensus is that a willing learner can get through this, and understand. However, if we truly want mass adoption then we should be making Bitcoin as easy to use as possible.

[Rengga Jati]

This is your first post and you made this thread, I appreciate it at first, hopefully, you can back again to discuss with us, answering the opinion from the other members here, not leaving after making a thread.

And, did you promote a game with this point, Is the point about the game "Fortnite" or what?

well, related to your opinion:

Why do ordinary people feel afraid of Bitcoin?

In my opinion, they only know Bitcoin from the limited thing, from one side, and not willing to spread the look at Bitcoin.
For example, some of you may only think of using Bitcoin for a game, or blind investment, money laundering, and also scamming people.
This option is probably not wrong, because some people really do it.

However, leat's broaden the point of view.
Bitcoin is a precious asset once you learn it first, you will never know what Bitcoin is without learning and seeking as many as possible. Draw the positive and negative, learn the market, and also the experiences from many more people.
You will know how worthy is Bitcoin.

We cannot blame those who don't like Bitcoin and consider that BTC is a wrong decision, harmful to get because they don't know what exactly and how exactly Bitcoin is.

[Shasha80]

There are many reasons that make ordinary people feel afraid of investing in Bitcoin, the reason for the most part is because many people do
not understand about Bitcoin. Furthermore, why do ordinary people fear Bitcoin is a matter of legality, because there are still many countries that
prohibit owning and using Bitcoin.

And the last reason is because it is influenced by the FUD which is currently circulating a lot.  So my advice for newbies is always to learn a lot
about Bitcoin, because if you already understand about Bitcoin it will give you confidence that Bitcoin is not something to be afraid of.

[taufik123]

Am ordinary man is short sighted person because it does not believe on cryptocurrency, they really afraid of bitcoin because tey feel what government who is against cryptocurrency taught of crypto network, believe me  from these point of mine, one of the major element while many people is afraid of crypto is because all their mindset is that bitcoin is a scam, that with the aid's of bitcoin people can be easily duped from online shopping or online transaction, and some lack a tangible information towards cryptocurrency in general, so is best known to people who is afraid of bitcoin while they decides to isolate crypto network.

Thinking of bitcoin as a scam, gambling, ponzi or the like is the same as FIAT which still has a lot of scams and others. It depends on how to use the currency whether for positive or negative activities. Ordinary people who know about bitcoin and have the mindset that bitcoin is a scammer does not know complete information about bitcoin.
The need for positive education about the advantages and disadvantages of bitcoin is very necessary so that ordinary people understand about bitcoin.
Nowadays people are attracted to bitcoin because of its increasing price.

People who are afraid of bitcoin are just a group of people who don't understand what the benefits of bitcoin are and they only see the negative side without seeing the benefits that will be obtained.

[LittleBitFunny]

One of the reasons is most ordinary people are not much aware of technology and digital currency, they don't like trouble and they are frequent to use fiat money.
Other types of people who have much knowledge about cryptocurrency but the government has instilled fear in their minds about using Bitcoin, Government harasses them by banning and unbanning Bitcoins. that's why they losses their hopes and stay away from bitcoin.
However, today's young generations are very interested in Bitcoin and despite huge obstacles, they are working for the use of Bitcoin and Bitcoin adoption.

[777Jolami]

Ordinary people will be framework, their thinking is perfectionist, they like the simplicity and stability. They will reject their unconventional ways of thinking, such as ups and downs, annoyances, damage, risks ... This is the reason that normal people will not like / fear bitcoin.

[AniviaBtc]

Are you saying those of us who have the courage to be part of this space are extraordinary people  
The thing is many people are often scared of what they don't know or have no knowledge about, they just assume btc or crypto is bad because of what they have heard and read, if only they can spare some time to acquaint themselves with btc they will love it and be glad they are part of it.

With that, then maybe these ignorant people will be curious about what is really the essence of bitcoin.

Bitcoin is not just a coin, it has a lot of value in market that no ordinary people understand.

If you are close-minded about cryptocurrency and blockchain technology then you will really have a hard time to invest or manage your asset.

[panganib999]

Ordinary people will be framework, their thinking is perfectionist, they like the simplicity and stability. They will reject their unconventional ways of thinking, such as ups and downs, annoyances, damage, risks ... This is the reason that normal people will not like / fear bitcoin.

Actually, the right term for that is people are not afraid but they are lack of knowledge about bitcoin. They just look into the idea of profit or earnings in bitcoin but they didn't actually focusing on the process and it's risk. So thag mostly new bitcoiners have much likely to failed and to loss their savings. And ending up being afraid that they might did again what they have gone before. Bitcoin is a very risky investment in regards to is being volatile, unstable and unpredictable value but if you will research and do some background check in it, you wil somehow prevent getting lose and being bankrupt in the end. Bitcoin is high risk but a lot more good thibg right now considering also its value which is approaching to a new all time high.

[BeManga]

Ordinary people will be framework, their thinking is perfectionist, they like the simplicity and stability. They will reject their unconventional ways of thinking, such as ups and downs, annoyances, damage, risks ... This is the reason that normal people will not like / fear bitcoin.

Actually, the right term for that is people are not afraid but they are lack of knowledge about bitcoin. They just look into the idea of profit or earnings in bitcoin but they didn't actually focusing on the process and it's risk. So thag mostly new bitcoiners have much likely to failed and to loss their savings. And ending up being afraid that they might did again what they have gone before. Bitcoin is a very risky investment in regards to is being volatile, unstable and unpredictable value but if you will research and do some background check in it, you wil somehow prevent getting lose and being bankrupt in the end. Bitcoin is high risk but a lot more good thibg right now considering also its value which is approaching to a new all time high.

I agree  lack of knowledge is one of the reasons why people are afraid of bitcoin
that's why when price drop they panic sell at a loss
we all know that bitcoin is too complicated but knowing only the basic will bring a lot of difference
and also if only they know how the market works, the supply and demand, halving
and other things related to the price in bitcoin that's the only time they will feel secure and get peace of mind.

[ubercool]

The common person always fears what is unknown to him. The people who have less money to spare and invest won't invest in something blindly. Sometimes it's a good thing, and sometimes it isn't good. The common person has to learn about crypto, its technology, and how evolutionary it is. Not just as an investment opportunity.

When ordinary people start understanding that crypto is better than money, they will start using it. The crypto community has a lot to implement and execute. We need efficient projects in all sectors of life. Only then we can achieve something more significant. Only then ordinary people will not be afraid to buy, hold and spend crypto. 

[adzino]

Isn't it obvious people will be skeptical of new "technologies"? "Ordinary" people follows the mainstream media. They don't bother doing their own research. They start believing whatever they read on the internet and this is why they feel scared of using bitcoin or investing in cryptocurrencies.
Let me tell you why. Let's say someone invests in bitcoin. He makes a lot of profit. His coins are safe. He is happy. He doesn't bother telling everyone how much profit he made or how "easy" everything became for him. Now lets consider another person who invested in bitcoin but met a series of unfortunate events. He loses a lot through his investment, his wallets got hacked or the exchange he was using froze his account. This person then reports it everywhere. Starts spreading news about his misfortune and how bitcoin fucked up his life. And these are news the "mainstream" media publishes and people read. Hence all those horror stories are what are driving people away from investing in crypto currencies.

[yazher]

Those people whom you think are just ordinary might be someone who owns some big company. They might not get their hands on BTC but those guys cannot be called ordinary just because they are taking care of their financial activity. they've just been vigilant on where they putting their money. We cannot force them to have the same idea as us because we never know how hard they got their money. If they get to know the good thing about investing in bitcoins, you will be surprised at how they will support it just don't lose your hope. these people are just taking their time before executing some of their plans. You just need to know that.

[torrantz]

Same thing like when people still afraid of online shopping because they can't physically see the stuff they gonna buy,the current stage of cryptocurrency is like Internet around early 2000, many people doubtful but turn out the Internet revolutionize the world as a whole. same thing with crypto, it will eventually get accepted by the people, they just haven't realized yet the potential of blockchain.
But it seems the popularity of crypto has been increasing steadily.

[aoluain]

I personally don't feel its because of many of the reasons listed above, except for being "new". Even then, I don't think people are concerned about the longevity of the currency, as its been around much longer than most people invest in. Instead, I believe its the lack of documentation, and usability that scares people away. Unfortunately, for Bitcoin to exist in the way it does, it had to step out of the comfort zone of many people, and introduce new concepts. Now, its known that the majority of people aren't particularly fond of change, which Bitcoin does a lot. Traditional currencies have always been pretty much the same, and the principles are taught at school from a young age.

Bitcoin doesn't have this luxury, and currently we are stuck between unnecessary complexity, and jargon. Even when you come to this forum, many experienced users who have great knowledge in the subject aren't particularly good at communicating in laymen terms. Of course, Bitcoin requires someone to be specific in order to be clear, and concise about what you're talking about, but this is not friendly those that are just adopting it. I'm guilty of using jargon, not because I'm trying to sound like a smart arse, but that's how it rolls off the tongue, and is specific to what I need to communicate when asked a question about Bitcoin. However, that's just going to confuse, and scare someone new away. Unfortunately, the documentation which exists online isn't that great in communicating in laymen terms either. This is not only stunting Bitcoin's growth, but its hurting the chance for someone to come back later, and be willing to learn.

The challenge that we have as a community is trying to make it accessible for anyone to adopt Bitcoin in a quick, but secure fashion while also introducing new concepts. For example, a paper wallet is actually quite complex to a new user, because they aren't used to the practice. Unfortunately, the very name "paper wallet" although seemingly self explanatory is something hard to grasp for a new user. A "seed" is also something alien to them. These are just some of the very basic issues that we have to find a solution for to make it easier to adopt. I know, the general consensus is that a willing learner can get through this, and understand. However, if we truly want mass adoption then we should be making Bitcoin as easy to use as possible.

Good points Welsh.
While we generally discredit custodial type Bitcoin instruments like Paypal and Revolut
they are actually making Bitcoin 'ownership' easy for people who otherwise are
not interested in buying hardware wallets, creating and recording seeds.

Also the same goes for preloaded smartphone wallets so people have a hassle free
instrument on their new phone ready for them to explore Bitcoin ownership.

These all make it easy for people to get involved without the scary hands on approach
we are accustomed to.

[ampere]

In as much as knowledge is power; information is power. This is why most people feel bitcoin is some extra ordinary stuffs because they have little knowledge about it. Some people also look at bitcoin from the government point of view (illegal) and try to deviate away from it due to fear or panic.  But believe me, as adoptions spreads and people continue to learn about the benefits and fundamental advantages of bitcoin; the more they love it and want to hodl some

[ethereumhunter]

If you can learn bitcoin, you will know that bitcoin is not dangerous. Bitcoin teaches us to manage our money and minimize the risk we can get from the investment. But it is normal if someone says that bitcoin is dangerous because they do not have the right information about bitcoin, and they only read from the other website that suggests them not to invest in bitcoin. But with much good news about bitcoin, people who aware of bitcoin will search for other news to make sure that bitcoin is safe for them to decide to invest.