The difficulty of explaining Bitcoin to people is massive

[Zilon]

It is always difficult to sell a new concept to someone who doesn't understand how it works. You don't expect a novice believe a currency would emerge that is devoid of having a centralized manipulation.

Satoshi couldn't give himself a million bitcoin because the system was built upon a highly computational mathematical hash function which is devoid of human manipulation. The system is a ledger that is transparent, immutable and permanent and has such can't be manipulated

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[Kasabus]

It is always difficult to sell a new concept to someone who doesn't understand how it works. You don't expect a novice believe a currency would emerge that is devoid of having a centralized manipulation.

Satoshi couldn't give himself a million bitcoin because the system was built upon a highly computational mathematical hash function which is devoid of human manipulation. The system is a ledger that is transparent, immutable and permanent and has such can't be manipulated

It's always hard to tell someone about bitcoin when they all believe that fiat is the only currency and that its impossible for bitcoin to create higher adoption. For me, i don't bother giving full details about bitcoin on the people around. If they have the interest, then it will be more provided with the details that can be found online. It will be more easy for them to understand as long as they are open to gaining more ideas about bitcoin, and not creating comparison between fiat and bitcoin, or bitcoin into gold.

[Lanatsa]

Hey guys!

I have noticed that whenever people in real life find out that I use bitcoin, they ask me to explain it to them. For example, some family friends that are my age came over to my house around 2 weeks ago, when they arrived, I was looking at crypto graphs because I had a little bit of money saved up to invest. Bitcoin was on one of the charts, so when they walked into my room, they asked about it, "You do bitcoin? How does it even work?." So I started explaining it to them, but what they didnt get was that it is decentralized. When I was explaining it they asked "Why doesnt bitcoin's creator give himself a billion bitcoin?" I told them that it is impossible for the creator to do so since he doesnt have control over the network, but after I said that, they told me that I was wrong and that since He made it, he can control it, which is incorrect. Do you guys have any suggestions on how to explain coins to non-crypto people?

You do just lack on giving the information or the very basics of it and you do have some point though but giving them some links on the whitepaper would tell and might give out  some clarifications on those questions in mind.

It is true that when it comes to technical aspects then it turns out that it is really somewhat cant really be easily to understand into those people who aren't really that tech savvy or does have some idea at least.

If you aren't still get bored on doing so then you could always back it up with some videos on YouTube so that they would be having some idea further.

[Viscore]

how curious is the person who ask the question?

if he just want to know how it works, you can just say BTC is just like a currency. you can buy things with it which we now consider a digital currency.  if it doesn't end there, the person is interested to learn but he will with just analogies you can comeup.

If the person is really interested, he will further search on his own. There are tons of knowledge regarding bitcoin and crypto over the internet. Explaining to someone is really a tedious job because he may not get the full idea of it. Even me, when I was starting, I had so many questions and you can't get it at one sitting. It will be years in the making to understand these things and up until now, with new networks, we are still understanding how they work. So if you encounter a person who has too many questions, you can only answer what you can but the rest, he needs to dig over the internet and learn on his own.

Yes. It's better to give them just a bird's eye view on what is bitcoin and how it works. I know they won't really get it immediately so to make further understanding, they should have their own research to satisfy their minds.  And it's a way more better for them because they can study all the videos and demonstrations about bitcoin, trace its history and how it become more functional by now. In that way, i will never have a hard time teaching them because the online itself is already good enough.

[Ryker1]

It's better to give them just a bird's eye view on what is bitcoin and how it works. I know they won't really get it immediately so to make further understanding, they should have their own research to satisfy their minds.  And it's a way more better for them because they can study all the videos and demonstrations about bitcoin, trace its history and how it become more functional by now. In that way, i will never have a hard time teaching them because the online itself is already good enough.

Well, it depends on the people that you have to explain, because if they are not interested, even how putting the effort into explaining them they will never learn because they don't have an interest. Not like those people who are very interested to learn are very easy to explain in crypto things, --even just a little explanation and a simple thought, never quickly understand. I don't like explaining people too, those who are willing to learn I sometimes give my time to them but the rest I want them to learn on their own.

[Botnake]

We have to realise that the majority of people are computer illiterate, they can
switch it on and use the apps but when something simple  goes wrong they are in trouble.

So Bitcoin can be completely alien to a lot of people, its explanation stretches across
computing, cryptography, finances and trust.

I dont think there is an easy way to explain Bitcoin, if you make it too simple there will
be questions which will bring them deeper and deeper into the workings of it.

If you want to visit my site I have a very basic explanation of it there.

I doubt that there are still more computer illiterate people by now because as what i have observed, even young generations today are tech savvy already so it will give them more advantage than just simply reading the whole trading textbook. Or if they don't have computers, android smartphones are very much available if they really want to dig information online. I guess with people who are really willing to learn, then they will surely find ways on how to make it possible for them.

[milewilda]

It's better to give them just a bird's eye view on what is bitcoin and how it works. I know they won't really get it immediately so to make further understanding, they should have their own research to satisfy their minds.  And it's a way more better for them because they can study all the videos and demonstrations about bitcoin, trace its history and how it become more functional by now. In that way, i will never have a hard time teaching them because the online itself is already good enough.

Well, it depends on the people that you have to explain, because if they are not interested, even how putting the effort into explaining them they will never learn because they don't have an interest. Not like those people who are very interested to learn are very easy to explain in crypto things, --even just a little explanation and a simple thought, never quickly understand. I don't like explaining people too, those who are willing to learn I sometimes give my time to them but the rest I want them to learn on their own.

Some are really that really hard to understand or someone who do really loves to make out some debate and this is on where you do prove out on how much knowledge you do have in regards with bitcoin.
This isnt something hard if you do really know Bitcoin in full scale and just like what others been saying that explaining to them even with just the basics should really be enough.
Just make it simple and clear so that they would really able to understand easily and would able to get on what you are trying to say.Dont argue but rather let them understand
on how Bitcoin works and for sure it isnt really that hard to grasp something.

[Wawa2013]

It's better to give them just a bird's eye view on what is bitcoin and how it works. I know they won't really get it immediately so to make further understanding, they should have their own research to satisfy their minds.  And it's a way more better for them because they can study all the videos and demonstrations about bitcoin, trace its history and how it become more functional by now. In that way, i will never have a hard time teaching them because the online itself is already good enough.

Well, it depends on the people that you have to explain, because if they are not interested, even how putting the effort into explaining them they will never learn because they don't have an interest. Not like those people who are very interested to learn are very easy to explain in crypto things, --even just a little explanation and a simple thought, never quickly understand. I don't like explaining people too, those who are willing to learn I sometimes give my time to them but the rest I want them to learn on their own.

I admit that explaining Bitcoin to people who are not interested is difficult and often ends in vain. Because if from the start people are not interested
or have negative thoughts about Bitcoin, whatever explanation we give them it is difficult to accept it. It is easier to explain to people who have been
interested in the crypto world from the start, they are more open to what we will explain. Therefore I will only explain about Bitcoin if someone asks first
about Bitcoin, otherwise I prefer to be silent. Except for friends and family, I will try to persuade them to accept Bitcoin, even if they are not interested
in Bitcoin. But of course in a good way and not forcing them.

[lovemycar]

Hey guys!

I have noticed that whenever people in real life find out that I use bitcoin, they ask me to explain it to them. For example, some family friends that are my age came over to my house around 2 weeks ago, when they arrived, I was looking at crypto graphs because I had a little bit of money saved up to invest. Bitcoin was on one of the charts, so when they walked into my room, they asked about it, "You do bitcoin? How does it even work?." So I started explaining it to them, but what they didnt get was that it is decentralized. When I was explaining it they asked "Why doesnt bitcoin's creator give himself a billion bitcoin?" I told them that it is impossible for the creator to do so since he doesnt have control over the network, but after I said that, they told me that I was wrong and that since He made it, he can control it, which is incorrect. Do you guys have any suggestions on how to explain coins to non-crypto people?

First of all, you have to make the logic of Bitcoin clear to the other party. In fact, the other party's thinking is normal. For example, I invented a certain thing, and I must have a way to control him. If you try to make the other person understand, the result is that the other person's cognition is too low, then don't talk about it, time is the best teacher. When everyone is using Bitcoin, he won't have these problems. Don't force yourself to do one thing.

[JohnBitCo]

Hey guys!

I have noticed that whenever people in real life find out that I use bitcoin, they ask me to explain it to them. For example, some family friends that are my age came over to my house around 2 weeks ago, when they arrived, I was looking at crypto graphs because I had a little bit of money saved up to invest. Bitcoin was on one of the charts, so when they walked into my room, they asked about it, "You do bitcoin? How does it even work?." So I started explaining it to them, but what they didnt get was that it is decentralized. When I was explaining it they asked "Why doesnt bitcoin's creator give himself a billion bitcoin?" I told them that it is impossible for the creator to do so since he doesnt have control over the network, but after I said that, they told me that I was wrong and that since He made it, he can control it, which is incorrect. Do you guys have any suggestions on how to explain coins to non-crypto people?

People do not understand bitcoin properly. We need to first tell them it is a currency. When they know it is a form of payment they will never like "You do bitcoin". Its same like saying "You do dollar".
Tell them them You have bitcoin and you do trading. Once they have the basic knowledge clear, they will automatically get interested in this crypto space.

[pooya87]

In my experience it is not about bitcoin and whether it is hard or easy to explain Bitcoin, it is all about the fact that it is a new technology that people haven't been using before. Imagine if someone came to you who has never used computers or smart phones before in their lives and saw you were using your smart phone and you needed to explain to them how they work! It would be extremely difficult, specially if you don't know how they "technically" work and they keep asking about it.

At the end of the day bitcoin is just a digital currency that you can use the same way you use any other digital form of currency. They don't need to know any more about the technology itself just as they use a hundred different technologies (from their fridge to the car they drive) that they have no idea how they work.

[Kakmakr]

You obviously need to do a little bit more research, before you can explain Bitcoin to someone else. The easiest way for you to explain the coin cap is the following...

Imagine that you are a software developer and you wrote a piece of code that define that only 1 000 000 tokens will be distributed to miners and that the majority of the people running that code, will determine what happens on that decentralized network. Now, if you have say 10 000 full nodes running the code and you as the developer change the software to say that it now has 2 000 000 tokens.... then for that change to have affect, those 10 000 full nodes have to download the new update and run it, before the change takes affect.

If say only 500 full nodes start to run the new update, then the original code will stay in place... showing that the miners are not satisfied with the new changes. (Important : Miners will never accept an increase in the coin cap, because an increase in the supply of tokens will de valuate the coins they have) 

This is very over simplified.... but it explains the concept without the technical jargon and details. 

[imstillthebest]

what you said was true that btc is decentralized however i think that its possible for the creator to mine and own thier own coins .
when we check the statistics of a project ,
 we can see how much coins the devs own in their graph and how much the other coins are distributed . the more coins the devs own the more chance that they can manipulate the coin . your friend has some points

[Shenzou]

Hey guys!

I have noticed that whenever people in real life find out that I use bitcoin, they ask me to explain it to them. For example, some family friends that are my age came over to my house around 2 weeks ago, when they arrived, I was looking at crypto graphs because I had a little bit of money saved up to invest. Bitcoin was on one of the charts, so when they walked into my room, they asked about it, "You do bitcoin? How does it even work?." So I started explaining it to them, but what they didnt get was that it is decentralized. When I was explaining it they asked "Why doesnt bitcoin's creator give himself a billion bitcoin?" I told them that it is impossible for the creator to do so since he doesnt have control over the network, but after I said that, they told me that I was wrong and that since He made it, he can control it, which is incorrect. Do you guys have any suggestions on how to explain coins to non-crypto people?

For me i find it difficult to explain crypto to people because as soon as i start talking about some technical stuff they start get way overwhelmed and they think that it is way complicated than what it really is and they lose intrest and they start looking at me like i am some kind of hacker for knowing this stuff, so i think that the best way to inform people about bitcoin or teach them about it is to stick to the basics and keep mentioning that they are able to get profit from it and they will stick with you.

[zanezane]

how curious is the person who ask the question?

if he just want to know how it works, you can just say BTC is just like a currency. you can buy things with it which we now consider a digital currency.  if it doesn't end there, the person is interested to learn but he will with just analogies you can comeup.

This is the right thing to do, gauge the curiosity first to see if you're not wasting your breath on them or not, as @electronicash has said, tell them the fundamentals and see if they're going to ask them questions and if so then it's your responsibility to entertain some of the answers as much as you can.

[Dr.Osh]

I think people in general will think the same about it. it is very difficult to make them understand if they already think that bitcoin is something negative. many people ask, "why did the bitcoin maker not give himself bitcoin?" Well, I myself have also questioned that since the first time I got to know bitcoin. however, after studying for a long time, I know a little about how this system works.
however, I think your family, or your friends will understand if they learn about it. Well, we can't get someone to understand the ins and outs of bitcoin, or the decentralized system in a short amount of time. My advice, be patient in making them understand.

[Expecto]

It is tough to explain Bitcoin to especially people who have only a little interest in new technologies. Because they are a traditional person and they only would like to use fiat currencies and assets like gold, silver etc.. They don't even do a good research about the cryptocurrency market and this causes them to be even misinformed about the market most of the time.

[Oasisman]

Do you guys have any suggestions on how to explain coins to non-crypto people?

Well, you've explained it in the very first place, and it's really normal for them to not understand everything you said. Their idea is like "why don't the head of the national government print more money so he'll become the richest man at least in his country?"
One word is enough to explain what Bitcoin is "decentralisation". That even Satoshi himself has no control or magically create fragments of Bitcoin out of nowhere without the use of mining rigs.
IF it happens they'll become more interested in Bitcoin, then for sure they'll absolutely understand everything.

[Maeve@]

People don’t understand Bitcoin, because Bitcoin is not the currency of the government or large companies, and there is no trust endorsement, and the governments of most countries do not recognize the legitimacy of Bitcoin, which may cause many people to have negative thoughts when they don’t understand Bitcoin.

[Ararbermas]

Mostly people don't know how bitcoin really works and they're quite skeptical on it as well because of some issues in the internet when it comes scamming and yes bitcoin become popular because of that reasons as well wherein instead of good benefits, the first thing that introduce bitcoin in the public is how not safe it is.. So it's not surprising that they're wondering and throwing more questions especially if they saw a proof of income from it..