Feels like I am screaming "get off the beach" before a tsunami but no one cares

[wachtwoord]

Remember that not everyone reading your comment gives it a rating. In fact most don't since I assume you have to have an MSNBC account to do that. Several people may have been inspired to do some bitcoin research because of your comment. My mother-in-law likes to say "ignore ignoramuses."

You don't need an account.

[BitChick]

I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.  People really don't like change so anything new does not seem important to them.  But I often feel like I telling so many people around me about Bitcoin and how they really should buy just a little or at least read about it and look into and and almost everyone ignores me.

Here is one example: Just this week I posted a comment on this article about the growing perils of a cashless society and my comment about how Bitcoin could solve some of these problems is now the "worst" comment with no thumbs up and all thumbs down!  Really!?  I don't know why that bothers me so much.  Sigh.  Oh well.  I guess I have to be thankful that I will be "up the hill" when the tsunami does hit.  

Here is the article BTW:


http://money.msn.com/personal-finance/the-growing-perils-of-a-cashless-society

Why view it as a Tsunami that you have to be out of harms way from?

How about more of a "Missing the Boat" analogy?   Theyre missing the boat to potential riches, and they'll be kicking themselves in 5 years when they look back and see Bitcoin sat at $440 for several months. That's how I view those who ignore me right now.

I don't think some horrible armageddon is going to come that I will be saved from.   Reality doesn't happen that way.  Just like Obama never was really going to "Destroy America", the "Crash of the US Dollar" probably wont happen.  At least not as suddenly and dramatically as people predict.   Doomsday prophesies are always wrong.  

Perhaps the tsunami analogy is a bit extreme.  I didn't say it was the correct way to feel.  I just want people, especially friends of mine, to be able to reap the rewards of Bitcoin by getting involved now, so yes, "missing the boat" is a little better.  

And I am not one of those that think that the US dollar will totally collapse.  I think it will be a gradual decline, like it already has been, and people will just not realize that they are losing value day to day.  It will be more like the "frog in the pot" analogy where they don't even realize that the water is getting hotter and hotter.

[cryptopaths]

I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.  People really don't like change so anything new does not seem important to them.  But I often feel like I telling so many people around me about Bitcoin and how they really should buy just a little or at least read about it and look into and and almost everyone ignores me.

Here is one example: Just this week I posted a comment on this article about the growing perils of a cashless society and my comment about how Bitcoin could solve some of these problems is now the "worst" comment with no thumbs up and all thumbs down!  Really!?  I don't know why that bothers me so much.  Sigh.  Oh well.  I guess I have to be thankful that I will be "up the hill" when the tsunami does hit.  

Here is the article BTW:


http://money.msn.com/personal-finance/the-growing-perils-of-a-cashless-society

Why view it as a Tsunami that you have to be out of harms way from?

How about more of a "Missing the Boat" analogy?   Theyre missing the boat to potential riches, and they'll be kicking themselves in 5 years when they look back and see Bitcoin sat at $440 for several months. That's how I view those who ignore me right now.

I don't think some horrible armageddon is going to come that I will be saved from.   Reality doesn't happen that way.  Just like Obama never was really going to "Destroy America", the "Crash of the US Dollar" probably wont happen.  At least not as suddenly and dramatically as people predict.   Doomsday prophesies are always wrong.  

The irony of your last statement is hilarious.

[Beliathon]

linking the bell curve of bitcoin's adoption with IQ points makes me cringe.. almost everything statistically follows the bell curve. i think that's a stretch.

It's just a theory. No need to cringe, far better to test the theory against your own observations. You may be surprised at what you find.

[BitChick]

Don't frustrate yourself, OP. Everyone will come around in time, all you can do is wait. Be patient.

Imagine how someone as smart as Satoshi must feel about society. Frustrated, I imagine, since I am - and I'm no Satoshi.

Being exceptionally intelligent is a curse as much as a blessing.

My husband, who is pretty smart if I say so myself, said that he read that there have been studies that we can only have intelligent and meaningful discussions with people within 30 IQ points of ourselves.  So being at the top of the curve can be very difficult because there are less people in the world to relate too.

I have heard that the most successful people in the world (as far as how the "world" defines success) are those with IQs around 120.  They can relate to the most people.  

So until Bitcoin becomes "user friendly" and there is a way the 100 IQ people can use it without perhaps even realizing they are doing so, it might be pointless to say much, especially on places like the comment sections of MSN.  

[beetcoin]

linking the bell curve of bitcoin's adoption with IQ points makes me cringe.. almost everything statistically follows the bell curve. i think that's a stretch.

It's just a theory. No need to cringe, far better to test the theory against your own observations. You may be surprised at what you find.

it seems like a tool to paint someone as "not worthy of your intelligence." that you and the people who you think are like you are on some higher plane of intelligence or status. there are many angles of intelligence, and IQ tests alone are not sufficient.

[wachtwoord]

linking the bell curve of bitcoin's adoption with IQ points makes me cringe.. almost everything statistically follows the bell curve. i think that's a stretch.

It's just a theory. No need to cringe, far better to test the theory against your own observations. You may be surprised at what you find.

it seems like a tool to paint someone as "not worthy of your intelligence." that you and the people who you think are like you are on some higher plane of intelligence or status.

IQ is also a terrible way to measure intelligence. I don't have a better one , but that doesn't make this one any better.

[beetcoin]

linking the bell curve of bitcoin's adoption with IQ points makes me cringe.. almost everything statistically follows the bell curve. i think that's a stretch.

It's just a theory. No need to cringe, far better to test the theory against your own observations. You may be surprised at what you find.

it seems like a tool to paint someone as "not worthy of your intelligence." that you and the people who you think are like you are on some higher plane of intelligence or status.

IQ is also a terrible way to measure intelligence. I don't have a better one , but that doesn't make this one any better.

interesting thing to me is that people with higher IQ tend to be more cynical/depressed. if you're so absolutely smart, then why do you choose to make yourself miserable?

funny thing is that i found the bell curve pic at this link http://www.cracked.com/article_19174_5-unexpected-downsides-high-intelligence_p2.html

[BitChick]

linking the bell curve of bitcoin's adoption with IQ points makes me cringe.. almost everything statistically follows the bell curve. i think that's a stretch.

It's just a theory. No need to cringe, far better to test the theory against your own observations. You may be surprised at what you find.

I actually think it makes sense.  The funny thing is that the innovators are probably "way out there" in intelligence.  It does not have to be measured in "IQ" necessarily but I find many of the people on this forum that have been around for a couple of years to be really smart. 

[wachtwoord]

linking the bell curve of bitcoin's adoption with IQ points makes me cringe.. almost everything statistically follows the bell curve. i think that's a stretch.

It's just a theory. No need to cringe, far better to test the theory against your own observations. You may be surprised at what you find.

I actually think it makes sense.  The funny thing is that the innovators are probably "way out there" in intelligence.  It does not have to be measured in "IQ" necessarily but I find many of the people on this forum that have been around for a couple of years to be really smart. 

It's the combination of intelligent, contrarian and libertarian which is most frequently found here (especially if you look at the build up of this board >1 year ago).

[jonald_fyookball]

I suspect a strong correlation between that graph and this one:

Yes , both follow the bell shape, which is a "normal" or "Gaussian" distribution.
Lots of interesting math with application to statistics and probability.

And yes, it can be frustrating sometimes to be smart while others don't seem to get things.
In my experience, trying to educate and convince others rarely is fruitful.  Bitcoin, though,
seems to be gaining momentum anyway, probably because it's benefits are too great to
ignore and it can mesh with many different cultures and viewpoints.

[jonald_fyookball]

....we can only have intelligent and meaningful discussions with people within 30 IQ points of ourselves....

I have heard that the most successful people in the world (as far as how the "world" defines success) are those with IQs around 120.  They can relate to the most people.  

That is very interesting....good info, thx for sharing that!  I agree there are some really great minds here.  It can also be frustrating trying to keep up with some of the technical conversations that require intimate knowledge of the bitcoin codebase,cryptography,etc...even if one is intelligent.

[Alley]

So what part of the adoption scale are we?

[_Miracle]

I had started to feel that way about real estate in 07 (it wasn't a popular opinion to have at the time)

[Ron~Popeil]

So what part of the adoption scale are we?

I would say late innovators area but that is just a wild guess. I have no idea what percentage of the population is active in bit coin.

[blatchcorn]

So what part of the adoption scale are we?

I would say late innovators area but that is just a wild guess. I have no idea what percentage of the population is active in bit coin.

Early adopters I reckon.

Innovators typically get involved in bitcoin for tech reasons.  Now we are at the point where people are getting in for utility of bitcoin and its potential returns as an investment.

I know that motives are not what defines an innovator from an early adopter, but it is a decent indicator in the lack of actual adoption stats

[Shallow]

People are scared of change and things they don't understand.   

[balu2]

I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.  People really don't like change so anything new does not seem important to them.  But I often feel like I telling so many people around me about Bitcoin and how they really should buy just a little or at least read about it and look into and and almost everyone ignores me.

and that is also the reason why you can't give out presents later. Wait for the envy. Better don't tell people who much exactly you are holding. Most people are scum and loosers. I also told many people to look into it. All i get is cold shoulder and envy later so fuck them.

[wachtwoord]

So what part of the adoption scale are we?

I would say late innovators area but that is just a wild guess. I have no idea what percentage of the population is active in bit coin.

Early adopters I reckon.

Innovators typically get involved in bitcoin for tech reasons.  Now we are at the point where people are getting in for utility of bitcoin and its potential returns as an investment.

I know that motives are not what defines an innovator from an early adopter, but it is a decent indicator in the lack of actual adoption stats

Definitely early adopters. This is analogous to pre-IPO companies. The ETF will mark the transition to innovators.

[Elwar]

Have you read "Atlas Shrugged"?

It may change your viewpoint on trying to save everyone.

Focus on your family and those you care about. For those that are digging their heals into a system based around failure...you have to let them go. They are bad for Bitcoin in the long run anyway (see the people calling for regulation now).