Bitcoin - The Libertarian Introduction (a primer on Bitcoin)

[evoorhees]

Hi all,

Earlier this week I was a guest on a radio show (Declare Your Independence with Ernest Hancock). During the interview, the host asked/demanded that I draft up a comprehensive overview of Bitcoin for those who were totally oblivious, and this would be released in the Freedom's Phoenix magazine today (April 13) for their April issue.

So of course I did, and the piece is now finished and published today. This is a primer on Bitcoin for liberty-minded folk, covering the topic from the lens of a non-techie libertarian. Even covering topics briefly, the document ended up at 14 pages single-spaced.

I've now republished this on my blog, so feel free to read and comment and copy and distribute at your leisure.

http://evoorhees.blogspot.com/2012/04/bitcoin-libertarian-introduction.html

I'll also be back on the radio show next week, to further discuss with the host and his audience why Bitcoin is the best thing to happen to human liberty since the internet.

[bearbones]

Great article mate. I see you added some fun graphics, too. Looks good!

[FreeMoney]

What? You can just do that on demand?

Not done reading yet, but very nice work.

[herzmeister]

To use Bitcoin, you traditionally download the client software [...]

 In order to get this wallet on your computer, you simply download it like any software.

twice? 

be as non-confusing as possible for non-techies! also don't use words like "client software". 

[evoorhees]

To use Bitcoin, you traditionally download the client software [...]

 In order to get this wallet on your computer, you simply download it like any software.

twice? 

be as non-confusing as possible for non-techies! also don't use words like "client software". 

Thank you, fixed on both counts

[Portnoy]

"Bitcoin cannot be turned off - it is like a benevolent cancer which, so long as a few hosts survive somewhere in the world, can perpetuate itself and regrow at the speed of information."

 

Even with the qualifier "benevolent" and even if it is technically accurate... in my opinion... that is a terrible metaphor to use.

Do you know how many people in our modern world have lost loved ones to cancer?

No amount of qualifiers are going to remove the negative psychological weight from a word like that.  

And surely you must know how the enemies of something like bitcoin would just love to have good key words to jump on and
use against it.  

( below said in something like a Rush Limbaugh voice )
"Harumpf! And here we have another article where we have another bitcoin "expert", comparing this new "technology", to cancer! People, I ask you!"

[wachtwoord]

Nah I love the metaphor and I have lost two family members to cancer. People should grow up.

Very nice piece of work evoorhees, the best description of Bitcoin for non-technical yet intelligent people I have read thus far.

[Portnoy]

People should grow up.

They should... We should. But I for one won't hold my breath waiting for it. 

And the thing about (sub/un)conscious reactions is that we don't know about them, by definition, and don't have much choice about their influence on us. 

[MatthewLM]

Bitcoin promotion: "You can buy drugs online with it."

It's quite easy.

[Tuxavant]

Great article. Enjoyed reading it and will pass it along to all my Libertarian friends!

[Explodicle]

Great Post! I love reading bitcoin articles from people who genuinely 'get it'

+1
It always makes me feel better to know some other people realize what is happening, and maybe I'm not so crazy.

[acoindr]

Wow, haven't finished it, but it's really good.

[majamalu]

The best article about Bitcoin I've read to date (and I've read them all).

[acoindr]

This isn't only the best thing I've read on Bitcoin, it's the best thing I've read in a while, period. Informative, funny, cogent. Nice job! I actually got a chill from the last few sentences.

I have to re-post a few of my favorite lines:

The press conferences of someone like Bernanke would become less and less important, because the currency he printed would be used in narrower and narrower circles. Instead of fighting the government, Bitcoin enables individuals to sidestep it - to ignore it to a large degree.

Taking down Bitcoin websites would be like cutting the heads of a Hydra - for each successful severance, publicity and the profit motive would compel more sites to spring up (case in point: how many file sharing sites exist, other than MegaUpload?).

Bitcoin is a highly volatile commodity with an extremely uncertain future. Grandmothers should not be putting retirement money into Bitcoin (nor in US dollars, for that matter).

There was also a line about a "decree by Bernanke" that I can't find, but for some reason made me laugh.

You also nailed the why Bitcoin is valuable question.

This should be spread far and wide.

[muyuu]

Looks good independently of any libertarian bias, too.

[da2ce7]

I like the article, however your blog’s css needs a bit of work…

The most important thing to do is include a small padding either side of the article, so that the text doesn’t end at the same point as the boarder.

Secondly, place a black boarder around the images. (The same 1px black border that is around the two columns).  Also place a 3 to 4 px margin around the pictures.

These simple changes will greatly improve the look of your blog.

[BrightAnarchist]

Best article yet on Bitcoin

[acoindr]

You know what, on thinking about that Libertarian Convention thread... if this article could be converted into small pamphlets and distributed there it might go over well I think.

[bitlizard]

thanks for writing that great article Erik i tipped you on twitter!

[FreeMoney]

Thanks for the link to Seals. SealsWithClubs.com is wrong but does forward to SealsWithClubs.eu so it's not that wrong.