I was really kind of surprised to learn how traceable BTC is. I knew the transactions were public but it was some videos I saw about Monero that really drilled in what the implications of that are in a world where the IRS is sniffing around exchanges and the FBI browsing the Blockchain.

So now I’m wondering why people even care about Bitcoin if the one feature it needs to have in order to be a currency that stands outside of institutional and government control.

And frankly I feel kind of duped because the Bitcoin gospel is so tied up with how private and subversive it is.

Anyways I’m here to learn.

  • @mister_monster
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    11 months ago

    Well, when it comes to money you use, big or small, theres obviously no comparison. Monero does have some scaling limitations that we will inevitably run into eventually that have not been resolved, but the whole privacy thing is a deal breaker whether Bitcoiners think so or not, Monero is really the only option. You can’t just be running around with fully traceable to the beginning of time transactions that any two bit crook with a plumbers wrench can see. Even if youre broke but you sell something to a rich guy it’s a huge risk for someone to misunderstand that.

    But bitcoin does have some things going for it that make it useful, not as money for everyday people of course. First, it is censorship resistant and final, and nobody can stop it now. But more importantly, it is the biggest proof of work network by far and has a mature mining industry, this necessarily means that one day it will be used to trade energy on international energy markets. It has a huge place with regard to global capital allocation and trade, and so it is a very smart move to have some.

    But you can never just spend it, not unless you want all the problems associated with the transparent ledger that the maxis like to downplay and ignore, and they’re absolutely huge problems. When it comes down to it, practically, if you want to get paid for your work or business and spend your money in your life, it’s no contest: monero is the clear winner.

    • @LosTimOP
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      111 months ago

      Do you see BTC as having a place in the future as some kind of reserve currency or perhaps something used to settle larger transactions between larger institutions?

      • @mister_monster
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        111 months ago

        Within the context of energy, yes. More broadly speaking I don’t know.