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Will anyone criminalise the US army because they use lots of energy? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_usage_of_the_United_States_military https://en.wikiped

Will anyone criminalise the US army because they use lots of energy? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_usage_of_the_United_States_military https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_usage_of_the_United_Sta... The answer: they might try, but good luck with that.

pogorniy 6y ago
Can US live without army? Can it live without bitcoin?
jf22 6y ago
We always have to take into account the usefulness of what we spend energy on. It's not as simple as calling out the top energy users and saying we should start there.
itsoktocry 6y ago
>Will anyone criminalise the US army because they use lots of energy? Ah yes, the old trope that people use the US dollar because they are forced to. Meanwhile, back in reality, people around the world are desperate to get their hands on USD for commerce, because it's easily transacted, accepted and valued anywhere. You know, kinda like Bitcoin purports to be, but way more common.
- lxgr 6y ago
  Arguably, modern currencies are backed by the ability of nation states to demand tax payments in them, creating a steady and stable (due to being directly proportional to economic activity) demand for them. A currency having value abroad is arguably a side effect, not the main goal.
- jiriknesl 6y ago
  Of course, it is everyone's taste. One values USD more and other BTC more. Objectively, so far, BTC was a better investment. And given some 80% of BTC was already mined and there will be no more BTC ever while 20% of USD was printed this year (edit: sorry, in 2020), I undestand why some people stash Bitcoin. I have maybe 0.5% of my net worth in it, but I am very happy for those 0.5%.
  - itsoktocry 6y ago
    >Objectively, so far, BTC was a better investment. Dollars are not meant to be an "investment". The fact that the supply can be increased on demand is a feature, not a bug.
- eeZah7Ux 6y ago
  The economical and political power of the US is the reason for that. And the military might is what backs up the political power. The same pattern repeats itself in history: those with the biggest army popularize their culture, language and coin. The Roman Empire is a good example. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hegemony https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hegemony
  - JumpCrisscross 6y ago
    So how do we explain international use of the Euro and Swiss franc?

pogorniy 6y ago

Can US live without army? Can it live without bitcoin?

jf22 6y ago

We always have to take into account the usefulness of what we spend energy on. It's not as simple as calling out the top energy users and saying we should start there.

itsoktocry 6y ago

>Will anyone criminalise the US army because they use lots of energy? Ah yes, the old trope that people use the US dollar because they are forced to. Meanwhile, back in reality, people around the world are desperate to get their hands on USD for commerce, because it's easily transacted, accepted and valued anywhere. You know, kinda like Bitcoin purports to be, but way more common.

lxgr 6y ago
Arguably, modern currencies are backed by the ability of nation states to demand tax payments in them, creating a steady and stable (due to being directly proportional to economic activity) demand for them. A currency having value abroad is arguably a side effect, not the main goal.
jiriknesl 6y ago
Of course, it is everyone's taste. One values USD more and other BTC more. Objectively, so far, BTC was a better investment. And given some 80% of BTC was already mined and there will be no more BTC ever while 20% of USD was printed this year (edit: sorry, in 2020), I undestand why some people stash Bitcoin. I have maybe 0.5% of my net worth in it, but I am very happy for those 0.5%.
- itsoktocry 6y ago
  >Objectively, so far, BTC was a better investment. Dollars are not meant to be an "investment". The fact that the supply can be increased on demand is a feature, not a bug.
eeZah7Ux 6y ago
The economical and political power of the US is the reason for that. And the military might is what backs up the political power. The same pattern repeats itself in history: those with the biggest army popularize their culture, language and coin. The Roman Empire is a good example. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hegemony https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hegemony
- JumpCrisscross 6y ago
  So how do we explain international use of the Euro and Swiss franc?