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I think it's a fair script to use against arguments of the form "cryptocurrencies will never amount to anything". I would hazard to say that it's not the criti

I think it's a fair script to use against arguments of the form "cryptocurrencies will never amount to anything". I would hazard to say that it's not the criticism of the current state of cryptocurrency that irks most of its proponents - most of them agree that it's not very useful currently. However, it becomes problematic when you take that valid criticism of the technology's current state and use it to support the conclusion that the entire tech is a permanent dead end. That problematic reasoning is what this article's really speaking out against. If you want your mind changed that cryptocurrency is currently useful, I can't help you there. But if you want your mind changed that many of the drawbacks of blockchain technology are not as insurmountable as detractors would have you believe, the article does a good job of laying out points in favor of that.

kelseyfrog 4y ago
> If you want your mind changed that cryptocurrency is currently useful, I can't help you there. But if you want your mind changed that many of the drawbacks of blockchain technology are not as insurmountable as detractors would have you believe. Let me summarize the sentiment to see if I'm understanding: "I'm excited about crypto now because of what crypto could be in the future." To me it feels like being really excited about technology X because technology X+n might fix the problems with technology X. I just can't get behind that as a general principle. I've been hypeburned too much and I just don't have it in me anymore.
- everfree 4y ago
  It's a less prescriptive sentiment than that. It's your right to not be excited about cryptocurrency, and your reasoning is fair enough. Also, the article does a good job of clearing up misinformation about what cryptocurrency is intrinsically incapable of. I don't think those two things are in conflict.
- yellowapple 4y ago
  I'm excited about space exploration now because of what it could be in the future. I'm excited about various up-and-coming programming languages and operating systems and such because of what they could be in the future. Why shouldn't I be excited about crypto because of what it could be in the future?

kelseyfrog 4y ago

> If you want your mind changed that cryptocurrency is currently useful, I can't help you there. But if you want your mind changed that many of the drawbacks of blockchain technology are not as insurmountable as detractors would have you believe. Let me summarize the sentiment to see if I'm understanding: "I'm excited about crypto now because of what crypto could be in the future." To me it feels like being really excited about technology X because technology X+n might fix the problems with technology X. I just can't get behind that as a general principle. I've been hypeburned too much and I just don't have it in me anymore.

everfree 4y ago
It's a less prescriptive sentiment than that. It's your right to not be excited about cryptocurrency, and your reasoning is fair enough. Also, the article does a good job of clearing up misinformation about what cryptocurrency is intrinsically incapable of. I don't think those two things are in conflict.
yellowapple 4y ago
I'm excited about space exploration now because of what it could be in the future. I'm excited about various up-and-coming programming languages and operating systems and such because of what they could be in the future. Why shouldn't I be excited about crypto because of what it could be in the future?