6 ms·

The anger is coming from the bitcoin community, mostly because they're afraid for Satoshi's life. Someone could kidnap/torture him to try to get his bitcoins.

GuiA 13y ago
Him, or any member of his immediate family, which the journalist of the original piece made sure could easily be tracked down.
drcross 13y ago
Or his family. At his departure from the project he made it obvious that he wanted to be left alone so people should respect his wishes.
- Steko 13y ago
  Maybe he wants a pony too, why should anyone give a shit?
  - VMG 13y ago
    ethics
    - Steko 13y ago
      I missed the ethics class where we decided to give the superrich whatever they want.
      - VMG 13y ago
        You also missed the class where you should have learned that human rights are universal and are not diminished by being wealthy. It's also the wrong guy by the way.
        Steko 13y ago
        Because asking a (possible) rich guy a question is a huge violation of his human rights.
        dinkumthinkum 13y ago
        You actually have a good point but the first was a bit mean and a little much.
        VMG 13y ago
        No, it's perfectly legal but unethical. In the words of Lebowski: It's not wrong, it's being an asshole.
        Steko 13y ago
        The reporters that camped outside of Bernie Madoff's house were assholes too, the way Madoff tells it. Being an asshole =/= unethical. Make a real argument that it's unethical.
      - bertil 13y ago
        You are attacking a retired engineer who lives a zen-like life in a suburban McMansion, after a brain accident because he can get “whatever [he] want?” Really?
        Steko 13y ago
        I'm not attacking anyone. Argument in grandparent was he wants X so everyone needs to do X which is frankly repulsive in a country with a free press.
        bertil 13y ago
        You find human decency repulsive?!
- nooron 13y ago
  You think that it would be the polite thing to do for reporters not to pursue him. I agree with you. I think where we differ is with the respect to the obligation of journalists. Journalists are in the business of finding out information that's useful for an open democratic society in making decisions. If this person might be the genuine Satoshi, then it stands to reason he might offer useful information or a new perspective on Bitcoin or money in general. Thus I think to not pursue this story as a journalist would be a violation of j-ethics.
ssprang 13y ago
Is there a particular reason why he'd be at risk for this versus any other well known wealthy person? Are lottery winners worried about this?
- dllthomas 13y ago
  Lottery winners usually don't have millions in hard-to-trace cash sitting around.
  - Amezarak 13y ago
    I'd think Bitcoins would be a whole lot easier to trace than dollar bills. The real reason behind this fear is that some consider Satoshi their hero and icon. Anything, therefore, that he doesn't or wouldn't (if you maintain this isn't the real Satoshi) approve of especially as it relates to himself inspires strong feelings and irrational justifications like "he could be kidnapped and tortured." Or at least that's the only reason I can imagine this argument keeps coming up. Any other wealthy person could also be kidnapped and tortured. Heck, most wealthy (100m+) people probably have pretty valuable things just laying around their house that are far less traceable than Bitcoins.
    - dllthomas 13y ago
      Bitcoin is certainly easier to trace than dollar bills - I'm not confident about "a whole lot easier". But few people have the kinds of sums Satoshi purportedly has in BTC sitting around in any liquid asset in their home. I certainly hope Satoshi doesn't, either, but it's significantly more likely that he can move tremendous amounts of value without involving intermediaries (and thus more risk) than it would be for really any other individual. Of course, in this case, I hope the bitcoin network would resign itself to coloring those coins, if Satoshi was extorted out of his coins.
  - ssprang 13y ago
    Sure, but his bitcoins probably aren't just sitting around either. The fear was that he'd be kidnapped/tortured in order to acquire them. If we're allowing for that, it seems like anyone with sufficient wealth would be a target.
minimax 13y ago
They obviously think this because wealthy Americans are constantly being kidnapped and tortured for their money. Happens all the time right?
- cschmidt 13y ago
  I suppose the difference is that most people with a reported $400 million don't keep it in cash at home. As I understand it, Bitcoin is more like cash in that possession is ownership.
  - dinkumthinkum 13y ago
    Well then bitcoin is definitely the currency we want in the revolution ... ...
- bertil 13y ago
  Well, there isn’t openly violence from the hackers, but three exchange has been hacked recently (that we know of), leading to at least one suicide… More importantly, such public heist seem to have been able to merge in the mass too fast for anyone to track them: that comes off as a step above a suitcase of unmarked bills. And, yes, it does happen: South Americans, in general, but the order of magnitude of the amont, and the lack of security makes it possible. It’s hard to assess the actual risk: cartels haven’t necessarily been associated with cryptographers, but Silk Road made a connexion, and home-made submarines have proven a track record of adopting innovation fast and efficiently. The sliver of risk, no mater how thin, seems not worthy of openly naming the person, as opposed to offering close-up photo and a third party confirmation that the details appear consistent.
drawkbox 13y ago
It could be safer to be known publicly.
spinchange 13y ago
One doesn't even have to be in the bitcoin community (or a redditor) to feel sympathy for an obviously private guy who has had a reporter stalking him and his family and publishing photos of him, his house, etc., in a major news publication. Whether he's the creator of bitcoin or not, he and his family are now the focal point of an intense amount of attention and as you highlight, possibly danger.

GuiA 13y ago

Him, or any member of his immediate family, which the journalist of the original piece made sure could easily be tracked down.

drcross 13y ago

Or his family. At his departure from the project he made it obvious that he wanted to be left alone so people should respect his wishes.

Steko 13y ago
Maybe he wants a pony too, why should anyone give a shit?
- VMG 13y ago
  ethics
  - Steko 13y ago
    I missed the ethics class where we decided to give the superrich whatever they want.
    - VMG 13y ago
      You also missed the class where you should have learned that human rights are universal and are not diminished by being wealthy. It's also the wrong guy by the way.
      - Steko 13y ago
        Because asking a (possible) rich guy a question is a huge violation of his human rights.
        dinkumthinkum 13y ago
        You actually have a good point but the first was a bit mean and a little much.
        VMG 13y ago
        No, it's perfectly legal but unethical. In the words of Lebowski: It's not wrong, it's being an asshole.
        Steko 13y ago
        The reporters that camped outside of Bernie Madoff's house were assholes too, the way Madoff tells it. Being an asshole =/= unethical. Make a real argument that it's unethical.
    - bertil 13y ago
      You are attacking a retired engineer who lives a zen-like life in a suburban McMansion, after a brain accident because he can get “whatever [he] want?” Really?
      - Steko 13y ago
        I'm not attacking anyone. Argument in grandparent was he wants X so everyone needs to do X which is frankly repulsive in a country with a free press.
        bertil 13y ago
        You find human decency repulsive?!
nooron 13y ago
You think that it would be the polite thing to do for reporters not to pursue him. I agree with you. I think where we differ is with the respect to the obligation of journalists. Journalists are in the business of finding out information that's useful for an open democratic society in making decisions. If this person might be the genuine Satoshi, then it stands to reason he might offer useful information or a new perspective on Bitcoin or money in general. Thus I think to not pursue this story as a journalist would be a violation of j-ethics.

ssprang 13y ago

Is there a particular reason why he'd be at risk for this versus any other well known wealthy person? Are lottery winners worried about this?

dllthomas 13y ago
Lottery winners usually don't have millions in hard-to-trace cash sitting around.
- Amezarak 13y ago
  I'd think Bitcoins would be a whole lot easier to trace than dollar bills. The real reason behind this fear is that some consider Satoshi their hero and icon. Anything, therefore, that he doesn't or wouldn't (if you maintain this isn't the real Satoshi) approve of especially as it relates to himself inspires strong feelings and irrational justifications like "he could be kidnapped and tortured." Or at least that's the only reason I can imagine this argument keeps coming up. Any other wealthy person could also be kidnapped and tortured. Heck, most wealthy (100m+) people probably have pretty valuable things just laying around their house that are far less traceable than Bitcoins.
  - dllthomas 13y ago
    Bitcoin is certainly easier to trace than dollar bills - I'm not confident about "a whole lot easier". But few people have the kinds of sums Satoshi purportedly has in BTC sitting around in any liquid asset in their home. I certainly hope Satoshi doesn't, either, but it's significantly more likely that he can move tremendous amounts of value without involving intermediaries (and thus more risk) than it would be for really any other individual. Of course, in this case, I hope the bitcoin network would resign itself to coloring those coins, if Satoshi was extorted out of his coins.
- ssprang 13y ago
  Sure, but his bitcoins probably aren't just sitting around either. The fear was that he'd be kidnapped/tortured in order to acquire them. If we're allowing for that, it seems like anyone with sufficient wealth would be a target.

minimax 13y ago

They obviously think this because wealthy Americans are constantly being kidnapped and tortured for their money. Happens all the time right?

cschmidt 13y ago
I suppose the difference is that most people with a reported $400 million don't keep it in cash at home. As I understand it, Bitcoin is more like cash in that possession is ownership.
- dinkumthinkum 13y ago
  Well then bitcoin is definitely the currency we want in the revolution ... ...
bertil 13y ago
Well, there isn’t openly violence from the hackers, but three exchange has been hacked recently (that we know of), leading to at least one suicide… More importantly, such public heist seem to have been able to merge in the mass too fast for anyone to track them: that comes off as a step above a suitcase of unmarked bills. And, yes, it does happen: South Americans, in general, but the order of magnitude of the amont, and the lack of security makes it possible. It’s hard to assess the actual risk: cartels haven’t necessarily been associated with cryptographers, but Silk Road made a connexion, and home-made submarines have proven a track record of adopting innovation fast and efficiently. The sliver of risk, no mater how thin, seems not worthy of openly naming the person, as opposed to offering close-up photo and a third party confirmation that the details appear consistent.

drawkbox 13y ago

It could be safer to be known publicly.

spinchange 13y ago

One doesn't even have to be in the bitcoin community (or a redditor) to feel sympathy for an obviously private guy who has had a reporter stalking him and his family and publishing photos of him, his house, etc., in a major news publication. Whether he's the creator of bitcoin or not, he and his family are now the focal point of an intense amount of attention and as you highlight, possibly danger.