Oddbean new post about | logout
 I am ok with fiats while they last. They are fine as short term currency and they melt down nice into sats. they just get left laying around everywhere. Pickem up, melt them down, stack the sats. this is the way 
 But what’s the case for crypto being a better solution to fiat as it relates to solving world solutions  
 that way is out. I dont know exactly what lays outside the plantation fence but I know that there is a hole in that fence. There will be new opportunities and dangers but I will be out. So no arguments for or against. Just a general orientation towards maximal freedom and willingness to accept the accountability that comes with failure.  
 I’m hearing “we havnt tried it before so we dont really know if it will work but it could be potentially better than what we have now.” But I’m not hearing any potential benefits, just an overall potential for some nebulous societal benefit. Or is this more of something you advocate for on principle, without considering the harm or benefit societally.   
 Ok, sorry for the glibness of my response but your question was nebulous. You would need to define "our problems" for me or at least itemise them before I can answer with anything but generalities and statements of belief. 
 Fair enough. I’m an American so I prioritize democracy in the workplace, deco modification of healthcare, changing zoning laws to incentivize more residential and affordable options, decommodification of healthcare, jobs programs, reducing car centered infrastructure, maintaining third spaces like libraries, stuff like that generally.  
 I meant decommodification of higher education on the second time around*  
 ok, basically if you remove the counterparty risks (P2P) transactions and the gov control over money supply all those things become possible. If you stay on fiat standard then those objectives will be difficult to achieved since the fiat system is designed to be manipulable by those in power. For example, the good will and true human caring that had people in support of numerous public welfare programs became the Poverty Industrial Complex. Another example is with what is going on in Lahaina right now as people are being prosecuted by home owner associations for attempting to put tiny homes on their own property as temporary housing for fire victims. Reason given is that the proper paperwork not filed in proper order. The aim is to take the land. As long as fiat is the store of value these games will continue. Regardless of the purity of your intent, the implementation will be corupted by those corrupted by fiat. 
 P2P transactions and monetary sovereignty makes democracy at least possible. As Lynn Alden said recently, 160 casino chip currencies around the world stuck behind national borders with few having much value outside those borders. All have an increasing money supply which puts the citizens on a treadmill. If you can make 10-20% more each year then you get to stay at their table. if you dont then you will b consumed by the fiat game and all the well intentioned plans will be for nothing.