Needs and wants are quite different, especially when it comes to ideologies. When one has pretty much everything in regards to material goods is rather trivial to the average mind what else remains. Rogen Ver, the "Bitcoin Jesus" as many of you know him, has all the money and fame in the world. He is a libertarian and anarcho-capitalist so one would imagine that Liberland, an established libertarian nation would be the first place for him to move if he ever wanted to escape the "oppression" of the government. Liberland already honored Ver with a passport but he remained rather neutral about the nation. Instead, right after the Chinese shakedown on cryptocurrencies, he decided to fund his own "nation" with the same exact ideals as Liberland. As we will examine below, behaviour such as this one tell us more about politics and economics than any book ever could.
Rogen Ver is simply seeking to fund his own kingdom much like any other libertarian dreamer before him. This is not about political ideals, decentralisation and all those fancy words that help crypto-market pioneers line their pockets with more cash from new gullible investors. This is about power and control. Liberland is everything every anarcho capitalist and libertarian could wish for, yet, curiously, we see all these bitcoin celebrities that are so passionate about "liberty, freedom and yada yada" hide in tax havens like Puerto Rico or other shady governments.
Let's admit if. Once you cash some of your BTC on some new investors you need to enjoy your free villas with plain ol' dollars. Ask the tinfoiled vigilante if you are in doubt. His "libertarian country scam" in Chile has set him for life because some gullible libertarians bought his political narrative. Heck, he is still making it big on Steemit by promoting the same narrative and Steemit supports him because more idiots means more numbers for the platform. The sheeple sentiment is much the same as in any other political campaign. Nothing really changes.
Blockchain technologies have absolutely nothing to do with political decentralisation. A decentralised technology can be used for strengthening centralised entities even more — something libertarians refuse to admit. This is how Ripple has become a top cryptocurrency for Banks. Heck even Bitcoin is heavily centralised but many refuse to accept it. Up to 2013 about 1000 people owned half of all Bitcoins and today I don't think things have become much better since the people who made mad gains became "venture capitalists" investing even more on blockchain related projects.
I adhere to an-cap ideals and have been promoting Bitcoin since 2012. Nonetheless, as I delved deeper into the crypto scene I realised that all these "libertarian celebrities" are really doing what the "FIAT/status quo" celebrities are doing. What matters here is being a pioneer in a system. Any system. The system itself or ideology are irrelevant. At the end of the day if you are early in something then your life will be awesome since you are higher up the pyramid. The later you join a scheme the more it will suck for you. I am telling you this because very few crypto enthusiasts or libertarians will ever do. They will rather have you go against the "Evil bankers".
Roger Ver or any other Ver uses the libertarian narrative as means to aid his control of wealth and power. He gives as much shit about "changing the world" as a beauty queen in a fancy contest. Nothing really changes the world when you have millions of times more money than anyone else. Nothing really changes the world politically when the libertarian and an-cap ideals you support are not enough — finding yourself building another country on the same exact ideals.
Actions speak much louder than words and anyone can test how weak the political talk is by observing how everything fits in practise. A few nerdy kids, decided to mine bitcoin early on, held on to it, didn't like the current system yada yada yada and after a few years they have proven to promote the same shitty ideals as the ones we see on Wall Street. Roger Ver has as much libertarian and an-cap ideals as any other person. His motivation to fund a country is not about a libertarian country but rather a personal tax haven with a hefty real estate leverage. King, in all the sense. At the end its all about the money.
I am all about decentralization, bitcoin, freedom and all that pretty an-cap narrative but I never shill Bitcoin as an argument to make others invest in it. In fact, when people asked me before to help them invest in Bitcoin I refused because I recognize that I am taking a risk myself knowing all the trash and scams that dominate the Bitcoin world. I stick to Bitcoin because I also joined a few years back and I believed that it is a more efficient alternative that what we have technologically — not because it would change something politically or it will "better humanity". This is a fantasy for teenage kids that have yet to understand how the real world works.
My main aim is much the same as Roger Ver's, you or anyone else in between. To make money and live comfortably. Choosing to include political narratives about making new countries, changing the world and all that (just because you hold a good stash of what you are shilling) is much the same as the GP Morgan CEO fudding Bitcoin while buying on the side for cover. Roger Ver is simply making a country to avoid taxes since he saw how shit can go down with China.
Is that simple.
A horse breeder in the 1800's would demonize cars and shill all the ideas about carriages and horses. Rogen Ver will do the same about FIAT currency or governments even if he used much of his BTC to cash out and live like a king in the most centralised governments of the world. Dimon spreads fud about Bitcoin because it threatens his establishment. Everyone is shilling their own stake and fudding the one that threatens it. This is the raw truth about the world and it should be a no brainer. Every single system on this planet is aimed to help some and fuck someone else. No system aims to aid everyone because that will be the antithesis of what value is and how it comes to be. Sand is valued in respect to every other substance. Bitcoin is valued in respect to other currencies. A chinese man farts and 30% drops followed by all the other "decentralised" currencies. Heck, even the FIAT currencies are not that dependent on one another. ICO's ended up being valued on how much the are promoted and by whom and not whether they have a working project. What does that tell you about "libertarian ideals"?
Very few people are ready to accept the world as is and understand how everything works. Part of the reason is that we shill what we think is best for us, hoping to gain leverage on others. This is why siblings fight at the table about who has the more coke in their glass, this is why cats fight for territory once the numbers start increasing. There are no revolutionary countries to solve these fundamental aspects of our nature and no Bitcoin Jesus is going to save anyone else but himself. This is exactly how the rich will continue being richer and how most people that cheer for them will always be left with holding their bags. Join the blockchain revolution because it is (a) more efficient and (b) as an early investor you will have a good stash for what is to come. Everything else is bullshit.
Damn that is good, plain ol' common sense writing. I love it when someone cuts through the crap and speaks the truth. Sad that most won't take the time to read and digest the truth about their chosen guru, whichever he may be.
People like to worship idols. Being true since the dawn of human history
People like to attack idols in order to leech off some attention. Being true since the dawn of human history...
Not really. People suck up to them and try to get attention by posting multiple emotional comments like you do.
Your whole text sounds like a revenge post from a teenager after making romantic avances towards Roger Ver and being rejected. And the only thing (you call it an argument) you could come up with is a completely random expectation you had about what he should do in order to be consistent.
Yet I am the one being emotional :)
So be it. You win, I lose.
wow, what an excellent argument! I am amazed
What you thought was a great argument against Roger Ver was in fact nothing but the logical fallacy called appeal to hypocrisy. People frequently use it in absence of arguments.
'look, he's talking about freedom but did not move to liberland!'
As if that were an argument for or against anything... I tried to hint at that in my first reply to you, but without luck.
Ps: you can now proceed to ad hominem attacks, your default replacement for arguments.
I also got the feeling they were close, since all the assumptions and opinions were presented as facts. "I know what Roger thinks". He wants his kingdom... Because when Jedlička does it its Liberland. When Ver, its a kingdom. And misconceptions about Ripple and BTC... Because banksters took it over and screw up what BTC was meant to be to crush it and replace with their Ripple... It means cryptos have nothing to do with decentralization? It seems the author doesn't understand the basics. How could he understand others like Ver?
hello nice post my follow me Thanks.
Just to get this straight: you base your judgement of Roger Ver On the fact that he did not move to liberland? And therefore he is basically full of shit and not a real fighter for freedom like you are? I take it as granted that you indeed did move to liberland, right?
But even if you did, what I doubt, what on Earth makes you judge others like that?
It kinda falls back on you, you know?
As an Ancap, you may wanna practice some more 'live and let live' and less 'live and judge those who won't do as I wish'
I hope you will soon recover from your resentment for R.V. and start focusing on what you do instead. Moving to liberland seems like the next step for you. At least then you will have done what you insist others should do in order to be consistent. Peace.
Yes I do. The fact that he didn't even made an attempt. Not only that but that fact how he is a bitcoin maximalist and shilling his own thing. As far as I am concerned Dimon of JPMorgan is also about freedom. His, freedom. Get it?
Live and let live is bullshit. It goes rather "i live" and " I don't give a shit how my presence impacts others". Also, I am not telling him what to do. I am judging his actions.
In your next comment try to present some arguments like I did in my post. I usually disregard emotional ramblings from bitcoin sheeple.
Sad thing is that you are actually judging yourself without even noticing. Just like Oedipus. Everything you hate about yourself you project onto others, in this case Roger Ver.
If you were in a state of openness and love, instead of fear and self hatred, you would not feel the need to judge others to feel better about yourself. But you know what? Instead of trying to prove that everybody is corrupt, you can just start overcoming your fear and start giving a shit about others and see how that feels. But we find it very hard to actually change ourselves when it is much easier to just judge others instead. You are not alone in this.
Feel free to ignore my emotional ramblings.
May you face yourself one day, friend.
great. another internet psychologist.
fascinating.
And just like that sir, you got me to follow your logic on my feed. This person seems a bit like ancom. A talking contradiction. Oxymorons see the world through the prism of what their experience tells them world should be like - bent to their worldview. Ah... dictators... Bless their heart ;)
I don't fully agree. I can imagine you've read Atlas Shrugged?
Roger Veer and The "Tinfoil Vigilante" ( I laughed, although I kind of like him..even if he is a little bit too sure about his opinions..like "they're basically ALL pedofiles") are Libertarians and Ancaps. And if you identify as that too, you must acknowledge that taxation is theft.
Ayn Rand legitimizes theft when the theft is based on taking back what others took from you. Ragnar Danneskjold steals from the Government the money in which the movers of the world (Hank Rearden et al) has been stolen from. He then gives it back to the creators/movers.
Roger Veer doesn't want to pay taxes. He doesn't want to be forced to pay taxes, and he moves somewhere he doesn't have to. He is in his own mind not responsible for other people than himself. A true Ancap. I agree with him 100%, and if what you write is true I respect him even more. It takes balls to be someone like Roger Veer or The tinfoil vigilante.
He is just true to his own ideals. He's not out there to help you and me by giving us money. He is however an inspiration to people. AND I suppose he is investing in companies and spreading knowledge and information. I don't want his money(taxes). I want him to be free and left alone if he wants to.
Upvoted!
I never said anything about taxes. I simply stated that he prefers to make his own country instead of joining one and still don't pay taxes. Read the article again
But why should he have to pay any taxes?
He shouldn't. Taxation IS theft but this whole thing is not about taxation. Even CEO's of big companies try to pay as least as possible by covering their asses under corporations.
The point here is that he is not choosing to live in an established nation that adheres to his values and rather decides to build his own kingdom.
I dont see the problem..so he should be forced to live in that all ready established society? No?
None. All I am saying is that he is no different that any other person, libertarian or not, holding bitcoin or fiat. The article was aimed to say that we are all looking after our own asses. The narrative we use about ideologies and all that is bullshit.
Thing is, you are just speculating. What do you know about Roger Ver and his values and motives? Nothing. What do you know about a Roger Ver puppet you created in your mind? Apparently a lot.
actions speak louder than words. I know enough from the way he acts publicly about issues. Quite straight forward actually.
How about your actions, though? One day you may want to start to use the energy you spend on evaluating the behavior of others to take a good look at yourself instead.
You 'adhere to an-cap ideals', but you didn't move to liberland now did you? Care to explain why what proves that R.V. is full of shit does not prove the same about you? I have a feeling you are not creating a free country of your own either. But hey, you are the judge, right? Problem is just that while you are judging others your ego is unchecked and riding you like a donkey while telling you that you know everything...
And you believe it and run with it.
I wish you can stop at some point, take a deep breath and ask yourself how this is working out for you. Good luck!
Great. Last two sentences are golden. Ten % will read, five% will understand and one% have balls and will take action. That's why we have 1% rich people. I hope you in the last group too. Golden bricks. Remember?
Yeap. It really comes down to honesty. Even here on steemit I see so much bullshit altruism from people that come and go all the time. They argue that they are not here for the money. they don't get any and they bail out.
If btc was centralized it would not have split
Irrelevant. Even if it has 10 splits it would still be centralised. A handful of people that control the miners decide when and how to split. Let it sink for a while.
Mining is not the same as controlling. If miners could control then they could for example cease bitcoin but they cant because if they were to stop mining other, new small miners would mine with -at first- a profitable economical mining difficulty, later bigger miners would come back in etc. Its all written in the code, that is why btc and decentralized blockchains are uncontrollable and wildly successful
Why cease bitcoin if it is so profitable? What kind of fucked up hypothetical is that?
ripple has a decentralised blockchain and is centralised. many other coins as well. I would suggest you do some read up on the coins made and the % who owns 80+% of all bitcoins.
you will shit yourself.
Nobody can mine xrp other than ripple inc so the blockchain of xrp is totally centralized which is why i call it ripploff
who can mine Steem? check who owns 90%+ and come back to talk about ripploffs
Look! i mined steem by giving you an upvote worth 8 cents, i.e. there exist different kinds of decentralized mining - as you know. (and i dont worry about who owns what - i am not jealous at those who are either deservedly or undeservedly lucky)
It's always a healthy exercise to ask yourself what motives one might have to circulate a specific stance on any issue. Odds are it is driven by self-interest, which is fine so long as you understand this person's self-interests.
"Tinfoiled vigilante" had me laughing pretty damn hard man!
It's always money/self benefit. Always.
Good job.i resteem it
Wow... Nice I like your post
Thank for sharing
nice article you have here
Wow,,, i like your post
Thank for sharing my friend
Great and awesome huge post @kyriacos......
Have a nice day!
Upvote/ Resteem
good luck and running smoothly yes ....
a very good post, continue good luck always.
Ah @kyriacos, your sunny outlook on the state of existence always makes me smile and bleat with joy whenever I visually partake in one of your essays!
Keep calm and shill on? 😆 Hope you're having a fine day!
As sunny as in "It is always sunny in Philadelphia?"
How'd you know?
Motivational phrase time:
"Rock, flag, and eagle!"
:)
Spot on. There is no escaping self-interest, not saying that's good or bad, it just is.
a thing most refuse to understand. it just is.
Remember Kennedy famously quoting George Bernard Shaw—"There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?"
Seeing things as they are is not easy for most.
indeed
Much of what you say is true, but you also mistake trends for absolutes.
@cryptopie proves this is only partially true. Helping him aided almost no one financially, except him, who needed it.
Altruism is a thing. Of course we advocate for issues that we feel will benefit us, but finance is NOT the only reason. I cannot comment on Ver or Berwick, as I have little familiarity with them, but I can also see that some of what Berwick has done was without financial benefit to him, as his interview with a Cuban dissenter shows.
We are not bots. We do not run on money. Some people are so plugged into money there is almost no revelation of humanity in their actions, yet, even they bleed when pricked.
Back off the absolutes, and you will be absolutely right.
Regardless of whether you agree with me or not, I still appreciate the sentiment behind this post, as you are spot on in your assessment of the utility of BTC, including it's centralized nature.
Thanks!
Altruism is not a thing. Only selfishness exists. Every single thing you do, even an altruistic act aims to benefit you first (e.g emotionally, socially). The only altruism that exists in nature is reciprocal altruism and it is only displayed in a handful of species like vampire bats. They feed the young of other bats, not their own. if they don't their young die. This is as close to "altruism" as nature gets.
Bullshit. Learn this "There is no such thing as bad fame". Also over the years he pulled off so many scams and said so much bullshit, you can't possibly only retain the most recent actions. This is like believing only what a politician sais today, forgetting the past.
We do. This is why you are mainly here and not Facebook. because of money.
We all strive to survive by benefiting ourselves with things like money, socialisation etc. Money though is at the top of the least. I am not saying that socializing doesn't matter. All i am saying is that it dictates everything else. always.
You are wrong, and I am proof.
I have never spent one satoshi of Steem, and have no plans to. I am unidentified, and get no personal benefit from discussing this with you.
I learn much from many on Steemit.
But I am not here for money, fame, or any personal encomium. I am certainly not making this comment for my benefit, but yours. You are blinded by what you see, and do not see that people can do good, for goodness sake.
I am not here for money. I am here to speak the truth, and this benefits me, as you are sure to point out.
But you are 100% wrong about money, and me.
May have to quote you on just about everything you said in this post. Namely, I liked how you didn't mince words. The bit about "living comfortably" is really the main point. I should rethink what I say to people about bitcoin. To each, their own, amirite?
exactly
Well said and to the point , loved this post. Upvoted and resteemed :)
Very good points. I would have to say I am along the same lines as you.
I love how you ended your post.
Couldn't agree more.
I just upvote you and you will receive daily upvote to you just follow me and upvote
Quite informative.
Pl upvote me also.your support will be highly appreciated.
"in Roger we Trust?!"
In the US, the Pentagon began an investigation into a soldier, a graduate of the prestigious military academy West Point, who openly confessed his pro-communist views. In the social network, Spencer Rapone published photos from his graduation, showing his cap, on the inside of which a black marker was written "Communism wins" and a shirt with the image of Ernesto Che Guevara.
This is Roger with us ( The Liberland team) . He is supporting us as best he can. We really want to make a change. I myself put this mission in the highest regards, to the point where it stresses out my marriage, my resources, and my career. Freedom is not free. Please do not give up on the idea that humanity isn’t worth saving !
Live and Let Live
Dave