Quote from: Crazy on April 09, 2013, 08:20:50 PM

Quote from: noedaRDH on April 09, 2013, 08:16:27 PM

Without greed, no one would have invested any time or money into Bitcoins a few years ago.

Unless they believed they were doing something worthwhile. An intellectual exercise. That's not greed.

Quote from: noedaRDH on April 09, 2013, 08:16:27 PM

You need to appeal to people's instinctive greediness on some level to get just about any project off the ground.

So you start all your projects based on greed? That's pretty depressing. You must not do much for fun.

Quote from: noedaRDH on April 09, 2013, 08:16:27 PM

I don't really see greed as a problem to Bitcoins. It's a necessary kickstarter to build its infrastructure.

If BTCs were worth zero, then why should anyone care to trade them or mine them?

So yeah, greed does make the world go around.

Depressing.

Quote from: Crazy on April 10, 2013, 12:09:18 AM

I think people in this thread are conflating greed, with a desire to attain financial security through hard work and productivity. The difference between the two is probably pragmatism, humility, and respect for their fellow man*. But I'm no philosopher.

You want to attain (financial) security through hard work and productivity? This goes against every natural instinct and drive for pretty much every species out there. (I am sure there are probably a couple exceptions, but I doubt they will be around for much longer. Wink

) Those that manage to obtain the most for the least amount of effort are the ones in the best position to utilize their stores and survive in possible future times of famine and further be able to pass their genes on. Having finance and trade as tools to attain these goals is only slightly more sophisticated than squirrels storing nuts in a tree for the winter.

You might want to watch this sweetheart. She might help you understand "greed" a little better.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEE9A33593A261433

Quote from: flyhouse on April 09, 2013, 07:36:17 PM

Quote from: piramida on April 09, 2013, 07:34:41 PM

Define greed. Is holding your BTC because you believe it has much more potential greed? I call cashing out an action of greed, where you want to take your fiat money afraid that bitcoin will lose value. That's the true greed.

Greed is buying and selling speculatively, waiting for the price to go further. And since more of the traders are doing it with this in mind, it goes up. When their cash dries out, what do we do?

What about the guy who buys good from a wholesaler to sell them in his local neighborhood. Is he also a greedy speculator? Isn't he speculating that he can buy low and sell higher? What if he sees a potential shortage of his goods coming in the near future. Is it bad for him to plan accordingly? Does that make him greedy?

Quote from: flyhouse on April 09, 2013, 08:01:01 PM

I don't hold BTC, I have investments in other places. I want to see BTC become something stable before I buy into it. I'm not bearish, I am a realist.

That's too bad. Maybe you could buy a few now and then read my signature. That way you don't have to be exposed to BTC for very long.

Quote from: flyhouse on April 09, 2013, 07:28:52 PM

But some people should stop being greedy and look at how BTC can benefit them and the people around them in the long run. That way we'll get a stable currency and escape from the grips of government and greedy bankers.

Again, please, by all means, you go first (and this includes you, too, Crazy). Can you prove what an upstanding, selfless person you are? Show us how you have such a lack of greed by donating some BTC to the address in my signature. I can assure you that they will not be used (they possibly moved to a more secure address) for a very long time (short of getting hacked) and that will help stablize BTC as a currency suitable for everyday trade. Wink