Quote from: Welsh on July 02, 2021, 01:36:41 PM

Quote from: Laudanum on July 02, 2021, 10:31:40 AM

Merit killed bitcointalk because the only thing bitcointalk offered over reddit or any other crypto related platform was the ability to earn.

I'm not going to address most of what you said as I disagree, and its not entirely on topic. However, I think the statement above is, and you might actually be right. Okay, it most certainly didn't kill Bitcointalk, however I do believe it killed of a sub culture of the forum, which was account farming. Either for selling forum accounts or for participating in signature campaigns. Merit practically killed that culture off, because now it actually requires some effort, which not surprisingly a lot of users here aren't willing to put the effort in to reap the rewards.

There's definitely characters within the community that are still here, but maybe not in the most popular sections. I won't deny that we've definitely lost a lot of characters over the years, for better or worse. However, that's just how life is, and how other forums operate too.

Should never have put the temporary illusion of safety above personal liberty..
ie tagging and chasing away “likely scammers” and crushing the unique economic dynamic of account sales..

This forum started acting like protecting idiots is more important than letting users express their free wills..

How many countless good and intelligent users have been chased away because they “might” scam..

A new startup can’t come here and start a signature campaign for example without completely being bullied into “trusting” some escrow they have probably never heard of so heaven forbid they couldn’t possibly scam so users willing to take the risk..

A new user can hardly post anything for sale here without being bullied into some 3rd party “idiot protection” scheme because OMG they might try to scam you..

A new user here can’t start lending on any sort of collateral because holy shot they might scam the collateral..

All new economics here CRUSHED by regulatory bullying in the name of “protecting idiots”...

You know what was great times here?
When I could lend against accounts collateral, with a signed staked address, having the signature state the contract clearly, and either profit on my loan or profit on the sale of the foreclosed account..
And y’all had to fuck that all up..
Heaven forbid one of the full member accounts I legitimately acquired and sold might scam some complete idiot..
I even started paying for signatures to advertise my business with my profits..

I’m glad y’all saved sooooo many imbeciles from getting “scammed” by shutting that entire thriving economy down..

Oh right, the morons probably just threw their (saved from scam) money at one of the great 2017 ICOs instead..
I’m sure their filthy rich now thanks to all that saving grace..

“Campaign/bounty managers”, oh those valiant pillars of our community, surely made their cuts off the countless ICO scams and casinos designed from the start to suck up every Satoshi they can..
What heroes..
So trustworthy..

These “managers” are held in such high regard, yet never deemed responsible for their outcomes, of the biggest scams and auctions of satoshis this forum has ever seen..
Yet on they go, and nobody will speak a word against them in fear they will be ostracized by them from getting their own chance to earn a couple satoshis advertising the next big Satoshi suck on offer..

You would NEVER have needed the “merit system” if you would have listened to what I have been saying for YEARS!!! YEARS!!
Quit swatting the spammer flies and take your fight directly the these shit “managers” and “companies/projects” that pay for the shit in the first place, causing its existence..

Nope.. Y’all too scared you won’t get your next chance at a paid signature, so you run around DOING THEIR JOBS FOR THEM and acting like you are so great for “busting spammers”, lowlife nobody shitposters, FOR the shit “managers”, while you suck up to so you can get YOUR shot at YOUR paid signature..

“Look at meeee!!! I busted 20 alt accounts getting paid to spam this advertisement!! Aren’t I amazing!!!??!!”

Not impressive at all..
You should have wrecked that manager and the representatives of that project FOR employing all those shitposters, and just ignored all of those worthless dime a dozen spam accounts..
Oh no, but then that manager or project might not have hired YOU in the future.. Can’t do that eh?

Just bully all newbs instead of battling the sources..
Pays in plenty of merits now too.. Keep catching them alts!! Fast track to DT1 being the heaviest handed regulatory fist against the little guy you can.. Go get that status!

I see more positive trust left for the destruction of economics than I do for the participation in it..
“Such a great alt buster! So many tag!+++”

You didn’t really accomplish shit.. 1,000 more spring up for every 100 you slap down, with unknown collateral damage of good users, while the sources of the problems asses are kissed clean..

I could say a thousand more things about the hypocracy and misdirection of those appearing to be in “leadership” positions around here..

Not much more than a popularity contest for the eyes of those who sign those signature transactions..

Down she goes!!

Think you guys can come up with any more ideas (like the merit system), that target all the low hanging symptoms of the problems, but yet simultaneously absolves all the sources of the problems from any guilt whatsoever?
Ready to hear your bright ideas of what more regulation you can impose next..