You don't become one of the richest men in the world by being "lucky". And to say "his IQ is much lower than that of an average investor" is laughable.

The problem, as I see it, is that you have to give people a reason to take time to understand or show interest Bitcoin. I hear all the time, "I like using my credit card" or "I like using my debit card". They like the convenience. You have to move them out of that convenience, if that is possible.

For example, I have a PMA package with Wells Fargo. My credit and debit cards cost my nothing each year. If someone ever uses my card numbers, I get reimbursed completely. Convenience. This is what Bitcoin is up against, and Bitcoin needs many more people to use it if it is to grow.

My returns easily outpaced inflation. I'm currently living off these returns!

I've been invested in the stock market for 20+ years. When I started, the market was at 6,000. Now the market is at 17,000+, so the stock market has been very good to me. But the most important thing about the stock market is that it is a long term investment. You don't go into the market for months; you go into it for years, and if you do, you will make money.
Fees are pretty low, in my opinion. It is best to get help with your investment--I have Wells Fargo Advisors and it has been excellent.

Instead of trashing the Washington Post, does anyone have any intelligent critique of the author's points/ideas?

You are on to something. Bitcoin will only succeed if there is adoption by society. Right now, people seem satisfied with debit/credit cards, paypal, etc. People don't see why they should change what they are currently using and move to Bitcoin, especially since Bitcoin continues to fall in value.

This is one of the more realistic comments I have seen in this forum.

So sorry to hear of your loss, but please don't "hate [your] life" ! Man, we all do things we regret. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and say "I'm moving forward!". Forget the past, just don't repeat the same mistake. I understand that you feel bad. But one mistake does not define you. Move forward!

I would never give my social security number to a web site like this.

Is this a fortune cookie?

I don't think "maximum exposure" level is the issue. Of all the people I know, only two have ever heard of bitcoin. And the both said the same thing, "it's used by crooks".
The problem is how bitcoin is viewed by the general public. There has been a lot of bad press, you know.

The worst advice I've seen this year.

Anytime you make an investment, you believe "in theory" that it will go up. But in reality, prices go up or down because of factors that are unforeseen or unexpected. Bitcoin is no different.

Thank you! We agree.

By the way, I never said Bitcoin is "like" Yahoo, I said, "Take a lesson from Yahoo" -- the lesson being that anything you put money into will rise and fall. Yahoo's value of over $100.00 was artificial, and it fell quickly. As I said before, a lesson I learned is that "past results do not guarantee future results".
Do not "expect" that Bitcoin will have great value in the future. It might, but don't "expect" it.

I disagree. Bitcoin is a currency that many, many people buy as an investment. All you have to do is read this site to find that out.

Whether an "investment" has competition does not mean much. An "investment" has to be shown as trust worthy and a future. It is too early to say that Bitcoin is either trust worthy or that it has a future. I'm not saying that it does not, but what I am saying is that Bitcoin will follow the principles of an investment for success or failure.

Good advice in this thread. Only "invest" what you can afford to lose. And the first thing I learned when I got into the stock market (because it was pounded into my head) was, "past performance does not guarantee future results".

It seems that there a good number of people have bought Bitcoin as an investment. I'm not going to judge whether it is a good idea or not. But perhaps I can speak of one of my experiences with investments that you may want to consider.
In the year 2000, Yahoo stock was worth about $118.00. But the tech bubble burst, and in 2001, Yahoo stock fell to $8.11.  (I bought some at $8.90).
The good news is that Yahoo stock is now worth about $40.00-41.00. Yes, Yahoo stock has grown the past 13 years, but the growth has been gradual. The important word is "gradual". Most investments are like that. They usually grow over a period of time.
That is why I think it is unrealistic to think that Bitcoin will be worth $10,000 any time soon, or ever. There is nothing magical about Bitcoin that will make it like any other investment that has ever existed. Bitcoin will rise and fall, gradually. It just doesn't make sense to me that it will suddenly "shoot up" and stay there.
In other words, if you are invested in Bitcoin, you have to think long term. No one knows how any investment will turn out. I have been invested in the stock market for some time. The market has been good to me, but I have had some bad years too. All of my investments have grown, but grown gradually.

Finally, a realistic opinion!

I don't get it. Some people are predicting that bitcoin may go up more than any investment in the history of the world. Seriously ?
One person said that bitcoin  will go up when it goes "mainstream". I agree 100 percent. When bitcoin is  easy to use, when it seen seen as safe, when it is stable, then I see bitcoin rising. You have to give the "ordinary joe" a reason to use bitcoin. Right now, people are happy to use their Visa cards. The "ordinary joe" does not care about the philosophy of bitcoin. Bitcoin will rise if it is seen as a safe, stable, good alternative to what people have  and use now. That might happen some day, but I don't see it in the near future.