from the ye-canna-change-the-laws-of-physics dept.
Eric Weinstein is well known for captivating and thought-provoking opinions in theoretical physics and has commented on Bitcoin maximalism.
In one statement in 2021, Weinstein referred to Bitcoiners as "the logical saviors of physics," outlining his conversation focusing on the physics behind the protocol.
The conversation painted a not-so-evident framing of centralization that inevitably leads to Bitcoin changing the world.
Eric Weinstein, managing director of Thiel Capital and host of "The Portal" podcast, took the main stage at Bitcoin 2022 to discuss fixing the monetary systems of humanity. Weinstein was joined by Abraham (Avi) Loeb, an Israel-American theoretical physicist and professor of science at Harvard University.
Weinstein has been known to have interesting views when it comes to Bitcoin. One Twitter thread from 2021 got particularly interesting when Weinstein was asked to become a Bitcoiner by another user, to which he replied, "No. Your job is to liberate physics. Mine, to liberate you."
Weinstein continued to write, "I would however come to any credible meeting about freeing Satoshi's genius from the loss of anonymity to the ledger that is the blockchain."
That comment reads as adversarial, yet in the same tweet, Weinstein stated, "Bitcoiners are the logical saviors of physics." This takes us to his conversation with Loeb at Bitcoin 2022, the aforementioned "credible meeting" at which they discussed not only the possibility of Bitcoin's success, but the need for it to save us all.
(Score: 5, Informative) by PiMuNu on Wednesday April 13 2022, @11:55AM (7 children)
If you think TFS doesn't make sense - well neither does TFA. Whack job makes some nutty statements about UFOs and bitcoin.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Thexalon on Wednesday April 13 2022, @12:26PM (6 children)
This guy definitely seems to be aiming to follow the Dilbert Money Theorem: "Money = Work / Knowledge" (Derivation: Power = Work / Time, Money = Power, Time = Money, make the substitutions and do some algebra).
But all this stuff does serve a purpose: It ensures the Bitcoin scammers don't have to waste their time on smart people who won't fall for their grift because they know what physics actually is.
"Think of how stupid the average person is. Then realize half of 'em are stupider than that." - George Carlin
(Score: 2, Informative) by vux984 on Wednesday April 13 2022, @04:12PM (5 children)
Knowledge = Power (not money)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 13 2022, @05:10PM (3 children)
not sure that equal sign is approriate, considering that "being powerful" doesn't mean you have a lot of knowledge? maybe a heap load of dirt tho? a=b b=a okay.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 13 2022, @06:42PM
As your body grows bigger
Your mind must flower
It's great to learn
'Cause knowledge is power
(Score: 2) by vux984 on Thursday April 14 2022, @12:05AM
Knowledge is Power is a well known 16th century truism; and it should be taken as axiomatic here, especially in the sense it which it applies.
The idea that "Knowledge is power" is a recurring theme the sense that knowledge is key to freedom. If the government can restrict or control your knowledge of the world around you that gives them near absolute power over you (a theme of Orwell's 1984); or more recently invoked in the Matrix movie (there was only one Matrix movie) red/blue pill scene.
Likewise the notion that knowledge is power is commonly invoked with respect to warfare - effective use of spies, scouts, radar, satellite imagery are all MAJOR force multipliers in any combat theater.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 14 2022, @05:37AM
Common question I get, as a Professor, is "if you're so smart, why aren't you rich?". My usual retort, to rich persons more and more, is "if you're so rich, why aren't you smart?" Money can't buy you love, as they say. Maybe an "Honorary Degree", in exchange for a large donation.
(Score: 2) by Thexalon on Wednesday April 13 2022, @10:40PM
Yes, thank you, I realized that after I clicked "Submit".
"Think of how stupid the average person is. Then realize half of 'em are stupider than that." - George Carlin
(Score: 4, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 13 2022, @12:04PM (9 children)
Every time I hear this Weinstein dude talk I wonder if he just strings together words that you think sound smart, or do you know what you're talking about?
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 13 2022, @12:49PM (1 child)
https://news.bitcoin.com/billionaire-peter-thiel-bitcoin-could-rise-100x-unveils-btcs-enemy-list-warren-buffett-at-top/ [bitcoin.com]
(Score: 3, Funny) by Freeman on Wednesday April 13 2022, @02:05PM
Wait, is that like a hit list or what?
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 13 2022, @12:49PM
What I wonder about is Avi Leob. Was he always like this, or is it a development of getting on in years?
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 13 2022, @01:13PM (3 children)
I wish I had learned earlier in life that learning a skill and being productive is for chumps. The nature of civilization collapse I think is con artists. We reach the point where con artists run everything, all is pyramid schemes and scams, even the USD itself apparently--backed only by military and how long until the military crosses the Rubicon if they haven't already behind the scenes (would explain much including the drive towards nuclear war, the total inability to hold the police to any kind of real account, and the uniparty), and sooner or later it collapses as it must.
(Score: 1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 13 2022, @02:28PM (1 child)
Grifters are a superior class of human to you. They have literally evolved to extract the resources they need in the most efficient manner while the chumps toil away.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 13 2022, @05:19PM
maybe. it's called "disposable income" and i am gonna spend it however i want to. at least some "toil" for this reason. suffer. get reward. suffer. get reward. repeat. after a few generations one forgets the basics (or its brainwashed out of you. like knowing "rubicon" is gonna put food on the lopsided dinner table) and rewards are acquired that do not help with less toil. example: disposable income spend on i-reward-phone...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 13 2022, @11:26PM
That is a consequence of the main "mode of operation" of the majority, enforced or not...
They are "belief based minds" in the sense that they follow those who can make them believe things, in general. Neither good nor bad, just stuff.
The one who can not instill belief, but is correct anyways, is called an analyst, or conspiracist, or the like and is dismissed for being obnoxious, or outright disturbing.
The belief based mode of operation seems maybe legit in situations with lots of dynamics, but does more harm in stable situations, where there still is an urge to elect and follow someone...
On request, i could deliberate, have some more shit on this topic =)
(Score: 3, Insightful) by ikanreed on Wednesday April 13 2022, @03:33PM
Have you considered how smart it is to string together technobabble to sell garbage to suckers?
(Score: 2, Informative) by RTJunkie on Wednesday April 13 2022, @11:25PM
Of course he is! He was the original author of Mathworld.
https://mathworld.wolfram.com/about/author.html [wolfram.com]
... Oh wait
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 13 2022, @01:07PM
lolwut
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 13 2022, @03:04PM
yes it is
(Score: 3, Funny) by turgid on Wednesday April 13 2022, @03:24PM (1 child)
And make me rich! It's that simple.
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 13 2022, @08:20PM
And, have we lost turgid? As Longshanks said, some Scots turned for much less.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 13 2022, @04:45PM
yes buy bitcoin. i also always lie. like right now.
(Score: 4, Informative) by istartedi on Wednesday April 13 2022, @06:57PM
Replacing one collective delusion of value mitigated by central banks with another delusion of value mitigated by energy-gobbling crypto-bros is going to save physics and humanity? What are all these people smoking? Why is this on Soylent?
Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.
(Score: 4, Informative) by einar on Wednesday April 13 2022, @07:20PM (1 child)
I made the mistake to look up his name and found the wiki "article" about him.
Honestly, old einar was quite a failure as a theoretical physicist. Yet, if I would document my seminar works and my diploma work on a wiki page then it would read better than his. This is peak anglo-saxon attention getting to build up a fake career.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 20 2022, @07:23PM
But I can't say any more or I might be labelled anti-semitic.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 13 2022, @08:12PM
Ah, yes, Peter does seem to collect crazies with his ill-gotten gains from being part of the PayPal mafia! I wonder if Eric partakes of the blood of younglings? Does he Palantir? Is he mimetically desiring any Rene Girard? Catholic?