Spread The Joy And Knowledge Of Bitcoin - I Was Approached By A Couple At Walmart About It! :)
"Like a drop in the vast ocean, each of us causes ripples as we move through our lives. The effects of whatever we do - insignificant as it may seem - spread out beyond us. We may never know what far-reaching impact even the simplest action might have on our fellow mortals."
― Margaret Weis, The Seventh Gate
I was with my brother at Walmart about a half an hour ago where he was picking up Pet Food and, as always, I was talking about Cryptocurrency, the current price, my predictions for the future, alt-coins, etc. Well, my booming voice... also, as per usual... attracted the attention of a couple who was also shopping in the same aisle as us. The guy overheard and he approached me for a second to ask questions. My face lit up and I was a little surprised and BEYOND EXCITED and HAPPY to answer questions he had.
He asked about if Bitcoin was worth investing in right now and he and his girlfriend pointed out that they had heard about it on the radio and were curious. His girlfriend also had the question about how it can be spent. I pointed out to them that my thoughts for a beginner right now would be to invest just a little (unless you're rich of course, then buy 10 at least haha), maybe a hundred or a few hundred dollars, and let it sit until 2020, pointing out that it may take time but that my prediction (though I'm not a financial advisor) is that it will continue to appreciate in value. I directed them to coinbase.com, as that site makes it SUPER EASY for someone who doesn't know anything about Crypto to at least get a few hundred dollars in if they want to dip their toes in the water.
I also pointed out to the girl that they now have Visa cards, as well as a number of other methods that can allow you to instantly transact in Bitcoin. I also pointed out that it is currently probably a little better to think about it as something that you want to hold rather than spend, since most are speculating a rise in price. I didn't go into detail fully, pointing out that the fact that you can spend it easily is something that helps increase the value, but it is better to hold and/or trade as an asset right now, rather than spend, imho. I had to go, but I could have spoken to them all day about it and the fact that they were interested, so much so that they approached me about it, emboldened my conviction that this IS THE FUTURE.
I just wanted to share this and point out that the simple act of talking with people about it, spreading positivity about it, and being helpful to beginners will help the movement exponentially and the more this is done and the more we are welcoming to newcomers, the greater the world will benefit. I don't need to mention that we will also profit handsomely by spreading awareness and adoption. The Blockchain and Cryptocurrency is the Future that has already begun, so I am more than happy to spread my knowledge, give tips and tricks, and help those who are interested in investing in their financial success and their future by joining the movement! :)
While a applaud your enthusiasm, investors are why we are having trouble with alt-currencies. The more people that invest in these things, the less that people that really need it can afford them.
speculators in currency, alt-currency, housing, etc, are what drive up the prices and leave people behind.
This is just my opinion, but bitcoin, steem, etc., shouldn't be invested in with the idea of making great profit. Things like this should be a way for people to get additional cash when they need it. It should be used to free people from the grip of the central banks.
Hi @josephlwiess, I agree that to ONLY buy and hold Bitcoin in the long-term would cause a lack of adoption of other altcoins and would introduce a number of issues, but I think for the average person, bitcoin doesn't have much more of a use case than as an investment (because of slow transaction speed, etc., there are altcoins that make more sense as a decentralized payment system and additional altcoins/blockchains/nuchains [some unknown method similar to blockchains, such as hashgraphs or something else that will emerge soon, likely]).
Without the potential for profit, there isn't much incentive to utilize these payment systems other than the openness of the blockchain, the potential for greater security, and the ability to have a system outside of government control. I think the average person will give these things up if it means not introducing additional complexity, which currently is the case in the world of Crypto, ESPECIALLY because of the constant introduction of new coins, which, in reality, act as there own, implicit central banks (lets not pretend that 95% of altcoins aren't just printing their own money).
For example:
If you don't mind me asking, what's your thoughts on the way that investment should occur (if at all, not that ICOs could ever happen if investment didn't occur) within this realm? :)
and also, when you say it should be a way for people to get additional cash when they need it, do you mean that people should profit, just not too much (I just want to make sure I'm following what you mean correctly :) )? And, finally, who are the people that you consider to 'really need it'?
I would say that everyone needs it, higher priority being impoverished countries, especially those living under tyranny, who's money systems are manipulated even worse than the USD (and directly manipulated BY the USD system). :)
There is an old story about how the Stock Market used to work. "The stockmarket was not about gambling to win, nor was it about investing to make great sums of money. It was a place where a man could go to find other gentlemen, when he needed additional capital to build a new building, or buy new equipment, or for a large loan. These investments were set for a certain amount of time, and at the end of that time, the investor would get back his original payment of cash, plus a small interest payment."
But, that no longer describes the stock market. Now, it's more like a roulette wheel where you get rich quick or you drop the stocks.
As for ICO's, you get enough cash to cover your initial cost of proof, then you give it back, plus a small interest payment.
In my opinion, investments should be used to build something, not just to make money, or more money.
I don't think that the market will ever work that way. Too many are opportunistic. We have to play the game and beat them at it. Crypto is an avenue to beat the Central Banks at their own game since we beat them to the punch. Big money will do what it can to gain more and small money will do whatever it can to get big. I definitely agree that ICOs are about building and expanding the blockchain and its use cases/functionality, but every ICO that is successful is making overnight millionaires and investors are sometimes getting back less than their original investment, sometimes their initial investment plus a small amount, and other times many multiples of their initial investment. It has all been coming down to speculation on the importance of an ICO/Blockchain Product. What you're describing is more like loan structure which is what makes the Big Money stay rich, since they can grow by HUGE AMOUNTS if they just get 1% or so back from their investment. Power can't be taken from them if the average Joe with $1000 or less is only getting back 1% per year or even 10-20% per year. 1% on 100,000,000 is far greater than 1% on 1,000, an obvious but important point if you're advocating for people exiting coins after small returns.
I agree, but from what I've seen, speculation has created about 8 bubbles in the last 10 years, that popped, dropping the bottom out of whatever market it was affiliated with, first artificially inflating the price beyond what people could afford, then dropping it dangerously low, putting people out of work. Let's see: the housing bubble, the oil bubble, the solar bubble, etc. I just don't want the alt-currency market to be the next bubble to pop.
sure, i will
I think to hold Bitcoin/other alts, is essentially like making the best Chess move you can, putting the Government's manipulation of currency in Check, where if they try to take control by flooding the market with printed money, they are automatically empowering you by raising the price of your investment. Just my humble opinion of course. I fully agree that we want to take the power out of the hands of those who have been oppressing average people for hundreds of years! :)
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Youre a bitcoin prophet! Lol @biddle
@jwiggly, my man! Thanks for the kind words! How's the training/when's it done again? :)
Its doing well. Friday is the last day. Final exam and then graduation. Im ready for it to be over. I have a steady income now to keep investing into bitcoing now. Im happy about that! Hope life is treating you well my friend!
Glad to hear it! Good luck on the final! I hope to see you around here more and yeah, this is a GREAT POINT to have a little investing cash, since opportunity is RIPE! :) I'll keep you updated on how Hexabot is going for me, but it might be something for you to look into for a small portion of your BTC investment. It's an automatic trading bot. I'm up about 9% BTC in a week, fwiw, but I'll be writing more about it and am keeping people updated so if any red flags ever arise, my followers will be first to know! I wrote a few articles about it recently too. :)
But anyway, glad to see you back on here! :D
Thanks alot! Ill have to check this bot out. Ive been out of the crypto world for 6 weeks and ready to jump back in.
I have some collegues who are always sending money home to their families.
I am trying to get them into babysteps about sending bitcoin versus moneygram. Let the idea sink in for a bit.
Every month they are bummed out more and more about the moneygram fees so eventually....
Hey @karinxxl, that's AMAZING advocacy work and the ability for Bitcoin to replace moneygram and western union is one of the GREATEST USE CASES of Bitcoin currently. The fees for those are absolutely ridiculous and the issues regarding privacy and issues for people living under oppressive governments are lessened by transacting in bitcoin! Thanks for helping make the world a better place! :)
Yeah for real, those guys there are crooks and standing in line for hours to send money is dehuminizing. Only reliable internet back home for them is a situation. So for now it's planting seeds.. Planting a lot of seeds actually hahaha!
haha good call! :)
I first discussed bitcoin with a young fellow I signed up my cable/internet/phone bundle with at a local company. He seemed really interested in crypto at the time when BTC was just surpassing $2,000. Everytime I see him now, he asks me what the price of BTC is now and gives me that "I missed out" look when I mention it is higher than the last time he asked. He is still curious but not enough to take the plunge and do his own research I guess. Next time I see him, I will tell him with so much excitement about BTC hitting 10k, he gonna poop his pants!
haha Great foresight adopting early! and yeah, I've talked to a few people who keep saying they want to get in, but they aren't taking the leap! I'll keep urging them to! :) Hopefully he sees the opportunity soon before it passes (although I don't think opportunity is going to be anything but ripe for A LONG TIME)! :)
Ya know, I think back and remember the young Navy ensign that encouraged us to buy the Penny Stocks that Intel Corp was offering back in the early 1970's. I missed that boat... no going to miss this one! That young fellow above is me 43 years ago!
Yeah, that definitely was one of the great opportunities back in the day! Hindsight is 20/20 though and at least it made it so you spotted this one! :)
Nice little story you shared. I go to some local bitcoin meetups and it's great to share your knowledge with others that are just getting into crypto.
That's awesome! :) Yeah, Meetups/Conventions are one of the main growth catalysts that I think will spur the industry to grow even further than it has already developed. GainingSteem.Com, my company, is working to organize two large-scale conventions in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, Boston Crypto Con and NH Crypto Con! Blockchain Industry Growth and Increased Blockchain Adoption is our mission! :)