RE: The Thing About a Collapsing Civilization ..
My premise is based on the collapse of the world economy, so stability of the US dollar during the last 7 years is irrelevant - I don't think I used the word "stability" in the original post at all in fact. :) Beyond that, it is completely irrelevant, because the US dollar ..has no 'real' value, only what people perceive it to have (and yes, Bitcoin as well .. although the major difference is that there is real scarcity with Bitcoin, in the same way there is with Gold .. the US dollar continues to roll off the printing press whenever the Fed feels like it). If people knew that the economy floats upon an ocean of debt and understood the mechanism of supply, they would see their currency in a whole new light ... shit man, there are people out there that still believe the US dollar to be backed by Gold, that this is what gives it "value", and sadly many still are unaware that there is a viable alternative. The fact that Bitcoin's "price" has become stable over the past many months, even after the awards halving, to me is a signal.
Don't be proud of your dollah dollah bill friend, it is a symbol of your enslavement.
The US dollar is a fiat currency, but don't confuse that with not having value. It does. Bitcoin is also a fiat currency. Scarcity also exists with the US dollar, but it is controlled by a set of governing authorities.
It ignorance of people, including those which believe we are still on the gold standard, does not change the facts that the dollar has value. It is quantifiable. It is relatively stable, because people want it to be. So even if the government collapses, the value of the dollar would remain. If the government were to double the amount of dollars, then yes the value would approximately half. The dollar bill is simply a token of the value which it represents. Same as a bitcoin. If you choose to partake in an economy, then by your definition, would be a slave. I disagree. Since the time when economics came into being, mankind has flourished because of the transition and trade of resources. Look at history.
Any future where we did not have an easy way to transfer goods/services would be bleak.
Between the late 1700s and early 1900s the dollar was a truly stable store of value ..since 1913 the dollar has lost purchasing power by approx 2000%, due to artificially expanded and expanding, supply. The dollar's problem today is not ignorance, just the opposite ..people are beginning to realize it is beyond worthless.
You say Bitcoin "is also fiat" ..dude the definition of fiat is currency issued and controlled by governments. But I agree, Bitcoin must be more widely used to directly purchase goods n services, and the businesses that receive it must do the same, without cashing them in for dollars first ...only then will it be made a truly viable replacement.
Let me address both of your points:
The loss of purchasing power is also a factor of inflation, which occurs naturally as an economy grows. People were paid much less. There are many charts and papers on the 'buying power' over time. Take a look at the GNP from the late 1700's as compared to today. So the loss of purchasing power as a straight percentage is greatly misleading. People today in the U.S. have more wealth, access to goods, and lifestyle choices than back in the 1700's.
You are incorrect. The definition of a 'fiat' currency is not anywhere required with oversight/control by a government. There are 3 types of currency Commodity, Representative, and Fiat. I will let you Google the differences. Bitcoin is a 'fiat' currency.
And where is that stability graph we talked about? Show me the % change for the U.S. Dollar and Bitcoin for the last 7 years. Go ahead, I dare you to and then try to explain how Bitcoin is more stable. :)