What's with Saifedean's weird hot takes on Twitter/X? 🤔😒 \ stacker news ~bitcoin

What's with Saifedean's weird hot takes on Twitter/X? 🤔😒

3572 sats \ 76 comments \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom 23 Sep 2023 bitcoin

Howdy, folks 🤠

Not saying I'm nodding or shaking my head at any particular "Hot take" of his, but in my humble opinion, they come off kinda cringe-worthy, and that indirectly reflects on Bitcoin too.

He's obviously not the spokesperson for Bitcoin, but with his book's popularity, he's got a voice and has presented himself as a leading academic.

Sometimes, I stumble upon his posts and think, "Whaaa? Dude, chill, you're in the big leagues now. This is so unbecoming!"

I'm all for folks having opinions, but when a bigwig starts Twitter fefor no reason...

I just don't get it.

Maybe he thinks hot takes and stirring the pot will boost his follower count (it's the Trump-era playbook), but when you're building the Bitcoin community... 😒😖

There are a few other Bitcoin personalities doing this dance too.

Take Mark Cuban, for instance. He's got opinions, but he serves 'em up with a side of grace and politeness. And The Rock? He's another champ at this.

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1125 sats \ 13 replies \ @0232cf2253 23 Sep 2023

Saif has always been a crazy person and beyond the contribution of his book, I find the whole of his personality intolerable. The entire reason him and Nassim beefed so hard Nassim became anti Bitcoin is because Saif and Nassim's egos are too large to be seen with each other.

I don't really need to get my information from people who cannot demonstrate themselves to be humble. Always a sign they are willing to sell you lies in order to prop up their ego.

149 sats \ 10 replies \ @siggy47 23 Sep 2023

I find it difficult to listen to either one of them, honestly.

606 sats \ 3 replies \ @SpaceHodler 23 Sep 2023

I'm learning a lot from Saif's Austrian Economics course on Saylor Academy. He knows his stuff when it comes to economics. But when he starts talking about beef, seed oils, cow farts and the condition of academia, I change my mind about recommending him to friends.

182 sats \ 0 replies \ @Stacksats 23 Sep 2023

True. He did a good job of compiling info

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @Coinosphere 24 Sep 2023

But Academia is not only visibly broken, but he was literally a professor of economics there before bitcoin. Why do you think you know better than him on that situation?

He could be more humble but considering how right he is about bitcoin, I always give him the benefit of the doubt. Still trying to figure out how to get away from seed oils, they're in friggin' everything!

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @SpaceHodler 24 Sep 2023

I didn't say I do. But it's OT. He could be less repetitive and less vehement about it.

461 sats \ 5 replies \ @0232cf2253 23 Sep 2023

They can be, anyone who puts their ego ahead of knowledge I find hard to tolerate, but I am surprised more Bitcoiners don't see through people like that. Bitcoin is for everyone, but who you choose to align yourself with and the identity you chose to carry in the name of Bitcoin matters. I would suggest everyone be far, far more critical of all the creators and influencers in Bitcoin.

It would also be appreciated if we stop straddling Billionaire wiener every time they accumulate a little more too. Corps, excessive wealth, and government are literally the reasons we are all in this mess and yet I see Bitcoiners producing Saylor flow videos for each others edification. So much noise.

118 sats \ 1 reply \ @dieselbaby 24 Sep 2023

Yeah I always go out of my way to point out the utter hypocrisy in those who are quick to praise some people who are otherwise detestable characters (for any of a myriad of reasons), simply because they are "bitcoiners" or even worse, because they are wealthy bitcoiners. It's so cringe...those who act as if their opinions are somehow more valuable or are coming from a more informed place than the rest of us are only serving to perpetuate the same bullshit system that I got into bitcoin to GET AWAY FROM in the first place.

Case in point: all of the fucking lame moonboy types who are incessantly hyped up about fucking BLACKROCK filing for a spot Bitcoin ETF. I have a real hard time managing to square up the people who are excited about this or who see it as being "good for bitcoin" with the (fast dying) ethos behind bitcoin in the first place...I guess in reality those with principles are a dying breed, and it's easy to become disillusioned with the state of things.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @0232cf2253 24 Sep 2023

I don't know if it even matters if its good for Bitcoin or not really, because at the end of the day Bitcoin is a deflationary technology and this beast cannot be put back into the box. To me that fact alone means nothing can stop Bitcoin, only influence it. In the short term we may suffer attempts to stop Bitcoin and an ETF could allow institutions to control the price but at the end of the day it is no sweat off my back. I don't worry about what's good for Bitcoin as much as I do about how Bitcoin can be good for me.

204 sats \ 0 replies \ @Stacksats 23 Sep 2023

💯

177 sats \ 0 replies \ @SatoshisSkeleton 23 Sep 2023

Saylors ai photos are cringe now

60 sats \ 0 replies \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom OP 23 Sep 2023

Yeah. Some of the BEST opinions, teachers and devs are waaaaay under rated and not popular

25 sats \ 1 reply \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom OP 23 Sep 2023

Thanks for commenting. I don't know the specific reference you're making. But I whole-heartedly agree on this.

His online personality is really hard to like or appreciate.

I agree it does seem ego based and yelling at people is really a poor sign of character. Many other Bitcoiners present themselves as much more classy and inviting. Not polarizing.

He's got stuff to offer. Someone close to him should see if he's open to the feedback.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Coinosphere 24 Sep 2023

He's got tons to offer, but his problem is that he is completely intolerant to feedback.

That's a shame. I wish he was likeable enough to be invited on shows like Russel Brand's and Joe Rogan every week...

317 sats \ 1 reply \ @SatoshisSkeleton 23 Sep 2023

Yeah I saw him railing on about people having a dog. 😳 and how everyone should be having kids. Such a weird take.

Some people can't have kids or etc etc.

110 sats \ 0 replies \ @DiracDelta 24 Sep 2023

Only weird if you have had your head in the sand and are new to bitcoin and evaluating the nature of the fiat world. Your arrogance is not weird, it is rather banal.

112 sats \ 8 replies \ @southside263 23 Sep 2023

you’re not an OG bitcoiner until you’ve been blocked by saifedean on bitcoin twitter.

bitcoin protocol > the bitcoin standard book and saifedean takes

10 sats \ 6 replies \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom OP 23 Sep 2023

Do you have any books better to recommend? 📚

10 sats \ 1 reply \ @DiracDelta 24 Sep 2023

The Fiat Standard, haha

20 sats \ 0 replies \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom OP 24 Sep 2023

Lol

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @heidi 24 Sep 2023

https://learnbitcoin.link/ by

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @rijndael 24 Sep 2023

Inventing Bitcoin is a way better “first Bitcoin book”.

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @southside263 23 Sep 2023

The Bullish Case for bitcoin by @real_vijay

https://vijayboyapati.medium.com/the-bullish-case-for-bitcoin-6ecc8bdecc1

The Internet of Money volume 1 by @aantonop

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPQwGV1aLnTvCuQXCZ3RBvdlCnqstTirl&si=UM-2JfR2bQGU6T-e

30 sats \ 0 replies \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom OP 23 Sep 2023

Nice. Yes I've read these are they're good thanks for passing along tho!

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @SatoshisSkeleton 23 Sep 2023

😆

230 sats \ 8 replies \ @knorozov 23 Sep 2023

Without examples this is kinda empty. What's his worst recent tweet you can remember?

140 sats \ 7 replies \ @Zepasta 23 Sep 2023

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903 sats \ 6 replies \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom OP 23 Sep 2023

Not at all. If you follow his Twitter it's gets really inflammatory at points. This isn't a hatchet job. I just am speaking generally. Anyone is free to scroll thru his stuff.

367 sats \ 2 replies \ @knorozov 23 Sep 2023

oohhwwww it gets inflammatory!! need me to hold your hand?

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @DiracDelta 24 Sep 2023

he probably ate too many seed oils this week, lmao

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom OP 23 Sep 2023

?! Read my post before commenting.

57 sats \ 1 reply \ @gmd 23 Sep 2023

social media algorithms reward this behavior unfortunately because it draws in our chimp brains...

104 sats \ 0 replies \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom OP 23 Sep 2023

Ha. Might be the best comment here.

300 sats \ 0 replies \ @DiracDelta 24 Sep 2023

Speaking generally, people that make vague complaints about "weird extremists" are statist fiat cuck. Everyone knows this is true. Take a step back, arrogant noob.

121 sats \ 3 replies \ @eduardopro 23 Sep 2023

Geez dudes, live and let live. So what if the man has some opinions that you don't agree with?

140 sats \ 1 reply \ @Stacksats 23 Sep 2023

Adoption!

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @DiracDelta 24 Sep 2023

Stop being desperate, that's the real cringe. Touch grass. Only noobs talk about "be friendly and don't say you don't like the vax or normies will get scared"... Terrence, managing director of Swan Bitcoin literally said the vax thing, lol

You missing quotes? Given your handle is "cypherpunk", I think you mean "Adoption!" to make fun of people... or are you not a cypherpunk, or one of those delusional leftist ones?

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom OP 23 Sep 2023

Did you read my post?

113 sats \ 2 replies \ @elvismercury 23 Sep 2023

He's a jerk and vastly overrated as an 'intellectual' and a bitcoiner. The gravity well he creates as a walking tantrum artist has been terrible for the culture and its progress.

I also wish people would stop shilling his stupid book -- there are far better alternatives that don't serve to shore up his reputation, and that don't come across to normies like the ravings of a madman who sends bombs through the mail.

He and Taleb deserve each other so deeply. If there's an afterlife, hopefully they're roommates there for eternity.

5 sats \ 0 replies \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom OP 23 Sep 2023

I don't know your reference but I agree sort of. Good leaders bring others up not push them down and demean others.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @SatoshisSkeleton 23 Sep 2023

Ya there is better material

104 sats \ 5 replies \ @Stacksats 23 Sep 2023

He goes off on stuff randomly. It might be a Gen X kinda vibe tbh. He's likely a long time Twitter user and has been thru it where it was really toxic.

25 sats \ 4 replies \ @nemo 23 Sep 2023

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20 sats \ 3 replies \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom OP 23 Sep 2023

Yeah. I don't mean to suggest it's an age thing... but like... boomers and Gen Xers seem to gravitate toward the toxic mudslinging on Twitter seemingly more than Millennial and even more so than Gen Zers. Just an observation.

10 sats \ 2 replies \ @siggy47 23 Sep 2023

As a boomer this comment surprised me, but I'm ignorant of the whole twitter dynamic. My gen Z daughter agreed with you.

101 sats \ 1 reply \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom OP 23 Sep 2023

I know right? A quick ponder and you'd likely think it's the opposite.

Gen Z and Millennials got more formal education on the internet and cuberbullying, internet safety, misinformation etc. It's in most curriculums. Plus they're digital natives.

Boomers on the other hand were just given this tool without any reference really of its power etc. So the ability to engage 1v1 in real time was revolutionary.

Tech savy boomers obv caught on well. But many had a harder uptake.

169 sats \ 0 replies \ @SatoshisSkeleton 23 Sep 2023

This

86 sats \ 8 replies \ @fred 23 Sep 2023

A lot of influencers our here talking shit just for the traffic

111 sats \ 6 replies \ @Stacksats 23 Sep 2023

Unfortunately. Anthony pomp is a terribly good example of this

10 sats \ 2 replies \ @0232cf2253 23 Sep 2023

Everything in Pomps orbit gets eroded too. Will Clemente is an excellent on-chain guy but then he admitted to trading shitcoins to increase his Bitcoin stack. I disagree with this behavior because in order to do it, you must scam someone into buying the shitcoin you are speculating on. Another fun one is Pomp shitting on mainstream media and then making multiple appearances on CNBC.

Con artists and snakes everywhere, but I think this is a very natural progression for something so rare like Bitcoin. Many people will want to steal from you. The lure to trade your character to increase your stack will always be there. Keep your wits about you.

40 sats \ 0 replies \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom OP 24 Sep 2023

Well put. 🎯

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Stacksats 24 Sep 2023

Snake oil salesman. 💯

0 sats \ 2 replies \ @fred 23 Sep 2023

There is Bitboi too, there a case of his making rounds on X

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @Stacksats 23 Sep 2023

🤢🤢🤢

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @SatoshisSkeleton 23 Sep 2023

😑

5 sats \ 0 replies \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom OP 23 Sep 2023

Ya. 😖

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @Jer 24 Sep 2023

Saif’s primary issue is his ego. Every topic he speaks about, comes out with a certainty that would indicate “your opinion on the subject does not matter because I am the last word on all topics”.

He is an expert in Austrian Economics. We can all be experts in a couple subjects after countless hours of study and practice, but we cannot be the authority on everything and unfortunately the way Saif speaks, he is an expert on everything. It’s off putting

1200 sats \ 0 replies \ @Signal312 24 Sep 2023

Wow, gotta disagree completely. I love his writings and interviews, and have gotten SO much from the book The Bitcoin Standard. I feel like I owe him a huge debt for getting me to start to "get" bitcoin, and money as well, for that matter.

I always prioritize his podcasts - they're a must listen. He's interviewed some really amazing people - not just bitcoin, other topics as well, people that have really made me change my take on things. His podcasts are very consistently the highest quality bitcoin oriented podcasts that I've listened to.

He's a remarkable thinker and observer of the current culture. And I agree with his pet post (https://nitter.net/saifedean/status/1705196208820523193#m). Our current obsession with pets and dismissal of having kids is crazy. I'm glad he's pointing it out. My son was attacked by a neighbor's dog years ago. The neighbor came over not to apologize profusely but to "explain" that the dog was upset that my son was running in their yard (with her kids).

So he posts things that hurt people's feelings. Big deal. Thank god for people like him.

200 sats \ 1 reply \ @BlokchainB 23 Sep 2023

Saife is cool. I come for the economics and everything else is whatever.

5 sats \ 0 replies \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom OP 23 Sep 2023

This is true also! His character doesn't define his work

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @TomK 24 Sep 2023

To me, listening to guys like Jeff Booth keeps the intellectual journey on track. Saif is a good economist with the ability to write. His personality makes him a difficult counterpart in discussions. Please, don't try to construct something like ''toxic btc culture''. After a couple of years in existence there hardly is a ''culture'' of btc. We are communicating about it, meanwhile there might be an adoption of 0,05-0.1% worldwide. Relax, guys

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @DiracDelta 24 Sep 2023

Hey platitudinous prick wasting everyone's time with this vapid, vague nonsense, GO FUCK YOURSELF! How's that for "unbecoming"... maybe try fiat and "respectable, 'nice' people" -- I even hear ETH and such people will talk very nicely to you.

0 sats \ 2 replies \ @knorozov 23 Sep 2023

Looks like some people here need to grow a spine.

If you see how he and NVK debated cooking ware, you know that you should take his tweets with a grain of salt. And if you're on twitter defending fiat or randomly locking people up in their house, you ask for a public humiliation. He understands that and executes like no-one else.

https://nitter.net/saifedean/status/1258091873090052105#m

135 sats \ 1 reply \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom OP 23 Sep 2023

Did you read my post tho? It's about the bigger picture or of drawing people in to Bitcoin. Opposed to dividing.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @knorozov 23 Sep 2023

Well I tried to, it's hard when you press enter after each sentence.

Although bitcoin doesn't need a marketing campaign, he has invited more people to take bitcoin seriously then anybody else, so that's a weak argument. And he also inspired a lot of people to get stronger and healthier. He does it his way, I like it. If you don't, there's lots of other flavors. If people ignore bitcoin because of him, that'll be an expensive lesson for them to learn later on: bitcoin has no leaders.

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @HardRich 23 Sep 2023

It would be nice if he was a bit more humble - in podcasts I find him more humble sounding than his tweets.

That’s being said, I do get annoyed by some people and their dogs. I love dogs but some folks shouldn’t have them (maybe shouldn’t have kids either, idk).

And he seemed to be complaining about the stat that more people own dogs than have kids. I’m not sure if that stat includes empty-nesters or not. If not, it is sad if people are forgoing having children.

45 sats \ 0 replies \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom OP 23 Sep 2023

It's about bringing people in to Bitcoin opposed to dividing.

0 sats \ 5 replies \ @orthwyrm 23 Sep 2023

I'm assuming your post was motivated by Saif's latest tweet:

https://nitter.cz/saifedean/status/1705196208820523193#m

165 sats \ 0 replies \ @satoshi_in_the_classroom OP 23 Sep 2023

Sort of. Like my post said... I'm not particularly motivated by any particular opinion. I couldn't care less what he personally thinks EXCEPT for the fact that he's positioned himself as a leader in the community. That's literally it. It's just a bad look.

60 sats \ 1 reply \ @Zepasta 23 Sep 2023

He doesn't want people to replace "having childs" by just having dogs(pets). Nothing wrong with that take tho.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @orthwyrm 23 Sep 2023

I'd like a dog personally, but it's a time and money sink I'd rather not indulge in until I've cleared other goals (such as having kids). So on that point I'd agree.

I'm not convinced many people are using dogs as a child-substitute. I rank dogs similarly to other extravagences such as fancy cars and eating out. But perhaps there's something deeper there.