"It's not just the way we are, it's the way we are under capitalism."
What line of reasoning makes you think that humans are naturally unselfish and are made so only by an external economic system (which is itself created by humans)?
Judeo-Christian thought says that humans are naturally sinful and selfish. Evolution says that the fittest survive at the expense of others (though this may involve cooperation with related creatures). Who says we're all basically nice?
"But I agree that the wastefulness of Bitcoin is nothing compared to the waste caused by capitalism as a whole."
What system would you have instead of capitalism? If socialism or the like, can you give an example of when that has ever worked well? There are many counter-examples in history, you know. Workers sitting down doing nothing because the government quota said to only make 250 pairs of shoes today, etc.
What line of reasoning makes you think that humans are naturally unselfish and are made so only by an external economic system (which is itself created by humans)?
Judeo-Christian thought says that humans are naturally sinful and selfish. Evolution says that the fittest survive at the expense of others (though this may involve cooperation with related creatures). Who says we're all basically nice?
"But I agree that the wastefulness of Bitcoin is nothing compared to the waste caused by capitalism as a whole."
What system would you have instead of capitalism? If socialism or the like, can you give an example of when that has ever worked well? There are many counter-examples in history, you know. Workers sitting down doing nothing because the government quota said to only make 250 pairs of shoes today, etc.