Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud
Easy Money by Ben McKenzie with Jacob Silverman delves into the world of personal finance, providing practical tips and advice on how to manage money, eliminate debt, and build wealth for a better financial future.
In a world where trust in traditional financial institutions has eroded, the allure of a decentralized currency, free from government intervention, is palpable. Enter Bitcoin. Conceived as a beacon of transparency in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, Bitcoin promised peer-to-peer transactions, eliminating the need for mediating banks or corporations. Yet, like so many novel ideas, its reality differed from its idealized vision.
When Bitcoin debuted, its promise lay in bypassing the usual financial gatekeepers. At the heart of its innovation was the blockchain – a timestamped ledger that ensured each Bitcoin transaction was unique, solving the conundrum of how to prevent double spending without centralized oversight. While the concept was groundbreaking, its initial steps were shaky. Platforms such as the Silk Road – an infamous online black market – were among the currency’s early adopters. However, due to its inherent technical limitations and volatile pricing, Bitcoin struggled to become the go-to currency for everyday transactions. Rather than being a consistent store of value, it often resembled a roller coaster in a theme park of financial instruments.
By the mid-2010s, a fresh perspective on Bitcoin emerged. Instead of being just a digital currency, it was now seen as a rebellious alternative to the conventional financial world – a world resistant to any governmental control. This transformation was epitomized by the ICO – short for Initial Coin Offering – craze between 2017 and 2018, where cryptocurrencies transitioned from being mere tokens of exchange to speculative assets, drawing comparisons to the gold rushes of yesteryears.
Yet, with great promise comes great scrutiny. As 2020 dawned, skeptics – like Ben McKenzie – started observing the cryptocurrency landscape with a discerning eye. Questioning its meteoric rise, McKenzie suspected that beneath cryptocurrency’s gilded surface lay potential fraud, especially within unregulated markets. His concerns were not mere conjectures. In fact, he was willing to stake money on his beliefs, betting that Bitcoin's value would plummet below $10,000 by the end of 2021.
The world of cryptocurrencies isn’t just about algorithms, blockchain, and market speculation. It's about narratives – ones of hope, independence, and resistance. But for every narrative there's a counter-narrative. McKenzie, with his unconventional background and a keen eye for storylines, wanted to bring balance to the discourse and unveil the potential pitfalls lurking beneath the crypto craze.
Easy Money (2023) offers a riveting exploration into the chaotic realm of cryptocurrency, tracing its exhilarating ascent and dramatic descent. Through captivating accounts of traders, visionaries, and whistleblowers, the narrative unravels the intricate web of ambition, naiveté, and deceit that pervades the crypto sphere, providing a comprehensive insight into a world where promise meets uncertainty.
Ich bin begeistert. Ich liebe Bücher aber durch zwei kleine Kinder komme ich einfach nicht zum Lesen. Und ja, viele Bücher haben viel bla bla und die Quintessenz ist eigentlich ein Bruchteil.
Genau dafür ist Blinkist total genial! Es wird auf das Wesentliche reduziert, die Blinks sind gut verständlich, gut zusammengefasst und auch hörbar! Das ist super. 80 Euro für ein ganzes Jahr klingt viel, aber dafür unbegrenzt Zugriff auf 3000 Bücher. Und dieses Wissen und die Zeitersparnis ist unbezahlbar.
Extrem empfehlenswert. Statt sinnlos im Facebook zu scrollen höre ich jetzt täglich zwischen 3-4 "Bücher". Bei manchen wird schnelle klar, dass der Kauf unnötig ist, da schon das wichtigste zusammen gefasst wurde..bei anderen macht es Lust doch das Buch selbständig zu lesen. Wirklich toll
Einer der besten, bequemsten und sinnvollsten Apps die auf ein Handy gehören. Jeden morgen 15-20 Minuten für die eigene Weiterbildung/Entwicklung oder Wissen.
Viele tolle Bücher, auf deren Kernaussagen reduziert- präzise und ansprechend zusammengefasst. Endlich habe ich das Gefühl, Zeit für Bücher zu finden, für die ich sonst keine Zeit habe.
Hol dir mit Blinkist die besten Erkenntnisse aus mehr als 7.000 Sachbüchern und Podcasts. In 15 Minuten lesen oder anhören!
Jetzt kostenlos testen
Blink 3 von 12 - Eine kurze Geschichte der Menschheit
von Yuval Noah Harari
