Debunking Bitcoin Misconceptions: It’s Not Stored Time, Energy Or Violence By Stephan Livera If you've spent any time on Bitcoin Twitter, you might have noticed the abundant use of metaphors and analogies in order to describe the very wide scope of implications Bitcoin brings to the world. But this isn't necessarily positive: Stephan Livera discusses how certain metaphors and analogies used to describe Bitcoin can be misleading or confusing if taken too literally. One example is the metaphor of Bitcoin as "stored time," which suggests that Bitcoin can be a store of value in the same way that time can be saved or stored. However, Livera argues that this is an overly imprecise metaphor and that thinking of Bitcoin as "stored time" can lead to errors in reasoning about its value. The author also discusses other metaphors that have been used to describe Bitcoin, such as the metaphor of Bitcoin as "digital energy" or a "battery," and argues that these metaphors can also be misleading if taken too literally. Livera concludes by emphasizing the importance of being careful with metaphors and analogies when discussing Bitcoin and of not confusing them with scientific truth. |