Make crypto thread sticky (Investor Alley)

[MustacheAndaHalf]

Investor alley has one thread related to crypto, where someone asked why anyone talks about crypto.  I think they would ignore the thread if possible, but when it moves to the top, that draws people's attention.  I propose making the crypto topic ("low % of crypto") into a sticky thread in Investor Alley.

My hope is that the quality of discussion can improve as well.  People will have less need to post "crypto is a scam" to people who have already heard the same thing a dozen times in that thread alone.  And those who want to ignore the thread can do so.  It won't move up and down in the forum.

[GuitarStv]

So the goal is to hide the obvious and gigantic problems related to crypto (including discussions of the huge numbers of scam in this largely unregulated area) from new people to the forum?

[JohnnyZ]

So first you want to segregate active and passive investing discussions, and now you want only pro-crypto views in the crypto thread. Sounds like maybe someone needs to learn deal better with opposing views?

[MustacheAndaHalf]

So first you want to segregate active and passive investing discussions, and now you want only pro-crypto views in the crypto thread. Sounds like maybe someone needs to learn deal better with opposing views?

Your post says nothing about my idea, and only attacks me personally.  A refresher on the forum rules:

"2. Attack an argument, not a person."
https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/forum-information-faqs/forum-rules/

[MustacheAndaHalf]

So the goal is to hide the obvious and gigantic problems related to crypto (including discussions of the huge numbers of scam in this largely unregulated area) from new people to the forum?

Where are these "new people" who are not aware of claims "crypto" could be a "scam"?  The vast majority of forum members call crypto a scam every chance they get.  For them, it's irritating seeing a crypto thread, and I'd like to find a way to reduce that irritation and make some room for discussion.

Maybe since it's relevant to the majority of posters, let me address the claim that crypto is a "scam".  The President of the United States has directed the U.S. government to have policies for crypto currency.  Is the President of the United States in on the "scam"?
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/03/09/executive-order-on-ensuring-responsible-development-of-digital-assets/

The world's largest derivatives exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME Group) has a Bitcoin futures market.  If all crypto is a "scam", how do you explain a futures market for Bitcoin?
https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/cryptocurrencies/bitcoin/bitcoin.contractSpecs.html

[dividendman]

I'm curious as to why crypto currency would get its own sticky. Why not just currency? There are plenty of currency traders out there (both crypto and not).

Also I generally think it's weird to dedicate a thread to a negative-sum game "investment" like crypto (or currency in general) in the MMM forum. Sure some people will win, but most people will lose.

[nereo]

Looking to the existing stickies, it does not seem that a thread on crypto is even 1/10th as relevant to the broader forum as the Investment Order, 4% rule and the How to withdraw from tax advantages accounts before 59.5.

I have not seen anywhere near the level of discussion on crypto as I have on these other topics, nor do I think it will be as directly helpful to most members.

[GuitarStv]

So the goal is to hide the obvious and gigantic problems related to crypto (including discussions of the huge numbers of scam in this largely unregulated area) from new people to the forum?

Where are these "new people" who are not aware of claims "crypto" could be a "scam"?  The vast majority of forum members call crypto a scam every chance they get.  For them, it's irritating seeing a crypto thread, and I'd like to find a way to reduce that irritation and make some room for discussion.

Maybe since it's relevant to the majority of posters, let me address the claim that crypto is a "scam".  The President of the United States has directed the U.S. government to have policies for crypto currency.  Is the President of the United States in on the "scam"?
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/03/09/executive-order-on-ensuring-responsible-development-of-digital-assets/

The world's largest derivatives exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME Group) has a Bitcoin futures market.  If all crypto is a "scam", how do you explain a futures market for Bitcoin?
https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/cryptocurrencies/bitcoin/bitcoin.contractSpecs.html

You appear to be arguing quite heatedly against something that I didn't say.  Perhaps closer attention to what's actually written would help you feel less attacked?

[Tigerpine]

I'm curious as to why crypto currency would get its own sticky. Why not just currency? There are plenty of currency traders out there (both crypto and not).

Also I generally think it's weird to dedicate a thread to a negative-sum game "investment" like crypto (or currency in general) in the MMM forum. Sure some people will win, but most people will lose.

I agree.  If crypto deserves a sticky, why not gold?  REITs?  Stocks?  Bonds?  Real Estate (outside of REITs)?  Art?  Insurance?  etc., etc., etc.

Whether one should invest in crypto as part of a larger diversified portfolio is a legitimate question, but is it so important in the overall FIRE landscape that it deserves special attention?  I don't think so.

[MustacheAndaHalf]

So the goal is to hide the obvious and gigantic problems related to crypto (including discussions of the huge numbers of scam in this largely unregulated area) from new people to the forum?

Where are these "new people" who are not aware of claims "crypto" could be a "scam"?  The vast majority of forum members call crypto a scam every chance they get.  For them, it's irritating seeing a crypto thread, and I'd like to find a way to reduce that irritation and make some room for discussion.

Maybe since it's relevant to the majority of posters, let me address the claim that crypto is a "scam".  The President of the United States has directed the U.S. government to have policies for crypto currency.  Is the President of the United States in on the "scam"?
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/03/09/executive-order-on-ensuring-responsible-development-of-digital-assets/

The world's largest derivatives exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME Group) has a Bitcoin futures market.  If all crypto is a "scam", how do you explain a futures market for Bitcoin?
https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/cryptocurrencies/bitcoin/bitcoin.contractSpecs.html

You appear to be arguing quite heatedly against something that I didn't say.  Perhaps closer attention to what's actually written would help you feel less attacked?

You brought up "huge numbers of scam [sic]" in your post, and now you want to claim you "didn't say" that?  Others can see it for themselves even if you're going to deny it.  I also asked where are these "new people" you mentioned, and you have no answer to that actual question, again a quote of your words which you now dismiss as something you "didn't say".

[MustacheAndaHalf]

Looking to the existing stickies, it does not seem that a thread on crypto is even 1/10th as relevant to the broader forum as the Investment Order, 4% rule and the How to withdraw from tax advantages accounts before 59.5.

I have not seen anywhere near the level of discussion on crypto as I have on these other topics, nor do I think it will be as directly helpful to most members.

In my view, threads on "tax advantages" should get moved to the Taxes area.

I've actually been ignoring the "4% rule" sticky for so long, I didn't notice it has more pages (44) than the crypto thread (33).  Note the "4% rule" sticky was created 7.5 years ago, while the "low % crypto" thread was created 1.5 years ago.  So the activity over time seems to be higher in the crypto thread.  If we go by pages per year, wouldn't that argue for the crypto thread deserving of a sticky more than the 4% rule?

[MustacheAndaHalf]

I'm curious as to why crypto currency would get its own sticky. Why not just currency? There are plenty of currency traders out there (both crypto and not).

Also I generally think it's weird to dedicate a thread to a negative-sum game "investment" like crypto (or currency in general) in the MMM forum. Sure some people will win, but most people will lose.

By "plenty of currency traders out there", do you mean on the Investor Alley forum?
Normally currency as an investment means cross currency pairs like USD-Euro, and I almost never see discussions about that.  Around the World topics do discuss currency conversion for their respective countries.

Your claim that "currency in general" is "a negative-sum game" is a topic unto itself.  Investors may hedge currency risk sometimes (like in international bonds) while not doing so other times (like in international stocks).  I think currency can play a role in portfolios.  There are zero sum games like investing in commodities, where they can play a role reducing volatility in larger portfolios.  I wouldn't say "currency in general" can't have a sticky thread, and haven't seen the evidence it is "a negative-sum game".

[GilesMM]

Why not just start a new thread with a title like “serious crypto tips room - no scam debates”?

[MustacheAndaHalf]

Why not just start a new thread with a title like “serious crypto tips room - no scam debates”?

Good suggestion, and more realistic than a sticky thread.

[nereo]

Looking to the existing stickies, it does not seem that a thread on crypto is even 1/10th as relevant to the broader forum as the Investment Order, 4% rule and the How to withdraw from tax advantages accounts before 59.5.

I have not seen anywhere near the level of discussion on crypto as I have on these other topics, nor do I think it will be as directly helpful to most members.

In my view, threads on "tax advantages" should get moved to the Taxes area.

I've actually been ignoring the "4% rule" sticky for so long, I didn't notice it has more pages (44) than the crypto thread (33).  Note the "4% rule" sticky was created 7.5 years ago, while the "low % crypto" thread was created 1.5 years ago.  So the activity over time seems to be higher in the crypto thread.  If we go by pages per year, wouldn't that argue for the crypto thread deserving of a sticky more than the 4% rule?

The stickies are not about being the threads with the highest posts or the most posting velocity. Many stickies attract fewer than a post per week. They are there for their high value across a very broad spectrum of members over time. I don’t believe the crypto thread meets those standards, and is certainly behind a number of other threads which are also not stickies.

[GuitarStv]

So the goal is to hide the obvious and gigantic problems related to crypto (including discussions of the huge numbers of scam in this largely unregulated area) from new people to the forum?

Where are these "new people" who are not aware of claims "crypto" could be a "scam"?  The vast majority of forum members call crypto a scam every chance they get.  For them, it's irritating seeing a crypto thread, and I'd like to find a way to reduce that irritation and make some room for discussion.

Maybe since it's relevant to the majority of posters, let me address the claim that crypto is a "scam".  The President of the United States has directed the U.S. government to have policies for crypto currency.  Is the President of the United States in on the "scam"?
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/03/09/executive-order-on-ensuring-responsible-development-of-digital-assets/

The world's largest derivatives exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME Group) has a Bitcoin futures market.  If all crypto is a "scam", how do you explain a futures market for Bitcoin?
https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/cryptocurrencies/bitcoin/bitcoin.contractSpecs.html

You appear to be arguing quite heatedly against something that I didn't say.  Perhaps closer attention to what's actually written would help you feel less attacked?

You brought up "huge numbers of scam [sic]" in your post, and now you want to claim you "didn't say" that?  Others can see it for themselves even if you're going to deny it.  I also asked where are these "new people" you mentioned, and you have no answer to that actual question, again a quote of your words which you now dismiss as something you "didn't say".

Pay closer attention to what was said.

There are a lot of scams in the unregulated crypto area.  I did not call crypto as a whole a scam (the entire thing that you were railing against in your post).

Just looking at a few of the big ones from 2022 . . . Ronin Network, Wormhole Bridge, Beanstalk Farms, Wintermute . . . that covers well over a billion dollars that was scammed from people just last year.  And it's not slowing down . . . this year we've already had FTX (the second largest crypto exchange in the world) turn out to be a massive scam.  One in every four dollars reported lost in the US since 2021 has been related to a scam in crypto (https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spotlight/2022/06/reports-show-scammers-cashing-crypto-craze).

Will it some day be rid of these scams?  Maybe.  But if your argument is that there are few scams in crypto, that's patently false.