[donovanian]

> It was (and remains to be, for many of the OGs) about making a space for peaceful people which was outside of the manipulation of large institutions, both corporate and governmental.

I agree with this explanation, and would add that I think the simple point is that people should be able to save their hard-earned money and accumulate value in a way that's divorced from technocrats manipulating the economy.

Precious metals have served this purpose for a while, but obviously a virtual system dispenses with the huge inconveniences of storing heavy physical objects. You've got gold that can be transported at the speed of information.

The institutional system we have now has essentially decided that saving money is wrong, that deferring consumption is pernicious.

Of course, this is a boon for "consumer capitalism", which last I checked is reviled.