I am making this post because it seems that the concept of "ponzi scheme" is being thrown around a lot. For those not familiar with the term, a Ponzi scheme is an investment operation where the guys on top get paid from the guys below.
Those who believe in the distinction of the ponzi vs "legitimate business" argue for the existence of a tradable product in the latter, with the profits being distributed accordingly depending where one is found in grander scheme of all. In a ponzi they claim, the bottom guys just provide capital to the guys on top based on an empty promise. Financial capital as I will demonstrate below is not the crucial part — hence the erroneous label of ponzies.
For one to understand the premise that everything is a ponzi scheme, one has to understand the nature of capital. Contrary to common belief, capital is not only financial but also social and intellectual. They work together like a holy trinity — one reinforcing the other. I explain my rhyme of thought in the post A New Way to Think About Capital
Thing is, there is always a product in every single operation even if that product is the people themselves. If you are in doubt, ask Zuckerberg and how he manages to gather your social and intellectual capital for free in order to monetize his social media empire. You are more or less the product being sold. If Facebook goes kaput one day, he will escape with the profits and you will get absolutely nothing other than some "dividends" in your social and intellectual life.
Let's be honest here. Based on the nature of our economic dealings the entrepreneur, the boss, will always manage to keep the largest chunk of profits for themselves. This is true whether we examine a random government or a corporation. The main benefactors are the ones floating atop and morality has little to do with anything. Those who pay and lose the most in respect to their overall capital are the ones sustaining the pyramid — hence the scheme.
If a government goes down the average citizens that graze at the bottom will pay the price with taxes, salary cuts or job loses. The guys on top are already out reinvesting their money elsewhere. This is also the reason why the number of billionaires has doubled since the last economic crash.
If banks fail, same thing happens. The bankers get bailed out from yet another ponzi schemer — the government. The same participants, the citizens, pay. As for legibility? A bank offers nothing but credit. No real value, nada. A government produces absolutely nothing, yet they are all financed by the labour of the citizens, the only ones providing real value.
Now, I am well aware that value is entirely subjective — hence why capital is divided in social, financial and intellectual. My point here is to demonstrate that everything around us is based on a ponzi scheme and that morality has nothing to do with it. People don't usually realize this because they get caught up in the moral part of the argument — a myth provided from the master ponzi schemers themselves — the government.
Some people still believe that everything going on around them is not always about money and greed and that state entities are not in it for the profit but to protect them. They also forget that the government gets the privilege to call everybody else Ponzi scammers, except themselves. A government is nothing more that a legitimized Ponzi scheme.
For better or worse, everything is about greed, whether we like it or not. Every single person on the face of this earth is pursuing their own selfish interests and wants to profit as much as possible. Sure, we are not greedy, is always the other fellow right? This form of mentality though, is what allows the biggest scammers to control the game.
One of the most attacked sectors in regards to accusations of "Ponzi schemes" is the one of cryptocurrencies. Surprisingly, it might be the only one that can eventually escape from this pyramidal fuckup due to the mechanics of decentralization. Not yet but we are getting there.
Next time someone accuses the blockchain sector for fraudulent activities, ask them to list you where their tax money are distributed. For those in the private sector, needless to say that those at the bottom do the most work and provide the most value while those on top "manage" — really the most useless positions are all dressed up in fancy suits.
The world is a very simple place to understand once we dismiss the myths and bullshit around us. It requires a rational mind that doesn't easily stray towards biases and pre-conceptions. Due to the nature of demand and supply as well as the diversity of human desire — we are all constant victims of various ponzi schemes. Most of the time, they are inevitable to escape. The whole point would be to understand ones place on the pyramid and act accordingly. After all, those who get fucked the hardest are those who don't know they are in it.
I have a childhood friend who literally refers to everything as a Ponzi scheme, much of it is out of humor. However, very much really is.
Anything that has the "greater fool" theory at work is essentially a Ponzi scheme. Take the stock market. You need someone to pay a higher price than you did to make money, greater fool.
I have been involved in markets for years and in the end I know it's a zero sum game. I make money when someone else is the greater fool. Sad, but reality.
I am not sure I can agree completely with the zero sum theory since capital keeps increasing all the time. But, you are spot on with this
Many people have trouble getting this. Especially those who haven't traded or hadn't had the opportunity to have a business of their own. If one works for salary they are pretty much blind to what really goes on around them.
In a zero sum game, why would the value of the SPX increase over time and not be stagnant?
:'D
:)))))
If you replace "from" with "at the expense of" or "reducing the income of" or even "while greatly annoying" then these pyramid structures become visible everywhere, and they include, ever increasingly, companies, and also Steemit, as the clusterfuck the Trending-Page circle jerk has become demonstrates.
It seems to be inevitable whenever money is involved, so best, like you say, be aware of your place in it and act accordingly.
Applying circle-jerk standards to this post, or even meritocratic ones, it should make $600 at least. You are definitely not in the best bit of the pyramid! You need to start kissing arse 8-P.
I think at some point those who delegate their power will come to understand that some people simply don't car about the platform but feeling their own pockets. I know whales with power that don't publish daily and rather take their "share" of rewards without draining the pool. Most though do exactly like you are saying. Best I can do is send this comment to the top.
Thank you for your appreciation. I 've seen many posts like mine getting cents, much like I used for almost a year. If I had power I would reward them. Curators should read and comment everything they upvote. I think this is how value will be show and appreciated. Otherwise, we are just chasing away the chicken with the golden eggs. People will fly away and talk about their bad experience.
Unfortunately, this is the case, but maybe the next hardfork will make things a bit more level. But I absolutely agree that the type of value aggregation at top of pyramids of all sorts at an expense at the base is ubiquitous around this.
Would a hard limit on the max a post could earn be a step in the right direction?
Why I never . . . I thought "Bobby catches a frog" was worth the $600.00 it made :)
So many human structures are pyramids. And I don't mean monuments, but structures like corporations. Yeah, the people on the bottom are working hardest and getting the least for their efforts, but that's capitalism and every other ideology. It seems to be a product of human nature. It would be nice if there was something more egalitarian and compassionate, but the same thing has been going on for millennia. It used to be devils and witches; now it's aliens and conspiracies and ponzis. But the view is the same. Giving people some education and mobility is the best we've been able to do so far.
Very well put. Everything changes yet everything stays the same.
Even MORE well put.
thank you
That's true, I have worked in it for one year, got out with 50k, lucky for me, but not for my friends and relatives, they got cheated and lost their money. and I lost my respect among them for money, still feel guilty, though I wasn't the one who cheated them intentionally.
I feel the same, there is no head to cut.
Loved it, I mean whatever they do, Nobody ask them any questions
That's why I never joined the corporate world, Was not able to make it to the top, Not wanted to be used for someone else's dreams and profit, love my life as it is.
Yes and because of their ignorance they cry the most at the end, like it was someone else fault when they were greedy too.
Thanks for making this post, it was like you have written whatever I have been thinking for a year.
very well said. thank you for sharing such a structured response.
your welcome, when I read a post that I like so much, I response in the same way.
Oh it got just another name nowadays - ICO :)
lol. I was trying hard not to say that in the post. I thought people would pick it up :)
Before I started reading, I was sure this would be your main topic. Waited for you to talk about it until the very last paragraph :)
Very well-written. Kind of makes me want to shut my trap calling all these new crypto ICOs "Ponzis." You are absolutely correct. Without decentralization, everything is a damn Ponzi.
It's extremely interesting and scary that capital no longer has an intellectual component. It seems like in todays environment all you have to do to be a billionaire is have access to the credit markets. At that point you can borrow money so cheaply you can literally buy an entire industry cough warren buffet cough.
Most industries have become moot, ineffective, and dormant. The banking sector profits from this beautifully.
All of this can easily be summed into simple terms; we don't have capitalism anymore. The country is teetering on the verge of fascism, if we haven't arrived there already. And we all know how sustainable that is.
Yeap, more or less useless corporatism. Fancy empty suits circle jerking.
"The world is a very simple place to understand once we dismiss the myths and bullshit around us."
Too true. Very much the same as Plato's Allegory of the Cave. Well written.
thank you
You killed it, you killed it, you killed it....this is the kind of content that should be given public notice...
Thank you man. Glad you liked it.
Looking forward to another piece....got to keep it coming....probably "how we can profit from the ponzi scheme"
well, that's about you depending on which form of capital you mostly value.
once its money that I can spend, does not matter the source, I have an open ear
Thanks, that was a bloody good read.
glad you enjoyed it mate
Yeah, you are a good artist and blogger :)
thank you man :)
Wish I had your writing skills. Still I come up with something juicy now and then. I'm mainly visual.
Your visual skills are pretty fucking awesome man.
Cheers dude. Hope it can get me to your level at some stage :)
No kidding. Of course everything is a ponzi game (is this the same as a pyramid?) In any case, the only difference between banks who have the biggest pyramids and me is that if I run it, I don't have the approval of a group of people who call themselves the "authorizers". Well F&^&*K them because with crytpocurrencies these will be coming to an end.
@indepthstory
Yeap. Same thing.
Thanks for the post. Considering Bitconnect and others after reading this.
:)
Great write up, I have always looked at banks and governments a huge scam and never looking out for the people giving and making them millions as if we all stopped using banks and stopped paying taxes really it would make them fall but now i read this a think it is all really a ponzi waiting to crash.
The ponzi always crashes and picks up from where it left.
I have to disagree. A ponzi scheme is a specific kind of financial con game. A large return is promised on money deposited. The con artist collects the money and even pays out a bit to the first investors when they start to demand their money. As more and more people start demanding their earnings, the ponzi scheme needs more and more people investing to pay for this. When the tipping point is reached, the con artist skips out of town. The key to defining the ponzi is that no real economic activity is happening. Its just money in, and money out.
Capitalism is not a ponzi scheme. Capitalism works when people save some of their earnings and use it in productive endeavors, thereby increasing the value of their capital.
not always. Many ponzi schemes just require you to buy their products and re-sell them. Actually the most classic ones are based on this.
Almost all ponzy schemes pay out regularly. Even one of the biggest mining ponzies, hashocean offered people to get out anytime they wanted while they could cash out their profit.
Market bubbles happen exactly like that.
This is why I am mentioning the government or the hundreds of "financial institutions". There are trillions exchanged in what is called "futures" which are essentially thin air. empty promises.
Not really. Capitalism is all about investing and getting more and more returns. Savings is counter-intuitive in capitalism.
Savings is essential to capitalism.
Saving is counter -intuitive in socialism.
Opposite. Ask any major company or financial institution if they are saving or investing.
Now go down to Venezuela and watch how everyone is hoarding..saving something.
Every major company (or any company for that matter)or financial institution saves part of their profits for investment. If they don't , they are not in business for very long.
In Venezuela, the government is hyperinflating the currency, thereby destroying everyone's savings. You can see the result.
You either invest or save. This is what everybody does after paying for expenses.
Nobody has any savings in Venezuela. They are worth practically nothing. hence why they are saving commodities that are worth more. It is speculated than burning money is cheaper than buying firewood.
And you can see what happens when saving money is useless. It is chaos.
nice....your post deserve upvote and resteem....
thank you
u r welcome
Hello @kyriacos
This is avery resourceful post the headline is an eye grabber, and you slew the content. Thanks for sharing
@ogochukwu
thank you but this doesn't look like a genuine response. You are hurting your reputation.
Why do you say so ?, the reason i was attracted to the post in the first place was because my last post was about a HYIP.
SO explain how my comment is not geniune.
I don't follow people anyhow, the reason i followed you is because i like your posts
@ogochukwu
You need to provide more details in regards to why you like the post. The way you responded it seems it can be copy-pasted for any post.
The major thing i loved about the post was where you talked about taxation and the government and also about the boss always taking the huge chunk of the profits for themselves.
It has been proven that the tax laws were written for business owners, because they create jobs government provides many tax incentives to business owners but not to their employees so at the end of the day the people who earn more pay less tax in proportion to their income.
This is one of the major reasons government and banks dislike cryptocurrency because it is not taxable, i mean i have been earning steem since January but i have never paid any form of tax.
@ogochukwu.
Now this is what I call a reply.
Okay, glad you liked it. @kyriacos
P.S i am sending you a message on Steemit Chat now
Thanks @kyriacos for bringing this to my attention about copy/paste responses to posts. I think it is harder to get across someones true response by a written word. If @ogochukwu were standing right in front of you and told you the same thing you would at least have a better idea if he was sincere in his comments.
Of course until we have the futuristic "truth machine" we won't know if he was just blowing smoke up your a** , and had ulterior motives.
SDG
Indeed. One has to be vigilant enough. I just make sure to point it out early so people won't fall to the same pitfalls as others.
Glad I was following, very well put together & informative post
keep them coming :-) I will do my part....
thank you but this doesn't look like a genuine response. You are hurting your reputation.
I'm brand new here, learning every day, testing new things to get responses ( like yours :-) But its my Birhtday and I'm getting drunk, so probably should not be here today :-) Hoping to be AFK soon... LOL.
If I just hurt my Rep, Please Elaborate that is where the value is* I am not a genius ( just noticed you said " genuine" err.. gotta go LOL and
Take my own Advice @
And click shutdown for today...
Adios my frind's/Amigo's
i didn't even take the time to read it but i think your post is a Ponzi Scheme :v
oh come on. you can do better than this :)
@kyriacos there is great hope here, I agree with this. Decentralization and redundancy in the system. I am thinking that those at the top are not willing to "go quietly in the night."Thank you for the time spent on this post.
SDG
I thought Ponzi scheme was "..a form of fraud in which belief in the success of a non-existent enterprise is fostered by the payment of quick returns to the first investors from money invested by later investors."
surely is more complicated than this. All Ponzi schemes do have a viable product. I explain this in the forms of capital. Read the whole thing.
))...про социальный капитал ничего не напоминает???..))
no hablar russiañol
The biggest ponzi scheme of all is the federal reserve :)
Except the government gets to tell us which ones they allow to be legal...
It's not only the labor of the citizens who finance the system, many have given their lives.
I am looking forward to the cryptocurrency based on work performed.
Where, when you create a product, you also create the currency that goes with it. And after all the exchanging, there should be no currency left. A loop that closes itself.
this is what Bancor is trying to accomplish
Upvoted. Resteemed!
Let's spread this discussion!
Namaste
Good
Like my mentor, Gordon Gekko, said many moons ago, "Greed IS good".
Greed is a one way street that makes the world go round