We all develop interests in abstract concepts early in life. Speed, God and death are 3 obvious examples. Whatever their religious beliefs, I doubt if there are any people reading this forum who have not heard of some form of God. There are advantages and disadvantages in having an advanced brain that can appreciate these concepts. Some say that whether or not God exists, an appreciation of death means that we have to create a religion with a ruling deity.
This religious creation can lead to blind obedience to flawed concepts, and we have many examples of this.
- Fiat currencies
- Peace through military dominance and the suppression of nationalism
- The health benefits of wearing face masks.
The extension of understanding to appreciate virtual assets seems to escape most people, and they seem to blur the distinction between real and virtual ownership. Gold is one example. If you have a gold coin in your hand, then you own it. If you have a piece of paper that says you are entitled to a gold coin, but somebody else is keeping it for you, then you don't own it. Actually the same applies to Bitcoin - if you purchase some Bitcoin, and it is transferred to a wallet that has your name on it, but you don't have the keys to it, then you don't own the coins. All you own is a promise that may not be honoured.