Skip to main content

Minecraft Economics: How the Nether Update uses the Subjective Theory of Value

What is an emerald worth in Minecraft?


An emerald is the currency used in the popular game Minecraft for trading with NPCs called villagers and wandering traders. Emerald ore is an extremely rare resource in the sandbox world, yet every employed villager has quite a few to trade with the player. However, players have wondered how the emerald compares with real world currency. One YouTube Video by GameTheory tried to find this answer. First, they tried to convert it by comparing the USD cost of bread with the cost of bread in the game, but found that conversion does not translate to other goods. Next they used the labor theory of value to try to determine the USD to emerald conversion, but again came up with a nonsensical conversion. Finally, they tried to assume emeralds have an inherent value in real life and work backwards to determine the in-game USD cost. After using all of these methods, they come to the accurate conclusion that it's not really possible to convert emeralds i…
Post a Comment

Using Your Bitcoin





So we've got a wallet, we've invested in it, now what? Honest answer, start looking at all of the avenues to use your crypto. You will quickly realize that it's a lot like walking through your favorite store with $1000 cash in your pocket, the potential is limitless and the rabbit hole only gets deeper.

First and foremost, run a quick search for "vendors accept Bitcoin", what do you see? A relatively impressive, broad, and tempting list of companies. The list has grown substantially since around 2014, and includes a number of sites that appeal to the type of cyber enthusiast who would be attracted to crypto in the first place, places like The Pirate Bay, Newegg, and ExpressVPN. Additionally you can order Domino's Pizza, buy knick knacks off Etsy, or shop on Amazon.


For those who can't find a preferred vendor that explicitly accepts Bitcoin, well there are other options. For one, you can get a cryptocurrency debit card. Most operate on one of two methods for funding the card. You either have a crypto wallet that connects directly to the card, the type of service Coinbase offers, though not currently available in the US. The other option is to fund the card by depositing crypto into a card specific wallet, the type of service offered by bitpay. Generally, either method will convert your cryptocurrency at the time of purchase when used at any debit card accepting vendor.

All of this is pretty cool isn't it, especially if you're new investment wallet has gone from say $1000, to $1300 in value, you're practically able to spend free money at any place you'd like. What does all this mean for the future of cryptocurrency? Great question, and the answer is something that was foreseen a decade ago, when Bitcoin was started as a ledger. It means that Bitcoin will indefinitely become the most attractive, and most used currency worldwide. It's impossible to regulate so it's not subject to manipulation by Government, plain and simple. It gives humanity a way of holding onto what is truly theirs, tax free. Of course you'll be extorted into reporting your earnings on crypto, but why would you do that?

The operating platform for cryptocurrency is unmatched by any other currency to ever exist. Given enough time, and enough information shared about cryptocurrency, a large number of assets will be liquidated into cryptocurrency in some way, shape or form. As of 2017, the global market cap for money was greater than $80 trillion, that's only money, it does not include all other types of assets like gold, stocks, and real estate. The market cap for Bitcoin alone is currently at around $200 billion. When global markets begin to crash due to inflation and Government manipulation/intervention, there won't be a complete loss of value in the livelihoods of billions of people. That value has to go somewhere, and when cryptocurrency is so easy and available for use, well just do the math. The current price for 1 BTC is around $11,500, so in an ideal scenario where literally all value in fiat currency is siphoned into Bitcoin, you're looking at 1 BTC holding a value of $4.6 million. That's not an outrageous estimation, of course not all of that value will go into Bitcoin alone, there are other cryptocurrencies out there, but I didn't even account for the liquidation of real estate or stocks, which together hold much more value than money.

Cryptocurrency has an incredibly bright future, and in turn so does humanity.

Follow me on Twitter: @pop_toy


Find a list of useful links and citations for my market cap numbers below:

https://www.coinbase.com/card

https://bitpay.com/card/

https://www.coindesk.com/price/bitcoin

https://money.visualcapitalist.com/worlds-money-markets-one-visualization-2017/






Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Economics of BTC Maximalism

BTC maximalism is a flawed doctrine, fallacious in numerous respects. 

First, if you'd prefer to hear these arguments in audio, check out this recent episode of ABNP, where @mrpseu & I discused these same topics. 

Also, a qualifier: I'm not capable of making, defending or refuting technical arguments. I'll leave that aspect of the debate to others. My concerns with BTC maximalism are entirely economic and can be divided into four areas. 


Based on the criteria for saleability as laid out by the austrian school, BTC is not the most marketable digital commodity.A lack of portability relative to other cryptocurrencies implies BTC isn't as sound of a commodity. Value storage is a secondary function of money and cannot satisfy the use-value requirement of regression theorem. BTC maximalism lays waste to the Hayekian notion of competition as a discovery procedure. This final point was addressed in detail on episode 50 of The Agora, Crypto-Economics and thus, isn't elabor…
36 comments
Read more

Global Warming & Economics

Libertarians who deny the existence of global warming run the risk of making us all look like a bunch of illiterate fools.

Much like economics, being ignorant of planetology or climate science isn't a crime, but having a "loud and vociferous" opinion on the subject while remaining in a state of ignorance can be a dangerous thing. And frankly, the science behind climate change is elementary.

Sunlight enters our atmosphere and warms our planet. Earth then gives off that heat in the form of infrared radiation (this is the same principle behind those cool goggles our collapsitarian friends have). However, and this is a crucial point - the CO₂ molecules in our atmosphere do not allow IR to easily escape back into space. This is known as the greenhouse effect. As the temperature of the planet increases, polar ice caps melt and eventually surface water will begin to evaporate. Since H₂0 also prevents IR from escaping our atmosphere, the additional water vapor only compounds th…
12 comments
Read more

Don't Vote for Alex

It is 2019 and in Norway, that means county and city-election year. You can vote for me, but this article is all about why you really shouldn't. [1] There are several ways to say 'No'. This is a story about the time I said 'Yes', what I will stay positive to and what I will be negative toward. 

"But it is immoral to support politicians to oppress us because they might relieve us one oppression" - Samuel Edward Konkin III


First of all, there is some explaining to do: In my last article on the New Libertarian I argued that party politics is a waste of time and that you could use that time more productive so this entire piece seems like its contradicting that one. It might, that is up to you to judge for yourself (and if you want a chat I'm very approachable on Twitter), but in my defense, I will highlight two things:

One: I'm not against solution-finding, culture-building or exchange of ideas. I can give no brighter example of this happening than the…
5 comments
Read more