> The sort of emotional hyperbole on here about "cryptocurrencies need to be banned by the loving, paternal, incorruptible government to save the world from ourselves" is not just getting old, its absurd.

Why is it "getting old"? It's a fair concern that something so volatile should be examined critically and relentlessly. People don't just "get a stiff drink and accept they'll lose money" if it goes down---they jump out of windows.

I'm hesitant to jump in cryptocurrency discussions because 1) I know too little about them, even at a technical level and 2) they're consistently filled with "emotional hyperbole" (that we agree on) from both ends.

I think governments/regulators should have some say the same way you'd want them to regulate any financial instrument and punish Ponzi schemers and pump-and-dumpers.

I'd like to think about the motives of both sides from being so passionate. For naysayers, I imagine it's a bit of sour grapes. For yaysayers, it's a bit more obvious---once the hype dies, they'll stop making money.