Attracting Taleb and TLP to #bitcoin-assets… With Camgirls

Ever since MP decided to pay 0.1 BTC for girls to flash their tits in #bitcoin-assets, there’s been a steady stream of imgurs lining the logs.i While most have been hesitant to show their faces, fearing reprimand from “the real world,” a few have been more game. Professional camgirl sexy_saffron has fared best thus far, showing a persistence like no other in IDing with gribble.ii Ms. Saffron therefore demonstrated herself as worthy of more complex assignments, and in doing so procured multiple jobs beyond simple tit flashing, including two videos of her begging and pleading with notable intellectuals to visit our little beacon of Internet-fueled hope: #b-a.

Said intellectuals were Chris Ballas (aka The Last Psychiatrist):

And Nassim Taleb (aka Mr. Black Swan):

Given that Ballas is writing a hardcore pornography novel of some description, the first video seems at least somewhat likely to catch his attention.

For Taleb, however, I’m less convinced that Ms. Saffron has what it takes to lure him to #b-a. Though the second video is certainly a creative approach, for which Mircea Popescu, its patron, is to be recognized, it doesn’t strike me as the right carrot with which to entice Nassim. The Levantine flâneur is more likely to be drawn in by promises of rare texts in arcane languages, or public debates with Nobel Prize winning derps. Still, given that Taleb also rejected my offer of a free bitcoin, as well as several other such offers and invitations, more creative solutions are needed if #bitcoin-assets is going to attract (even more of) such distinguished fellows. So what else can we try?

Since I’m far more familiar with Taleb’s work, and even his lifestyle, I’ll focus on him in proposing a couple ways to attract his attention:

1. Offer him a debate with a notable economist, journalist, or other philosophaster.iii
2. Tell him we need his linguistic skills in translating a rare text in an arcane language.
3. Follow his Facebook page, hire someone to attend one of his public events,iv and have them put a logged-in laptop in front of him while they’re enjoying coffee, beer, or conversation. Show him how IRC works.

Other ideas are left as exercises for the alert reader.

It’s a worthwhile endeavour, this.

P.S. If either Nassim Taleb or Chris Ballas is reading this, the fastest and easiest way to log onto #bitcoin-assets IRC channel is using webchat.  

___ ___ ___

  1. Exhibit A, Exhibit B, Exhibit C, Exhibit D, etc.
  2. Ms. Saffron made her way into the WoT using a Bitcoin public address instead of PGP/GPG. Yes, this is possible!
  3. While MP would make for a great debate, it should be someone Taleb is familiar with from fiat finance.
  4. Like this one in Montreal that happened last year.

14 thoughts on “Attracting Taleb and TLP to #bitcoin-assets… With Camgirls

  1. ngc1952tau says:

    I can think of one way to ensure Taleb *never* joins bitcoin-assets:

    Show him this blog post.

    Reasoning: He will perceive that the agenda is not genuine intellectual growth and development, but rather to utilize his fame and reputation for ego validation and marketing purposes.

    If it made sense to him to join bitcoin-assets, or to use IRC, he would. Trying to bribe him with a free bitcoin is quite counterproductive. I’d think that someone familiar with his philosophy would realize that.

    I would love to hear NNT discuss bitcoin with MP. But using psychological games and tricks, bribery, flattery, and giggly camgirls is not the way to go about it.

    He could potentially be convinced with substantive arguments, sincerity, integrity and growth opportunities, but I don’t see any of that on offer.

    Sorry. You and MP both have very interesting insights on occasion, but you’re out of your league on this one…

    • Bitcoin Pete says:

      I can think of one way to ensure Taleb *never* joins bitcoin-assets: Show him this blog post.

      Never say never, for you are not he.

      I would love to hear NNT discuss bitcoin with MP.

      That makes two of us.

      He could potentially be convinced with substantive arguments, sincerity, integrity and growth opportunities, but I don’t see any of that on offer.

      Taleb knows about Bitcoin and there’s little question that he’s been approached by others in a more, shall we say, predictable manner. The point of this exercise, to my mind, was to try something out of left field and to have a little fun. These videos were as likely to succeed as sending him a carrier pigeon, which is still a non-zero probability of success and this video leaves far more bread crumbs for future generations.

      And what would it take to get you into #bitcoin-assets?

    • ngc1952tau says:

      Fair enough. There is a non-zero possibility, I can’t argue that.

      Sorry for the harshness of the post, the approach just seems hubristic and rubbed me the wrong way.

      I enjoy reading the bitcoin-asset blogs but I don’t have the capital to trade on Mpex so there’s not much incentive to get personally involved at this point.

      I do observe and absorb from the sidelines however and appreciate the candid perspective.

  2. […] strategy proved far more effective than the Taleb and (since removed) TLP videos. See, Twitter works! […]

  3. […] Litecoiners, Fiaters, and general know-it-alls. […]

  4. […] into submission or else clean them off the table. As efforts to lure intellectual equals like Taleb and TLP have thus far failed,xvi MP’s intellectual, linguistic, and articulate dominance remains […]

  5. julian says:

    As i read the first footnote of the second edition of the black swan i realized this was not the right way to attract Taleb.
    The main reason being that he does not watch videos.

    http://upstart.bizjournals.com/views/columns/the-world-according-to/2008/08/14/Interview-With-Nassim-Nicholas-Taleb.html?page=all

    • Pete D. says:

      Ha! Good catch! That’s an old interview but I imagine that it still holds true.

      It’s funny because I really don’t watch videos either. It’s not surprising that Taleb didn’t drop everything and rush over to #b-a after this video was published.

      I’ve tried sending him a few tweets here and there. So I’d expect that he knows that we exist. I’d give him a few more years though.

  6. Camgirls won’t work. NNT has been married three times, and seems quite reserved in demeanor. I doubt he’s too enthusiastic about having his translations of antique texts in arcane languages subject to public scrutiny, either. As a member of the Jewish club, I can tell you that Aramaic isn’t so obscure. It’s rather close to modern Hebrew, e.g. the Four Questions recited at every Passover are in Aramaic. I’ll save further Haggadah commentary for a more appropriate venue ;)

    I know what would lure NNT to b-a. It would require some serious applied mathematics ability though! I need to figure out how to get into your WoT and then I’ll reveal all to MP and Daniel P. Barron.

    • Pete D. says:

      Camgirls won’t work.

      Won’t. Didn’t. Either way, I happen to be on the record as being of the same opinion as you on this particular matter.

      I’ll save further Haggadah commentary for a more appropriate venue ;)

      What nonsense is this ! I demand to be shown a better venue ! ;)

      I know what would lure NNT to b-a.

      I won’t stand in your way ! I’d also love to make this happen.

      I need to figure out how to get into your WoT

      1. PGP
      2. IRC

      What are you waiting for, Ellie ?

  7. […] PGP keys but also includes a Bitcoin donation address at the bottom. He hasn’t been “attracted to #bitcoin-assets” yet, but he’s not as willfully ignorant as some either. […]

  8. […] But the real test for TLP would’ve been unscrewing Hearn. If only TLP had accepted that invitation… […]

  9. […] quote from one of the earliest Contravex articles, Attracting Taleb and TLP to #bitcoin-assets… With camgirls […]

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