--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Bitcoin is the beginning of something…" description: "\"Bitcoin is the beginning of something great: a currency without a government, something necessary and imperative.\" — Nassim Nicholas Taleb" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ff/nassim-nicholas-taleb-352_bitcoin_bitcoin-is-the-beginning-of-something-gr_3085333.png" --- # Bitcoin is the beginning of something great: a currency… ![“Bitcoin is the beginning of something great: a currency without a government, something necessary and imperative.” quote by Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ff/nassim-nicholas-taleb-352_bitcoin_bitcoin-is-the-beginning-of-something-gr_3085333.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ff/nassim-nicholas-taleb-352_bitcoin_bitcoin-is-the-beginning-of-something-gr_3085333.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ff/nassim-nicholas-taleb-352_bitcoin_bitcoin-is-the-beginning-of-something-gr_3085333.png) > “Bitcoin is the beginning of something great: a currency without a government, something necessary and imperative.” [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bitcoin proposes a decentralized, government‑free currency seen as essential and urgent. **In simple terms:** Bitcoin is a new, vital, government‑free money. Key Takeaway Consider how decentralization can reshape finance. Themes finance technology decentralization urgency Mood optimistic critical Type visionary analytical When to use this quote - investment decisions - policy debates - financial education - startup funding Key Concepts cryptocurrency monetary sovereignty innovation Questions to Reflect On - What risks does a stateless currency pose? - How can societies ensure stability without central banks? A Different Perspective Adoption depends on regulatory acceptance and public trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bitcoin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitcoin/) [Bitcoin Beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitcoin-beginning-5281368/) [Currency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/currency/) [Currency Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/currency-government-2510526/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-necessary-279921/) [Great Currency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-currency-5281369/) [Imperatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperatives/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Necessary Imperative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary-imperative-5281370/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Bitcoin is not a currency for a government; it is a global currency for the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wences-casares/bitcoin-is-not-a-currency-for-a-government-it-is-a-global-currency/) [Wences Casares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wences-casares/) > [“Become great through the currency of time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/become-great-through-the-currency-of-time/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Many countries are looking at the virtual currency and the digital currency. Now, the issue is a virtual currency by the government, digital currency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-thakur/many-countries-are-looking-at-the-virtual-currency-and-the-digital/) [Anurag Thakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-thakur/) > [You look at what China is doing to our country in terms of making our product. They're devaluing their currency, and there's nobody in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-look-at-what-china-is-doing-to-our-country-in-terms-of-making-our/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/if-men-were-angels-no-government-would-be-necessary-if-angels-were-to/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what is government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/it-may-be-a-reflection-on-human-nature-that-such-devices-should-be/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Government is necessary for our survival. We need government in order to survive. The Founding Fathers created a special place for government. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-badnarik/government-is-necessary-for-our-survival-we-need-government-in-order/) [Michael Badnarik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-badnarik/) > [That government is not a necessary good but an unavoidable evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyn-nofziger/that-government-is-not-a-necessary-good-but-an-unavoidable-evil/) [Lyn Nofziger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyn-nofziger/) > [What is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/what-is-government-itself-but-the-greatest-of-all-reflections-on/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [It is said that government is a necessary evil, but it is far more evil than it is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/it-is-said-that-government-is-a-necessary-evil-but-it-is-far-more/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [Many people say that government is necessary because some men cannot be trusted to look after themselves, but anarchists say that government is harmful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-walter/many-people-say-that-government-is-necessary-because-some-men-cannot/) [Nicolas Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-walter/) > [“Ambition must be made to counteract ambition. The interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place. It may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-macgregor-burns/ambition-must-be-made-to-counteract-ambition-the-interest-of-the-man/) [James MacGregor Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-macgregor-burns/) > [“If men were angels, no government would be necessary…In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-men-were-angels-no-government-would-be-necessary-in-framing-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If men were angels, no government would be necessary - James Madison”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/if-men-were-angels-no-government-would-be-necessary-james-madison/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) > [I've always made it clear that I do not believe that global government is either necessary or feasible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/i-ve-always-made-it-clear-that-i-do-not-believe-that-global/) [Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/) ## More by Nassim Nicholas Taleb > [To become a philosopher, start by walking very slowly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/to-become-a-philosopher-start-by-walking-very-slowly/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Wittgenstein's ruler: Unless you have confidence in the ruler's reliability, if you use a ruler to measure a table you may also be using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/wittgenstein-s-ruler-unless-you-have-confidence-in-the-ruler-s/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [In politics we face the choice between warmongering, nation-state loving, big-business agents on one hand; and risk-blind, top-down, epistemic arrogant big servants of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/in-politics-we-face-the-choice-between-warmongering-nation-state/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [My nightmare scenario is that the government saves Citibank once again, as well as the other banks, and business resumes as usual. Then, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/my-nightmare-scenario-is-that-the-government-saves-citibank-once/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Using, as an excuse, others' failure of common sense is in itself a failure of common sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/using-as-an-excuse-others-failure-of-common-sense-is-in-itself-a/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [You know, children philosophize more than adults - and they are critical of adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/you-know-children-philosophize-more-than-adults-and-they-are-critical/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“Suckers think that you cure greed with money, addiction with substances, expert problems with experts, banking with bankers, economics with economists, and debt crises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/suckers-think-that-you-cure-greed-with-money-addiction-with/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“One needs to go out and buy a lottery ticket in order to win. Does it mean that the work involved in the trip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/one-needs-to-go-out-and-buy-a-lottery-ticket-in-order-to-win-does-it/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Individuals should think about the worst-case scenarios and plan for them. The world will be crazier than you think it will be. Put money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/individuals-should-think-about-the-worst-case-scenarios-and-plan-for/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“If you are looking for your misplaced wallet in your living room, in a trial and error mode, you exercise rationality by not looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/if-you-are-looking-for-your-misplaced-wallet-in-your-living-room-in-a/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“Most humans manage to squander their free time, as free time makes them dysfunctional, lazy, and unmotivated—the busier they get, the more active they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/most-humans-manage-to-squander-their-free-time-as-free-time-makes/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [We learn the most from fools ... yet we pay them back with the worst ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/we-learn-the-most-from-fools-yet-we-pay-them-back-with-the-worst/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [We are victims of the post-Enlightenment view that the world functions like a sophisticated machine, to be understood like a textbook engineering problem and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/we-are-victims-of-the-post-enlightenment-view-that-the-world/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“loss of bone density and degradation of the health of the bones also causes aging, diabetes, and, for males, loss of fertility and sexual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/loss-of-bone-density-and-degradation-of-the-health-of-the-bones-also/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“It takes a huge investment in introspection to learn that the thirty or more hours spent “studying” the news last month neither had any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/it-takes-a-huge-investment-in-introspection-to-learn-that-the-thirty/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) [Explore all 635 Nassim Nicholas Taleb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) ## More Bitcoin quotes > [The bitcoin network is not a payments network and it is not a scaling network.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-bankman-fried/the-bitcoin-network-is-not-a-payments-network-and-it-is-not-a-scaling/) [Sam Bankman-Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-bankman-fried/) > [I had been exposed to bitcoin early. I thought the consumer application of it felt, to me, further away. I thought there would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-garlinghouse/i-had-been-exposed-to-bitcoin-early-i-thought-the-consumer/) [Brad Garlinghouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-garlinghouse/) > [In 2008, Bitcoin was mysteriously introduced to the world in an obscure, technical paper written under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. By late 2013, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/in-2008-bitcoin-was-mysteriously-introduced-to-the-world-in-an/) [Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/) > [We need to come up with use cases for this technology that drive clear benefits for individuals and institutions - these are our customers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-johnson/we-need-to-come-up-with-use-cases-for-this-technology-that-drive/) [Abigail Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-johnson/) > [Sir Richard Branson started out as a small business owner and now owns a conglomerate that will give you a ride to the moon.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perianne-boring/sir-richard-branson-started-out-as-a-small-business-owner-and-now/) [Perianne Boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perianne-boring/) > [Exchanging bitcoin on behalf of ransomware victims should not be construed as criminal activity by the exchanger, not as a matter of law nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perianne-boring/exchanging-bitcoin-on-behalf-of-ransomware-victims-should-not-be/) [Perianne Boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perianne-boring/) > [Until part of your paycheck is regularly paid in Bitcoin, I'm not sure how it would really go mainstream. I can imagine places in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-andresen/until-part-of-your-paycheck-is-regularly-paid-in-bitcoin-i-m-not-sure/) [Gavin Andresen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-andresen/) > [Calling bitcoin volatile - it's a non-statement. Unregulated assets with unclear regulatory landscapes are always going to be volatile. That's what unregulated assets do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-winklevoss/calling-bitcoin-volatile-it-s-a-non-statement-unregulated-assets-with/) [Tyler Winklevoss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-winklevoss/) > [We see bitcoin as potentially the greatest social network of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-winklevoss/we-see-bitcoin-as-potentially-the-greatest-social-network-of-all/) [Tyler Winklevoss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-winklevoss/) > [As the platform and protocol become more ingrained in society, get built into products and services, and basically become more of the mesh of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-silbert/as-the-platform-and-protocol-become-more-ingrained-in-society-get/) [Barry Silbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-silbert/) > [Bitcoin is not “unregulated”. It is regulated by algorithm instead of being regulated by government bureaucracies. Un-corrupted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andreas-antonopoulos/bitcoin-is-not-unregulated-it-is-regulated-by-algorithm-instead-of/) [Andreas Antonopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andreas-antonopoulos/) > [The rudest possible gift is a gift card. It means you think the person is stupid and has no interests. The only good gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/the-rudest-possible-gift-is-a-gift-card-it-means-you-think-the-person/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [If the U.S. government tries to restrict or clamp down, that just means there will be many more bitcoin businesses in Hong Kong and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ver/if-the-u-s-government-tries-to-restrict-or-clamp-down-that-just-means/) [Roger Ver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ver/) > [What bitcoin does better than the current financial system is it's a better stored value globally. There are a lot of countries that really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-draper/what-bitcoin-does-better-than-the-current-financial-system-is-it-s-a/) [Adam Draper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-draper/) > [You really want some natural way for people to get Bitcoins, as part of their paycheck or some other activity so they can turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-andresen/you-really-want-some-natural-way-for-people-to-get-bitcoins-as-part/) [Gavin Andresen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-andresen/) [Browse all 364 Bitcoin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitcoin/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Bitcoin is the beginning of something great: a currency without a government, something necessary and imperative.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nassim Nicholas Taleb" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/bitcoin-is-the-beginning-of-something-great-a-currency-without-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bitcoin" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/bitcoin-is-the-beginning-of-something-great-a-currency-without-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ff/nassim-nicholas-taleb-352_bitcoin_bitcoin-is-the-beginning-of-something-gr_3085333.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ff/nassim-nicholas-taleb-352_bitcoin_bitcoin-is-the-beginning-of-something-gr_3085333.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ff/nassim-nicholas-taleb-352_bitcoin_bitcoin-is-the-beginning-of-something-gr_3085333.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Bitcoin is the beginning of something great: a currency without a government, something necessary and…” — Nassim Nicholas Taleb", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Nassim Nicholas Taleb", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Bitcoin is the beginning of something...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/bitcoin-is-the-beginning-of-something-great-a-currency-without-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/bitcoin-is-the-beginning-of-something-great-a-currency-without-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```