British author, J.K Rowling, famed for writing the much-loved series of Harry Potter could become the latest popular figure to get involved with Bitcoin, after revealing that she doesn’t understand what bitcoin is and would need an explanation.
In a tweet from a few minutes ago to press time, J.K. Rowling had responded to Coindesk writer, Leigh Cuen who had fantasized about the chances of getting a response from the famous novelist about Bitcoin. J.K Rowling in a tweet replied:
I don’t understand bitcoin. Please explain it to me.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 15, 2020
As one would expect from such a famous request coming on Twitter, home to the largest flock of crypto enthusiasts, there was no shortage of response from the community. Here are some of the most notable Bitcoin explanations to J.K Rowling’s request, including one from Ethereum co-founder, Vitalik Buterin.
It’s a digital currency. There’s ~18m units of it. It’s not backed by anything, it’s just valuable because it is, like collectibles.
There’s a network of computers (which anyone can join) that maintains a decentralized global excel spreadsheet of how many coins each person has.
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) May 15, 2020
The @Bitcoin Twitter account also responded with an explanation that includes the legendary Gringotts Bank from the Harry Potter story, suggesting that Bitcoin could fix the problem of trust even for wizards in the novel who used banks.
Wizards still need to trust Gringotts Bank.
Bitcoin fixes this.
— Bitcoin (@Bitcoin) May 15, 2020
Jason Lau, Chief Operating Officer at San-Francisco headquartered crypto exchange, OKCoin, also weighed in with a Bitcoin definition interwoven in a Harry Potter tale.
Bitcoin is digital money that both Muggles and Wizards can use. It’s not minted by Gringotts or HM Treasury, but secured by digital guardians across the world.
Instead of Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts, the units are bitcoin and satoshi. One bitcoin represents 100m satoshi.
— Jason Lau (@jasonklau) May 15, 2020
Despite the explanations though, it appears a little more work would be needed to win the British author over after she said in a follow-up:
People are now explaining Bitcoin to me, and honestly, it’s blah blah blah collectibles (My Little Pony?) blah blah blah computers (got one of those) blah blah blah crypto (sounds creepy) blah blah blah understand the risk (I don’t, though.)
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 15, 2020
Meanwhile, the round of response from the cryptocurrency community on Twitter could likely lure J.K Rowling down the Bitcoin path, which many prestigious figures have recognized and even promoted in recent times.
For instance, Coinfomania reported in the wake of the current global currency crisis that Rich Dad Poor Dad Author, Robert Kiyosaki urged his followers to buy Bitcoin, calling it the people’s money and an asset similar to gold.
