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There is the resource cost of crypto but also an opportunity cost.

Given all the smart minds and money devoted to crypto research, could humanity not benefit from other projects?

Talent invested in the crypto space pales in comparison to what we waste in finance. Our greatest minds are more likely to be arbitraging pork belly futures (PrIcE dIsCoVeRy!) than working on crypto.

I’m all for not wasting talent on wasteful projects, be it crypto or finance.

But wasting talent in finance isn’t a justification to waste talent in crypto.

Don't forget ads! There are way more people wasting time on that.

That's a valid point, but that's an argument for "crypto is an expensive distraction from more worthy goals" rather than the original "computers used for a certain purpose are dangerous to the environment"

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