I actually just got back a few weeks ago from the Ludwig von Mises Institute annual conference
http://www.mises.org. What I like about bitcoin is that it is a community with a solution that we are actually trying. I don't know many people in real life that are even close to as radical in their thinking as I (and many others on these forums) am. Surprisingly, however, I am able to talk with my real life friends about bitcoin much longer than my normal rants about "what should be," because bitcoin actually exists
I agree it might be a little premature for a conference, and that we certainly would want to have an agenda. On the other hand, Bitcoin could be one of those things that experiences viral adoption if the mechanisms, incentives, and market signals are in place for the "average joe" to jump on board. I feel as if an actual conference for those of us willing to sacrifice our anonymity would add some serious credibility. Not to mention, it'd be fun.
Oh man, I second that bit about "we're actually trying". Even though I love Von Mises, it seems that violence, and hence the capacity for government, will *always* exist: there will always be those who wish to enslave others for their own ends.
I've thus come to believe that the *only* way to achieve a non-violent and truely voluntary society is to have exceptional personal defense against the aggression of others. Once I was thinking about writing a sci-fi book with the premise that the invention of cheap and mass produced powerful defensive energy shields would lead at once to a completely voluntary society. Now, in real life, Bitcoin *is* that shield -- or at least as close as we can get thus far in terms of present technology. It greatly reaffirms my believe that freedom will, in the long run, win the battle against force.
Maybe we need a "Bitcoin philosophy" section on the forums for these types of discussions...
