What was supposed to be a "sober discussion" about blockchain technology at the Milken Institute Global Conference on Thursday will instead be remembered as the first public "cryptobrawl" of 2018, and it was instigated by none other than famed cryptoskeptic Nouriel Roubini, the NYU economics professor-cum-partyer, better known as "Dr. Doom", as well as for his pro-Keynesian/fiat, anti-crypto/gold views.

The verbal feud started when Roubini infuriated cryptoevangelists by accusing them of doing precisely what they accuse fiat fanatics of doing: "You're just making stuff up."

"Why don’t you buy one coin, then you can tell us how it works," Mashinsky said.

As if that weren't enough to send his blockchain evangelist co-panelists into a rage, Roubini followed it up with another equally provocative statement.

"All this talk of decentralization is just bullshit," he said.

According to a Bloomberg report, the discussion quickly unraveled from there, with a shouting match erupting between Roubini and blockchain entrepreneur Alex Mashinsky, who exclaimed that "everything you just said is irrelevant.' Before he became involved with blockchain, Mashinsky helped develop the Voice over Internet Protocol standard.

Mashinsky wasn't the only panel member who pushed back against Roubini.

"I don’t even know where to begin," Bill Barhydt, who worked on cryptography for the CIA, responded to Roubini.

Roubini was one of the first big-name academics in the world of economics to express serious doubts about blockchain.

But while pessimism is effectively Roubini's default mode, it appears "Dr. Doom" might've had an ulterior motive when he instigated today's commotion: it appears that Roubini is participating in a debate later this month at Fluidity Summit 2018 where he will play crypto-skeptic to Consensys Founder Joe Lubin's crypto advocate.

Will Crypto Flourish or Fail?@Nouriel 'Dr. Doom' Roubini, a renowned economist who predicted the '08 market crash, takes on @ethereumJoseph, Co-Founder of #Ethereum and Founder of @ConsenSys in the debate of the century.



Full Video: https://t.co/7I5lbUykSK pic.twitter.com/10hiN25Hyq — Fluidity Summit (@fluiditysummit) May 2, 2018

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