I know this will sound corny to this crowd, but I'm thankful for #bitcoin

There are several reasons, but at top of mind right now is how F'n fake everything else is.

So, I'm old enough now to have seen a few waves of anti-state or "freedom" movements. Its always the same pattern, and its always a complete let-down, which I think is by design.

Videos emerge from carefully constructed platforms. There's different platforms for different mindsets - rebels don't mix with kowtow'ers, but both can be in the same camp if their leaders present themselves accordingly. So we're presented a video, the magic words are said, a guest speaker appears and he/she is an expert and they're "in the movement" and part of the magic words is referencing other people you've never heard of, but seem influential. You've never seen these people before, or very little, and if you step back and look at the construction of the dialogue, you see that there's something of an upward spiral of credibility being built, where we're assured they're on our side, then details, then associated experts referenced, then details, then past predictions referenced, which always were right, and so on - credibility in the viewer's mind builds. Its a story, and the shape of the story is always fairly similar, though the details change. But the underlying message is, someone is doing something.

And we're in the movement, because we watched the video. And something is happening, something is being done - so you have the option to find this movement, or continue to sit, content in the knowledge that you're right and things are happening, and better people are getting the right thing done, and you can keep sitting there and it's okay, because you were right.

Its all bullshit.

There's no movement. Never was.

Its all carefully constructed to get one outcome : you doing nothing. Complacency is the goal.

They sing the sweet sweet song of "you were right." They cast a spell on you... and you go back to sleep.

While someone out there puts their hand in your pocket and robs you. Except... Its not really your money they want, although they'll take that - they rob you of your life force. Your spirit. They consume your inner you. There's no hell or heaven waiting - what's left after they've eaten your soul? Those things are for them, not you.

Because you believed the bullshit.

Back to bitcoin : we finally have a way. You DO have to actually do something. You DO have to take a risk. The measure of your success is determined by how much you actually stand up to the powers and principalities. No pain, no gain - and it tests you.

You can stop watching the BS videos about people doing something. You can stop lying to yourself that something will change. The way out is here. Withdraw. Withdraw with a plan.

Remake yourself ; remake the world.

Happy Thanksgiving.

I travel a lot.

Your post reminded me that I never used to care about going against the crowd… I now block the facial recognition scanner at the airport or tell the agent “I do not consent to biometrics” and also ask for physical searches instead of the body scan. This may seem insignificant, until you try it under pressure.

What begins happen, is you begin to realize that authorities know that it’s a pressure game, “everybody’s doing it”, if you stand firm wrt your rights they back down, agents will say “okay, that’s your right” with little pushback, and I get what I can only describe as “the quickening” (from Highlander). Bitcoin did this to me.

PS: Im convinced that international airports represent the dystopian model of society they are looking for.

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100% That pressure is very strong. Its also an opportunity - they're giving you a chance at winning. Its easier to keep standing if you're already standing. So if you win the airport minigame, you make other wins easier.

That also reminds me, I think bitcoiners need alternative travel options. It might be worth building a bitcoiner transport company, focusing on privacy. We need to get around this planet without every airport telling on our movements, putting us at the mercy of whoever is the most dangerous in a particular country.

Absolutely! I sail to destinations on big boats. Maritime law affords protections that airports do not.

For example, you could get into the states using a seafarers exemption when proof of vax was in force. This is a very good option for slow but deliberate travel, and may work well for Bitcoiners.

One-way flights are also not questioned if you have a letter from a skipper… just saying.

Oh, I can't pass up this opportunity... How does a regular person use a ship for transportation? Don't care about going on a cruise... For example, if I wanted to use a boat to get from Miami to NYC, what would I do? Or from the US to Brazil or Thailand or wherever, if that's different?

I’d start with getting some sort of sailing accreditation. RYA is the gold standard, Competent Crew is an easy 1 week course that will give you street cred.

You can then use a site like https://www.findacrew.net/ to express interest in a passage.

If that’s not your vibe and you want more control, consider investing 20-30k in the RYA Yacht Master with commercial endorsement and do a boat delivery from/to the locations you are looking at.

Or, drop $100k+ on a bluewater monohull and life free. Really, it’s true freedom, sailing may capture you just like Bitcoin. There’s nothing like a night passage staring at thousands of stars, alone in the dark. It’s unexplainable. Please do it if you can.

I plan to. Getting a boat is my goal, but its too expensive right now. Saving in btc for a few more years will make it possible, though I'd still probably have to get a small one. From what I've read, boats are money pits.

I'll go look up RYA now... Research time

Royal yachting association!? Goodness. I'm no royal...

Yeah... This is too highfalutin for me. Its either a 15k fixer upper, or just renting passage. Is there really no way to just be a passenger and go somewhere?

Yeah, have someone pay you to be crew on their transport. Either way you’re going to need to learn to sail. Unless you stow away ;)