A realistic reminder to maxis that the majority of things you CAN buy with Bitcoin in the real world are only possible through companies providing services based on the faith they have in it; refusing to acknowledge this fact and getting upset at people like nostr:npub1hg5g87620a3vhpgmna2pzevhj88lkt3lezus76p7u5y37sfcszsszktya9 and nostr:npub16h43mvfanfmsvkg86vgqwr4h268l23t6034wulepd0m4j3dky9ssraxymy for pointing that out makes you extremely delusional.
Discussion
The entire system is flawed by design, ppl have been shilling it to businesses for over a decade and they still don’t want it despite zero government intervention. It’s just too complicated and risky.
There's the acknowledgement that services like Coinbase and BitPay (and numerous other names) are making it increasingly viable from a usability perspective to get on board, but then there's contention from more extremist maxis about corporate centralization (assuming they're not hypocrites and give Blockstream a free pass) and businesses themselves about adaptability.
I make no qualms about the fact that in spite of it existing for over a decade, Bitcoin won't ever get the mass adoption that invested holders and/or users like myself want it to have. It'll still be there for those who want to give traditional banking the middle finger, but with how willing people have been to have their privacy raped by companies like Google and Facebook/Meta, Bitcoin came too late for those not around during OWS to give a shit.
No wonder Bitcoin users are seen as crazy when everyone else has made craziness their normal... that, and the fact most won't SHUT THE FUCK UP when people say they're not interested.
I think in economic collapse scenarios crypto ppl like talk about, crypto prices are going to go right along with the rest of it. Crypto prices mirror the market already.
My take on it is this:
If you've had as much faith in the banking system despite its faults for as long as you've had, there's no real reason not to at least start small with investing in Bitcoin (and from my point of view, Bitcoin Cash).
At the same time, I do acknowledge that there is still some inherent value (how fleeting) in traditional currency. It's the reason governments are increasingly regulating crypto to its (arguably deserved) collapse while propping up CDBC's: they want to have control over what Bitcoin makes (mostly) uncontrollable.
The winning strategy is the one most maxis are seemingly abandoning in favor of preparing for a worse case scenario most people won't put up any opposition to: gradual growth and easing of the playing field for anyone not in the know. Nostr is a debatable example of this strategy working; more people are getting into crypto and decentralized technology through centralized but easy to use services like Alby and Wallet of Satoshi.
For those into it and want to either supplement or outright replace fiat with crypto, it needs to be an easy process that allows for gradual utilization of self-custodial services through learning with what you've got at the moment. I make no effort of convincing nor detailing anything crypto-related to anyone on or offline if the person in question is disinterested, but those who are get told that it's volatile out the gate, and to not put in anything they're unwilling to lose.
I'm going (mostly) all-in because trusting the government makes you the biggest loser, but if for any reason I go down, there's solace in knowing I didn't screw over any family or friends with MY decisions.
Update:
Every single cent of my savings has been put into temporary Strike custody, pending bank confirmation of all of my remaining balance being spent on Bitcoin.
Also, Bitrefill.
