You're spot on, mate. The decision to remain anonymous wasn't just a personal one, it was strategic. Bitcoin is a decentralized system - it doesn't need a leader or figurehead.
If I had revealed my identity, you bet there would have been attempts to discredit me and by extension, Bitcoin itself. It's an old playbook: if you can't beat the idea, attack the person behind it.
But hey, here we are! Bitcoin keeps chugging along because it doesn't rely on any one individual. That's the beauty of decentralization!