"The Day I Stopped Talking About Crypto and Started Using Money: Why I Chose Bitcoin Cash" by alberdioni8406 caught my attention because I had been doing research on how crypto and the RECONCILIATION framework I developed (and that I use in Afrogoth) align. Here are some highlights from the article, from the perspective of the first letter in the RECONCILIATION framework: Respect. I will break down the word RESPECT further into: Reality, Empathy and Equity, Simplicity, Past, Events, Candid and Trust.

Reality: A key component of Respect is acknowledging reality. The author notes at the very beginning: "There's a big difference between talking about cryptocurrency and using money. I didn't learn that in forums or conferences, but by trying to pay, receive, and organize my life on a daily basis." He also notes that: "the reality is simple: money circulates in small, medium, or big values, many times a day, paying extremely low fees." Jeff Kays, in his May 2025 post "Respect is a Reality to be Lived, not earned" reminds us that: "respect is not merely a social nicety. It is a reflection of something much greater: a glimpse of the divine order, a whisper of the way things were meant to be."

Empathy and Equity: The author, like me, is an African living in Africa and is therefore quite cognizant of the various opportunities and challenges in our beautiful continent. He writes: "Bitcoin Cash works in my town, in many other African cities, in the world, and in any other place where there's internet, no matter how much you are transferring or receiving." In many third world countries, informal businesses are the norm rather than the exception. The author notes: "For informal markets, local transport, and small businesses, they don't need technical details. They just need to pay, receive, and survive one more day." Under the subheading "Money Shouldn't Choose Who to Work For" the author criticizes the fact that the words financial inclusion are thrown around in the cryptocurrency space but in reality, the people who benefit are usually "those who already have a bank account, time, and technical knowledge." He celebrates the fact that Bitcoin Cash never asked him his origin, his bank status or his net worth. "It just works. And that is RARE."

Simplicity: I like the author's subheading that proclaims: "Simplicity as a Sign of Respect". He writes: "when a system demands that people need to learn technical stuff to be able to make payments, it doesn't respect who is on the other side." During the local meetups he organizes he does not need to explain to the attendees all the technical details, instead, he just explains "how to open a wallet and scan a QR code." He admits that he did not "look at Bitcoin Cash charts or analyze graphics to decide how and where to use it. I just did, as it works every time I need it."

Past - Respect also demands acknowledging the past, both good and bad. He notes past failures: "I used some other networks in the past, but many of them disappointed and failed where it is important: use as money."

Events - Under the subheading "Meetups: When Bitcoin Cash Stops Being Theory". The author shares about the reality of meetups where the rubber meets the road: "Taking BCH to meetups isn't about showing slides — it's about showing transactions happening live. Paying right there and receiving instantly. In this environment, many narratives go down. Either it works or it doesn't. And Bitcoin Cash works just fine."

Candid - The author acknowledges that the pace of decision-making is slow in Bitcoin Cash and that conflicts are inevitable but insists that the decisions are never imposed: "That isn't comfortable, but it's honest. For money that is neutral and global, this is more important than looking professional for investors."

Trust - Trust is key. He writes about the trust that develops when the product works as it should: "when a driver gets his customer's payment and smiles because it was fast and instantly confirmed in his wallet. Someone uses Bitcoin Cash for the first time and sees that they didn't lose any money on fees. Here, a small payment works as intended."

The other values in the RECONCILIATION framework are Empathy (briefly touched on in this post), Candid (briefly touched on in this post), Optimism (twice), "No" (boundaries), Communication, Integrity (thrice), Leadership, Acknowledge, Trust (briefly touched on in this post) and Non-negotiables.

Two powerful quotes from emotionalcompetency.com about respect:

“The key to a positive No is respect.” - William Ury

“Self-respect has little to do with the outer world's evaluation of us but is about a separate peace, a private reconciliation” - Joan Didion

The sixth leso Swahili saying in this article, 10 wise sayings on lesos from Coastal Kenya, is about respect: "Heri kuniuliza kuliko kunichunguza" (Better to ask me than to investigate me). The eighth leso Swahili saying in the article is also about respect and I actually own a skirt made from a leso with this saying, as I explained in my previous post "Phi-LESO-phy, Sabotage and 'The Case Against Extreme Wealth'". The article writer explains that the saying Nalia na mwewe kumbe hasidi ni wewe "is a perfect message for backstabbing neighbours and friends. This is the leso a woman will sport to bring a stop the shenanigans za mahasidi."

A well-known Swahili proverb about respect: Heshima si utumwa (Respect is not slavery).

Happy new year! May your 2026 be full of respect!