"They will NEVER be Myyyy President"!
If you haven't been hearing this a great deal in November of 2020, then it's likely you've heard it the past 4 years if you live in the U.S. of A.
We are in many ways, a nation divided. It is not an outfit that has looked good on us in the past, and 2020 has been a year that exposes and accentuates some of the worst traits of everyone's beloved countries. But, there are a few things I wish to instill in this perdy lil' thought piece: honor, respect, love, and inspiration.
First, I'd like to say that I've been unimaginably busy this year despite spending many moments wondering if I, a crypto super hero, was going to lose everything, including my crowbar, but part of what has driven me forward is how thoughtful, resilient, and intelligent much of the crypto community truly is. Throughout the entirety of the lockdown lunacy, mask macabre and distancing debacles, there are people with fiery opinions who have stuck together to unite under a school of thought that matters to them. Sure, there have been some moments of debate, some Twitter blocks and some unfollows goin' on up in there on crypto Twitter, but honestly a tiny fraction of what I would have expected.
Unlike what I've seen largely in the mainstream media, most publishing platforms in the crypto world have had articles from the most extreme political positions created by users that are still up, with people still making comments, and platforms still allowing them to remain. What a minute, you're telling me the internet didn't explode because someone posted an opinion, or even worse, someone's comments dissented from those thoughts? Well happy hoorah, then freedom works!
Something else Gordon would like to say: Gordon is not a neutralitarian. Like Bob Dole the pineapple presidential candidate of yester-year, Gordon Freeman has strong convictions, but his existence is to sometimes argue a point that makes you think, perhaps even plant a seed here and there, but not to force a singular view down everyone's proverbial moral throat (what a weird... nevermind). So, the fact that I am stating the pleasantries of a community that can 'almost' stick it together, despite some massive splits here and there, is the special sauce of this delicious triple fact-burger with truth-cheese. And here comes the transition, mah friends...
About that controversial title that almost made you pass on reading this. That quote, in this case, does not represent the revolutionary left, or the 'red'ical right. I'm speaking for BITCOIN! Well, for crypto in general, but let's take our blue or red hats off to show some respect for the one that started it all; Bitcoin!
When the cryptocurrency community embraces an ideal, and we can gather behind something for a solid decade, maintain the excitement of the next halvening that happened, survive 5-7 more major massive exchange hacks, find the enthusiasm to start staking millions of dollars of Ethereum for the coming ETH 2.0 stake, and stay on track in a year of pandemics, political fears and massive election manipulations or all sorts, one HAS to recognize resilience and resolve, that crypto-enthusiasts are part of a community that has NOT been shaken by our fears or differences. Come one, come all, to the center of something grand, that succeeds (thus far) where our governments, political heroes, and even expectations of our favorite businesses have failed.
There are people who believe in the HODL and literally nothing else, but they post almost every day to let us know that when Bitcoin took a massive dive, they weren't shaken; they're hodling on. When Bitcoin shot up to $16,000; not shaken... hodling on. Most people in stocks hodl on for decades, and never bother even telling their best friends. Crypto people will share with pride, that they just stacked 1000 more sats, with a confidence that even if someone nuked the entire planet, there would be a surviving satellite broadcasting the blockchain for future civilizations smarter than ourselves to use their intelligence to unlock our private key-protected accounts and let the legend live on beyond our humanity. Okay, and that's where it gets a little silly, but yet still somewhat inspiring.
Bitcoin does not embrace any presidency, platform, or political leaning, because it doesn't have to!
But, let's get real, now that we just felt proud to all be members of the United States of Crypto for a few moments. We all know that just beneath the surface, there are evils looming that could be an attack from the enemy front. No matter where your leanings lie; left, right, globalist through and through, if you're willing to be honest, you know there are things that threaten our freedoms. Regulation in its purest sense, could help to protect us all from the scams and even from extortionists, but truly the best elements of crypto societies in the past, have been those who are able to self-govern through the madness and turn the worst cases over to the authorities, with some success I might add. There are times where people have gotten lost funds returned and bad actors have been locked away. But, the community has managed the best examples of these things without the assistance of big government, and that is a healthier model to embrace than seeking continued protections from bloated governance that truly have ulterior motives. There is never an example of government that gets smaller and less powerful, less greedy, the longer the years roll on. Regulation always ends up being the slave-chains of prior freedoms dressed up in the offerings of justice, so remember that old adage about not trading freedom for security. No one will ever make crypto perfect; but once again, we are a community that has survived dumps, hacks, fears and market crashes in one of the worst years of the past numerous decades.
Don't be naive; China's CCP is the real thing. They have tons of miners and cheap electricity and even cheaper labor, and they have announced their national coin and their plan to use it as a weapon. We love the Chinese people and want to see them experience true freedom, but we do not want a world wide CCP, trust me. Much of the online world is even starting to look strangely similar to Sesame Credit, where our social lives determine our access to funds. China could in fact pull the rug on the biggest, most precious imaginary gold, and the only preparations to work would be the ability of coders to understand better the global economics that turn the big blue ball.
Also don't be naive to think that big bank backing of Bitcoin is solely good news. Along with those masses entering the space in 2021, which for the first time Gordon firmly believes is going to happen for real this time, comes a belief that crypto is much like the normal financial space. We are a community with many the younger investor who has yet to be fully screwed by the powers that be. So, take a few words of wisdom from Uncle Gordon, who's got a few years on you, but is still cool enough to remain forever almost-30 in Half Life; they all talk the "we care about you that's why we want all of your money" verbage pretty darn well. But, we have been a community who looks after one another, and that rocks the blockchain better than anything.
Bitcoin is for everyone, and it's ideals are designed to free everyone. The threat of tyranny always comes with greed, and every government of earth is greedy for more power. Do not trust the powers that be to have your safety as their main goal. Safety is always the distraction that keeps you from noticing their hand on your wallet in that back right pocket, in this case a grab for your Bitcoin wallet of choice. Be smart, keep guarded, but remain hopeful crypto-world! Be safe, be the best ideals of Bitcoin, and don't ever stop believing! We made it through a massive market crash, hacks, pandemic scares, huge job losses and the myriad range of emotions. Bitcoin is still here! And, it's sustained its longest high averages for weeks and months longer than all of those relatively peaceful years of its existence. Now we know its resilience! No More Wondering!
Bitcoin doesn't have to recognize anyone's president, dictator, tyrant or even somewhat friendly fiascos of the European Union. It is for all citizens, for many different reasons, but more often than not, for the hope of a brighter future and the determination of the persistent present.
Your coins.
Your keys.
Your rights to hodl on, crypto-freedom-fighters!
And on that note, Crypto Gordon Freeman out.
