It's the start of a new year

It's the start of a new year.

Happy New Year!

I haven't written much recently: It is true.

This post is dedicated to fellow follower of Christ "https://www.publish0x.com/@MurchisonFarm" who cares enough about the efforts I've made in the past, to nudge me about not letting this blog lay dormant. I sure appreciate you, ArmFarm, and so I'm forcing myself to make use of this Saturday afternoon to say a few things of reflection. Will this be a re-dedication to a blog that perhaps is meaningful to others as well? I will promise to give my best, and perhaps add in the occasional snarks for good measure.

Just to make sure things are clear: I'm not the biggest Bon Jovi fan, and not saying "ETH Moon" or "SBF" "LUNA" or a dozen other disgraces of 12-months-past probably means I'll target about 20 of the 300 or so who might normally see a post. That's ok. But still...why the title? It's not because of Sambora's talk box HEIL effect "oowah oowah oo o-oooo-whoah" of referenced song.

2022 was nothing short of a disgraceful year in crypto. In fact, every year has seen some pretty rotten stuff. It's enough of a public disgrace that there are people who were sitting on the fence who will never return to the space. Like moths to flame, they came for the rumors of "mad gainz" and instead lost a few billion dollars to scammers: This time, the scammers have the corrupt state watching their backs while millions of dollars continue to pour into the defense against whoever claims they got hurt once by the entry price of XRP. How does it even make sense?

When I first heard of Bitcoin, it had just reached parity with the dollar. That was a huge deal to Bitcoiners, because something that really had very little chance of seeing light beyond a small circle of cryptographers who's intelligence could only be matched by their geekiness (I mean that in the most affectionate way) suddenly had a marketable quality: It was 'worth' the same as a dollar.

I think what mattered more at that time, was there were "official" roads to actually trade Bitcoin for a dollar, or other things. At that time, I was working 14 hours/day doing something I loved, but doing so out of the necessity of survival. I already knew a great deal about the world, economics, power, greed, corruption, satanic influences that run amok, but this Bitcoin thing...

At that time, what I admired about Bitcoin was the kinds of people that it captured the interest of. One of them a family member who really can be credited for getting me 'into' crypto. A smart, kindhearted, techie-nerdy-kinda guy into making music and recording, working hard, cool computer work, experimenting with pyrotechnics...safely...helping with July 4 events-ish kinda stuff. He never barked the orange coin mantras that have become familiar, perhaps annoying, in recent years, but calmly, evenly shared when Bitcoin reached certain important milestones. An early miner, an early example showing Bitcoin's utility in place of cash (as painful as that might be for early adopters...none should feel shame for proving it worked for commerce!), and a general geek of all quality traits, I remember working hard in the art studio when hearing it was worth $1...Bitcoin was now the same value as a dollar.

There are people who mined hundreds of early Bitcoin(s)...(one of the stupid debates whether plural should be with or without the "s") and couldn't do anything with them, except show friends a "wallet" where they kept them (technically, a piece of software that pointed to an entry in a ledger...whoooopie!). They remember it being worth a penny...and for so little, they might as well hold on to them and see what happens. Bitcoin being worth a dollar meant there was something marketable non-cryptographers could understand.

I'd love to say I bought a few thousand of them and locked 'em away in my private or (barf...my unhosted wallets you scumbags!) wallets, but I didn't. I considered the practical, and at-the-time accurate response, which is: you aren't allowed to create your own money, so if it does "catch on" it will get squashed the second it starts taking away from taxed commerce with state fiat. Not that I was against the idea, but the message I needed to hear, was how the CEO of Bitcoin planned to deal with the real issue: that dreaded intermediary third party not one of us should trust.

Then, Bitcoin was worth $10. $100. $1000!

I had already seen the "Bitcoin solves complicated math problems to make the network more secure, so you get rewarded in...you guessed it...Bitcoin) videos that were now floating around, and reflecting on that, I appreciate the effort, but man what a lousy advertising campaign. Someone should fire Bitcoin's CEO and get fresh peeps. Oh...hey...maybe THAT's the point that needed more forward friction!?

Not $1. Not $10. No...what I truly needed to understand back then, is what millions still don't understand today...actually billions. There IS no CEO of Bitcoin. It IS a feature, not a flaw, that Satoshi pressed execute, shared a link, rebooted after an error, and stepped away at the first sign of Silk Road and Gavin's naivety with three letter agencies.

I got fully "into" crypto in 2017 just like a jagillion other people (no really, that's a legit number). Even still, it wasn't about the money. The money was being discussed, but from 2011 to that point, I had done six years extensive research on the state of the world, and saw that desperate things were in our very near future. Perhaps even things of biblical proportion. Most of you think anyone who has faith in anything beyond themselves are fools failing empirical evidence. I promise, in any public date, at any moment's notice, I would gladly debate someone on how we all have to have faith in something, and for scientists it is just as much true as philosophers and the religious. When it comes to crypto: true religion is this...to take from the book itself...love thy neighbor, care after the widows and orphans. Doesn't sound like the worst advice.

No, my 2017 interest in crypto was fueled by the knowledge that tough times were ahead, both personally and for society. I think 2020 forward has proven that to more people. The worst is yet to come.

The fact that money is involved...was involved...is secondary to the fact that as I learned about crypto, I saw the character, learned the lore of Mt. Gox and such foolishness and greed. Greater, the corruption we still see today...how long truly, does it take to send Bitcoin back to the people it has already been recovered for? The system is rigged, baby. Epstein didn't, and neither did Bourdain (another blog another time).

If there was going to be hope for financial stability for those who wish to care for their families, for the widows and orphans, have a crack at doing good for humanity, it was going to take money, and that money needed to be outside the scope of the greedy, grungy, dirty, filthy, sin-stained hands of the state. Plain and simple.

Hey, if any given year none of the states could even decide what "crypto" was, how could they weigh in on whether they deserve a piece of the pie? Now, they get it and it is only breaking through $1T valuations, no thanks to SBF and Don't Kwon and their scammy scamming scammer friends in high places. Disgusting human beings.

2017 was a time where I realized I had abilities in trading that were worth risk, and exploring, and today as I did then, I still believe 98% of people should not try doing the same thing. Having the guts to do what is required, and the patience to avoid that same instinct at all costs, is simply not something most people are going to fair well. It has been a learning curve. It has been worth every second.

But, if ever there was a debate about "crypto or Bitcoin", I think we've all had changes of mind or heart one time or the next.

I've tried to be intelligently open to every project coming along, but as that time has marched, I've realized that there are cracks in it...all of it. And, I've said so publicly...right here! Richard Heart...I still keep an eye on. The team at CoinFlex who have little chance of rising from the ashes, I still pay attention to...actually care about. I still treasure the fleeting interaction I had with the Winkledoppelganger and Vitalik. But, I'm understanding more and more how anywhere you look, there are people. Anywhere there are people, there are flaws. There is greed, lust for power, lust for control, and the wringing of evil hands even where maybe began the purest of intentions.

And then, there are just plain scammers scamming.

2022 gave the world a chance to fall for the oldest trick in the book with NFTs and the Brooklyn bridge, and then get hooked into the very thing all of this is supposed to prevent: 3rd party platforms that all had less sense than the regulators meant to protect us.

One of them, Voyager Digital, literally used the FDIC-insured Seal to instill trust.

We already knew better, didn't we? But, truly what choices do we have?

ETH is proving that despite all of the cool things done, and still to be discovered, it is highly centralized in all of the worst senses of the word.

Does that mean I'm an evil orange-hearted Bitcoin-only...cough cough...Maxi? I'm leaning closer and closer in that direction, but not with the same blinders that tricks so many people. There is a very, very, very good reason to lean that way.

NFTs, "STAKING", lend and earn, staking pools, "easy" interest-earning: none of this, and I mean none of it, is what any of this is supposed to be about.

You want to find a way to earn...or WIN, $1B from your $1000? I hope it happens for you for better reasons than "wen lambo". But really, anyone who gets lucky...guesses right...I hope it happens for you without the rampant destruction that so often befalls lottery winners. Even more, I hope some of us escape with our funds, our pride, AND profits. I truly do.

Being cautious of the true dangers of middle-men should be the lesson for all. If you're lost in the ETH vs BTC war, truly you still don't see the big picture.

2022 was the year a lot of people learned that the platforms entrusted with ALL of this madness are corrupt or clueless. Even the Winklevi didn't understand that there is no easy lending. What will happen there? Harm and disgrace to the industry. I don't think they have any bad intentions. I think they've leaned towards caution from the very start. But, they are tainted and trying to handle it best they can.

If I think that Ripple deserves better than what the US govt. is dishing out, does that make me a traitor to Bitcoin maximalism? Not any more than if I like eating chicken that I'm a traitor to a great steak. In fact, in this metaphor, I think I own, like $20 worth of XRP and won't ever care.

There is something completely unique in Bitcoin that matters more than "it was the first" or "it uses energy". While platforms, greedy Lord of the Rings-level villains, lenders, borrowers, addicted gamblers like Roger Ver, and should-be-convicted scammers like Dr. Wright, cause more harm to the space than the -98% valuation on free right click save as pics, there's still something very true and pure about the 14 years of nearly perfect processing that's been happening around the world.

Bitcoin is code.

Bitcoin doesn't know the difference between good and evil.

Bitcoin is, in fact, used by both good and evil. But, while the world went from quarantines to "died suddenly", from govt fraud and wickedness in 3-letter-agencies, from mandates no one should ever be ok with, and threats to our food supply I predicted 2 years ahead of schedule, those Bitcoin machines have been protecting code, validating the order of transactions against other transactions. Blackouts didn't matter. Energy rates didn't matter. Financial distress, scammers, centralized absolute rubbish...none of it compared to tick tock next block. Actually yeah, I kinda hate that saying too lol! But it's true. There's something very pure happening that hasn't changed since Bitcoin = $1. The love people have for something they see as pure, in this world of utter corruption.

Bitcoin doesn't know the love of God or salvation. But, it does inspire something pure in the true believers.

It could go down. It could have one line of code no one has picked up on. Hey, it could even be a covert govt. project that just happens to make for great laundering opportunities for govts looking to expand power!

Bitcoin could be a lot of things.

I don't think anyone is a fool for having the faith it could actually be...what it appears to be. Bitcoin still offers the opportunity to separate value from state.

Now more than ever, as a man who is not a libertarian nor do I feel any true loyalty to any party of men, I certainly identify with the principles core to those who seek freedom. I believe in fiscal responsibility, which makes me feel quite old to say stuffy "boomer" things like that (shut it, it's a stupid word but I get it lol). I believe in less centralized power and innovation. I believe that when man strives towards purity and freedom, he finds something greater in himself than flesh and core desires. I believe we can stretch ourselves towards greatness if given the opportunity, inspiration, and encouragement.

I don't believe most of the messages poured out over crowds more like herds.

I don't buy into anyone with any campaign with a big grin and an even bigger campaign fund.

But, I believe in human rights of basic freedoms, and we've lost access to most of these. Most people are becoming programmed to accept the mentality that we truly only deserve what's offered to us from the state, or by a 3rd party platform.

You don't have to ignore the fact that there is an entire industry built around crypto, and most of it will fail. There will actually...cough cough, be some legitimate businesses and coins or tokens or whatever...that come out of all of this. There are real world needs that will get mind-blowing solutions. But, always keep your eyes on the words and actions of men. Most of them are scammers, and most of them will scam you.

Don't stop learning. Don't stop recording, writing, reading, sharing with others, and most of all: don't stop caring.

The losers and greedy dregs of scum who gave 2022 a bad name may not get theirs on earth, but they will see judgment some day in some form.

They give crypto a bad name.

It doesn't mean you have to let it erode your inner qualities: you had faith in something that brought you here, and there was more than mad gainz in it for you. There are still people in this who will still be here 20 years from now: if there is a 20 years from now.

Don't let evil erase the love you've experienced by seeing the good things that can come from the elimination of the power of 3rd party entities. Look at how wicked and evil the state has shown itself to be. They hate the idea of self-hosted anything. We don't even have operating systems that can be used without them spying on us. Phones track our whereabouts and sell that data to the highest bidder...literally.

But if technology gives you something to be hopeful about, to share love, interest, commonality in something lofty—don't let the scammers kill that sense of awe and goodness. Chase after what is good. Screw the scammers. Love wins. And, if we're all blessed to see it happen, so does Bitcoin.

Happy 2023, and thank you again ArmFarm for nudging this along. It was time well spent.

And for now...a very tired but encouraged crypto super hero, Gordon Freeman, until next time...out.