Blockchain, the modern revolutionary outlaw:
Blockchain technology has the power to transform the world. If blockchain technology were a plant, it would be cannabis. Cannabis was outlawed by those in power because it threatened their power. Now, having adequate time to "examine" how to "safely" legalize it (newspeak translation: Now, having figured out how to control and profit off of it), it stands to be a massive industry. Blockchain technology is Cannabis' robot cousin. It has to potential to change the world and completely shuffle the power dynamics that are currently at play. The people in power see this. (You see, when you are in power you become obsessed with keeping the power you have and finding ways to get more of it). This is why it is going to be a bumpy road for all things blockchain. You don't have to be around the crypto space for long before you realize that it is constantly being attacked and threatened. No ads on google and facebook this week. No mining in China last month. No exchanges in China the month before. No mining in Plattsburgh.... .... the list goes on.
The beautiful thing about the technology is that it will always be relevant, even if those in power don't want it to be. Blockchain has a fantastic trojan horse mechanism built into it which enables this to be the case. Govenments can threaten to "shut down" bitcoin all they want. It cannot be shut down. As long as there is a node and a miner somewhere in the world, there will be bitcoin. With decentralized exchanges such as bitshares and EOSfinex (soon enough) it will be even more rock solid. The fact that it is decentralized and therefore practically impossible to shut down does not mean that road for blockchain technology will be simple. There have been many attacks and many more are on the way.
I have been studying the human condition, philosophy, politics and power dynamics for years. One thing that I do know is that people in power want to keep it. When their power is threatened, they will take measures to control that threat. Take a look at blockchains green cousin for a perfect example. Cannabis was the solution to everything. Medicine, fabric, paper, recreation, fuel, material, food and more! The problem is that it threatened major industries that were already heavily invested. Pulp and paper, cotton, tobacco, oil and pharmaceuticals. What is worse is that in order for hemp to be grown and processed, there would need to be many farmers involved. Timber, cotton, tobacco and oil could all be much more easily monopolized and therefore easy to keep the money flowing to the right hands. Once you have the need for farmers, there are too many 'commoners' involved and therefore getting their piece of the pie. That is not good for the bottom line of those in control. The result: outlaw the plant justified through major propaganda campaigns.
Bitcoin, and bitcoin alternatives threaten the very financial institutions that now own the governments we like to think we vote for. If we think that this current structure is going to allow that to happen, we a not thinking very hard. I don't want to think about what could be coming next, but there are many more roads to travel before we can bitcoin ourselves a morning smoothy. Due to the trojan horse factor of blockchain, the technology is already in this system. They cannot beat it. This means that eventually, much like with cannabis, after many years of research and development (finding out how to keep power), blockchain technology will be everywhere.
Change is usually messy. Blockchain is a revolution. If we no longer have a world with banks, do you think that the banks and the militaries that they indirectly own, are simply going to decide to go home and start a bitcoin mine? You are thinking wishfully if you believe that (but it would be hilarious if that's how it played out). There is going to be a lot of political unrest, trickery, propaganda and tomfoolery before you can go to your car dealership and blockchain yourself a Camry.
Change is necessary. Corruption is rampant and it is only looking like more corruption is on the way. There are wars being fought from behind cameras via remote control over control of resources we don't even know are being fought over yet because we still believe that the reasons for the conflicts are noble and true (Propaganda yet again). The majority of the people are getting wise to this old game. Bitcoin is worth way more than it was 3 years ago and that is likely a testament to that. The internet has decentralized the media (to an extent) but the mainstream has done a really good job of keeping the iron curtain drawn in front of many. Can those in control do the same with blockchain technology? They are going to attempt it, that much I do know.
There will be many attacks on the technology but eventually society will accept the ample benefits and change will occur. When they realize that they can't beat bitcoin (and maybe they already have realized this) those with fantastic amounts of wealth will invest it in the space. They will still be the 1%, but at least they will have to play by Satoshi Nakamoto's rules. That is a big win. Corruption is far more controlled when the programming forbids it.
There will be growing pains as all of these changes come into reality. The changes will be for the better (unless we just let something like official-government-bankster-coin become the official blockchain of planet earth, but I don't see that one happening) but as the changes come into existence there will be casualties created to justify not going through with them. The propaganda machine is strong. There will be damaged caused as those in power attempt to hold onto it. As these changes are occurring we need to know that the changes that we are bringing forth are worth the damage those in power are causing trying to keep the power. It will also help if we can recognize who is causing the damage and why. (See through the propaganda).
These are exciting times to be alive and every now and then, I write a sentence that needs to be repeated. "Bitcoin, and bitcoin alternatives threaten the very financial institutions that now own the governments we like to think we vote for. " The fact that they trojan horsed their way into this system is only the beginning of the changes that are coming. Just know that those in power don't like to let go of it easily.
Thanks for reading. Please share your thoughts and get your conversation on.