I'm not a professor, scholar, or historian... I'm just a photographer. But with that, I've learnt to be an excellent observer.
The thread is being pulled. The seams unraveling. Our world, slowly falling apart.
History shows we go through cycles of war and peace. At the polar ends of these cycles, our capacity as humans is tested. Times of hardship bring out our best leaders, while times of prosperity, bring out those who yearn wealth and power, the two engines that now drive our policies, influence our distribution of resources and shape our geopolitical landscape.
This short-sighted persistence for wealth and power has left the U.S. Government, and many others, in debt Trillions of Dollars. They brushed over the global financial crisis and reinstated the very banking system that destroyed the world's economy. Why? Because we need banks to keep our money safe and insured.. the government needs banks to keep track of how much to tax people.. that was 2008
2009, Enter Bitcoin.
A digital payment system emerges, invented by a programmer (or programmers) only known as Satoshi Nakamoto. I'd like to think that the advent of cryptocurrency rising from the ashes of the GFC was by design. That it was invented for the sole purpose to free the people from the shackles of centralised banking. It trickled in the background as the world spun. Only a handful of people understood its implications. But not for long.
2012, The Revolution
About three years later, it gained enough momentum to create a chain reaction of interest in the masses. People began to realise bitcoin did more than improve the efficiency of an outdated system. It also provided a way out from systemic corruption, a problem that seemed impossible.
To most banking institutions and governments, Cryptocurrencies are a threat. Bitcoin and other altcoins have essentially made centralised banks redundant. Some banks have already understood that there's no stopping what's coming and have consequently invested in it. Some even producing advertisements to help their customers understand what cryptocurrencies are. Other banks are in fear. It's an entity they can't control, manipulate or abuse.
Our governments have looked into cryptocurrencies and have finally come to the conclusion that there is no way for them to benefit from it. People are realising that their money is safer written on a decentralised ledger than it is in a bank, especially during a financial crisis. Why would anyone leave their money in a bank? What happens to our governments when everyone starts funnelling money out into cryptocurrency? They can't tax it, they can't trace it, they have no power over it. It's not a great place to be when you're already in debt with now a slowly diminishing revenue. So they call it a threat. They call it a threat in the only way they know people will respond. Terrorism.
We've been steadily bombarded with issues of national security. They've legitimised this fear through movement of policies and through the media. All the while more pressing issues of climate change and sustainable living are lost. I've not seen fear utilised this much to gain political ground since Hitler's rise to power. Flamed by racism, and hate.. everyone not realising yet that it's just a distraction.
2017, The real war is coming
Russia, China and India have been steadily buying gold. So much gold that its exceeding world production. Are they preparing for an impending global crisis? They've seen what everyone else hasn't. Perpetual debt that can't be refinanced. Chaos will rise once our centralised system fails again. Only this time, we have something that's easily accessible to the people. Gold that can't be manipulated. Bitcoin.
S.1241 - Combating Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, and Counterfeiting Act of 2017
This bill extends sentences from 5 to 10 years for U.S. citizens caught transporting over $10,000 worth of cash without filling out the proper paperwork. It allows the government to take all your cash without a warrant or trial. The bill goes a step further and encompasses businesses dealing with bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin is included in the list of monetary instruments that must be declared when entering or leaving the United States. Which doesn't even make sense when Bitcoin doesn't really exist anywhere. You don't carry it around in your pocket. Another step the government has done to restrict the use of cryptocurrencies.
Donald Trump sells 110 Billion U.S. dollars worth of weapons to the Saudi Government. A government that is known for violating multiple human rights acts and is currently committing genocide in Yemen. No one bats an eyelid. This is the biggest terrorist financing project that has happened in the history of the modern world.
How do you know you're in financial trouble?
When you have to sell your weapons to the enemy.
Beyond
Despite the negativity in the post, I'd like to think I'm an optimist. I love life but hated where we were heading. Cryptocurrencies provide us with a new opportunity to undo what we've done. Abolish greed, Abolish Corruption. To focus on what's important. To evolve as a race. No longer be short-sighted. Look at changing our motivation from wealth and power to knowledge and wisdom.
I have no idea how the next few years will pan out. We have placed a great deal of trust in our leaders to make the right decisions. Whether they do or don't is out of our control. All I know is that Cryptocurrencies is the first step in re-empowering individuals. As long as the people see that, it's not going away anytime soon.
N.B.
P.S. I promise, this will be my only cryptocurrency/steemit related post. I think this platform has enough coverage of this, but I had to get my thoughts off my chest.