Hello, so this is post trying to shed some necessary light on Bitcoin scaling debate. I've been trying to chose sides for a long time and have spent a lot of time researching different opinions on how to solve this issue. While not particularly liking any of the solutions I've come to decision to suport the controversial proposal of block size increase without SegWit (USHF - Bitcoin ABC). While I'm not a programmer I've dedicated a lot of time to objectively (Objective, because I have no affiliation or sympathy to any of the sides or proposals what so ever, because I only care about what is the best for Bitcoin and it's original idea and purpose) evaluate what is the best course of action. My point of view is somewhat more "feeling" oriented and while it may not seem like a legit enough evaluation tool, I must assure you my "feeling" has hardly ever let me down, as it is more of a collection of impressions compared with facts, opinions of different "experts" on Bitcoin that I've talked to and most of all behavior of different sides, that says a quite a bit about them, if observed closely.
I've observed the way different sides are behaving and their incentives for actions. When you analyze Jihan Wu's behavior even though he's maybe not entirely sure how to go abut it, as he is risking a shitload of money, he seems to have a clear vision of how things should be and what he is willing to do to get there. He was decided on bigger blocks and no SegWit even on the Blockchain Conference in Amsterdam in the middle of June and hasn't seem to changed his perspective ever since. Likewise other people who are opposing the Core side, seem to be uniting behind this philosophy. Not to mention there are basically no attacks from this side towards the other side. They simply want to go their way and seem to have faith in it, even though they are in much worse starting situation, which is pretty much the only reason they are afraid, but not because their technological solutions would be worse. They "know" that what they are doing is "the right thing to do" but are only afraid that other people might not see it, or not sure when will they start to see it.
On the other hand, when you look at the SegWit side, there seems to me too much chaos among themselves, they are not united and everybody in there seems to want something a bit different and whilt it seems how they've won with the SegWit, I think it is highly likely their community will split over the block size increase in November as a large part will try to back out of it and that will cause a cascade of shit-storm that will have likely have a disastrous effect on Bitcoin and also notable supporters will diverge to USHF side. They seem to be fearful, irrational, manipulative and desperate to gain power and will ruin Bitcoin if they must, just to get that. Jihan doesn't have to ruin anything, he has the power and while it's somewhat opposed to the decentralization model. It is actually only somewhat centralized in certain part of the whole thing, that doesn't matter as much, since the technology itself will remain intact, decentralized and in alignment with the original idea. On the other hand the SegWit part appears to be more decentralized, but only in the not important and actually counterproductive part - in its organization. People there will only keep arguing to reach some sort of consensus like it has been so far (No, Bitmain is not the only entity they don't agree with) and the important part - the technology - will slowly slip into the hands of institutions that are centralized and will taint and pervert Bitcoin just to get money (fiat money) and power. They are basically selling Bitcoin to the system it was created to destroy. As for example Lightning Network is not and will not be decentralized and centralized authorities will get control over it. Something we as community were trying to escape this whole time. Not to mention, that they are very manipulative when it comes to public opinion and are doing everything they can to control the opinions of people by censoring everything they can, that anyhow questions their concepts or technological solutions. Doesn't this sound familiar??? It is exactly what all the suspicious and controlling institutions of today are doing. Those we are trying to break free from. We should think very carefully and critically before trusting somebody with our allegiance.
Just look at the social media and see how aggressive they are. **CENSORSHIP IS NOT A PRACTICE OF THE TRUSTWORTHY. **
I encourage you to take a critical look at what is happening, try to step away from what you've already accepted as your opinion and re-evaluate things, with putting the emotion aside.
I believe that Core folks are planting a Trojan horse in Bitcoin and if we don't see through it soon, we (Bitcoin) will perish.
Here are some posts I've come across on Reddit and Bitcointalk that show this manipulative censorship, while they are only a speck of all the cases of this behavior.
https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/6ptl4j/wow_my_2ndmostupvoted_post_showing_how_rbitcoin/
https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/4b8xcq/unbelievable_censorship_on_bitcointalk_bitcoin/
https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/5ipd7a/censorship_test_i_called_out_utheymos_for_giving/
Unfortunately the post on bitcointalk I wanted to share I cannot find anymore, but it was quoting responses of some Core members and links to censored posts. The OP pointed to a whole 40-something page discussion being locked as it was questioning SegWit upgrade with legit non-biased technical questions and such.
I don't know how about you, but I simply cannot believe this kind of people. Please people do your own due diligence and research. Try to look at things from different sides, try to see why is who doing what. And what it is that they are doing. This is a big game for sure and many things are still hidden from us and it is hard to see, what is happening or going to happen, but you should not blindly believe anyone - not even me- I'm just encouraging you to look for your own answers (and you will find them only if you look everywhere not only where you want to look). Question things. Make up your own mind, don't let somebody do it for you. That is the beginning of the end.