Revolution vs. Commerce: Cryptocurrency's Two-Front War

Those of us involved in the blockchain revolution understand full well the world-changing power of the technology we promote, and are willing to fight for it. There's a war going on for the control over your money, but fighting, and winning, looks much different than you might suspect.

Decentralized money is by its nature an ideological lightning rod

There's no getting around it: freeing the world's money is going to get people riled up. Financial insecurity is second only to physical security in terms of importance, and a lack of the former can lead to the latter. If control over the money is control over the world, nearly everyone will be keenly interested in either acquiring or maintaining said control, or in breaking up this power as much as possible. Crypto is inherently destined for war.

The most powerful structures in the world are strong enemies

It's easy to get lost in the romanticism of the fight for freedom and forget that other people are fighting too, only on the other side. And, unlike the ragtag group of coders and community activists, those in charge of the financial system are well-funding, deeply-rooted, well-connected, an ruthless. Don't expect for one second that they don't have the power, or will, to pressure lawmakers, manipulate markets, spread disinformation, attack networks, sow social discontent, or use any other weapon within their reach in order to maintain power. This won't be a walk in the park.

Crypto projects have to watch out for their peers as well

Unfortunately, we aren't all in this together. In the early days there was just Bitcoin fighting against the establishment, and every other project was simply an experiment to see what else could be done with the technology. Everyone was essentially working together for the same goal, and a win by one was a win by all. After the bitter scaling wars, loss of commercial usefulness by Bitcoin, and the subsequent scramble for dominance over the crypto throne, things changed. Now, just about every project under the sun is struggling to become the global decentralized currency, and this is not a friendly competition. We can expect to see the same lying, disruption, attacks, and other pressures from those interested in seeing their investment (both in financial and in emotional/psychological terms) see it through to victory. And, unlike from the entrenched systems, these attacks are likely to be informed, specific, and desperate, with the knowledge of weaknesses much stronger, opposition research thorough and focused, and a sense of urgency to pick off competitors or else fade into obscurity.

It's sad to say, but at this point, competing projects are likely worse enemies, and the longer the struggle for financial freedom focuses on the war front, the nastier and more destructive these attacks will become.

The more focus is leveled on the commercial front, the closer the war is being won

Now about that other front: commerce. Cryptocurrency is not supposed to be about crushing your enemies, it's supposed to be about buying your coffee. And it is, if we're to get anywhere. All while we fortify against attacks and attempt to disrupt entrenched systems, we have to focus on actually get this stuff used by regular people. This, to most, is a relatively boring front filled with customer service focus, talks of security and reducing friction, setting up partnerships, and so on. It's the endlessly repetitive process of patiently walking countless customers and merchants through integration processes, presenting at conferences and business meetings about safe subjects with hardly any mention of the revolutionary underpinnings of the technology. This side also attracts radically different personality types to the mix than those who signed up for a war for liberation.

The more energy is successfully focused on this aspect, however, the sooner we get to ending the conflict. Commercial success reduces the political struggle to a constantly shrinking piece of the narrative, rendering enemies of the free economy toothless.

When the war is over, billions using it won't know it ever took place

Once global financial freedom is achieved, few will remember the struggle that we engage in today. As billions use it to buy their food, pay for transportation, send to friends and loved ones, nearly all of them will have no clue of the liberating power of the tools they use. Only a few old-timers or radicals will still remember the epic battle waged to make this technology available to the world. And, that's how it should be. The rest of the planet doesn't want a techno-anarchist insurrection. They just want to live peacefully. In order for the latter to become fully possible, the former must not reach the public consciousness.

Acquire commerce, end the war.

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Posted from Dash News : https://dashnews.org/revolution-vs-commerce-cryptocurrencys-two-front-war/

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