Ignore Polarization, Embrace Bitcoin – Bitcoin Magazine
This is an opinion editorial by Mickey Koss, a West Point graduate with a degree in economics. He spent four years in the infantry before transferring to the finance corps.
Whether it’s the Patriot Act, COVID-19 measures, or the proposed RESTRICT Act, it seems the only thing American politicians can agree on is that taking away freedoms is essential. It’s for your own safety, you see. And we can’t forget safety either. Who doesn’t want to be safe and secure?
The unilateral agreement on these measures has made the term “bipartisan” a warning sign in my eyes, and I am increasingly concerned about the direction we are moving.
Bread, circus and conflicts
I was recently criticized at NOSTR for covering environmentalist Bitcoiners, the rationale being that the environmentalist movement is a net negative for society. While I understand where this person who criticized me is coming from, I think there are some deeper concerns hidden behind their comments.
After some reflection, I came to a realization: People are not really interested in the environmental movement. In fact, people don’t really worry about politics at all. Most political disagreements are proxy wars on the surface for a much deeper argument: the argument about control.
Who should be in control? What will they use it for? How will this affect my life?
As governments expand at an ever-increasing rate, the fear of who is in control grows along with it. I believe this is the root of the polarization we see today. The real concern is about central planners and central planning. Everything else is a distraction. I think that’s the real psyop.
Bitcoin defunds central planners
As more and more people adopt bitcoin as a means of saving, we can begin to grow the parallel economy and take the exorbitant privilege of printing money out of the hands of those who would attempt to abuse it.
By doing so, we can slowly but surely defund the central planners that so many fear. By doing so, we can reduce the level of control that keeps us up at night. By doing so, we can reduce the amount of political polarization that is seemingly tearing the country apart.
I think too many are fighting the wrong battle and missing the forest for the trees. If Bitcoin is truly indestructible, why do you care who chooses to back it? Why not give everyone a chance to have their egos and preconceptions about the world completely shattered by this permissionless monetary protocol.
Bitcoin is for everyone. We cannot allow the culture wars to manipulate us into friendly fire. We cannot allow political narratives to use Bitcoin as a weapon for politicians to use against us. It doesn’t matter if you win your little skirmish if the war engulfs you shortly afterwards.
The sooner we can get adoption, the sooner we can make all these petty arguments irrelevant. When central planners lose the ability to control, the voice of their neighbors becomes less of a concern. Without the ability to print money, governments suddenly have to think about trade-offs again. The reintroduction of a sound monetary standard fixes political polarization.
This is a guest post by Mickey Koss. Opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.
