Lessons from Adoption Bitcoin, El Salvador – Bitcoin Magazine
This is an opinion piece by Rikki, author and co-host of the “Bitcoin Italia” and “Stupefatti” podcasts. He is one half of Bitcoin Explorers, along with Laurawhich charts Bitcoin adoption around the world, one country at a time.
On the road again. Director: San Salvador. The Bitcoin community is gathering here for Adopting Bitcoin, the last major Bitcoin conference of the year, but certainly not the least. Friends and Bitcoiners from all over the world are flying into the country to work together and promote Bitcoin adoption. Who knows how many of them knew much about this country before “Ley Bitcoin” was implemented?
Before returning to San Salvador, we made a pit stop in the village of Ataco – we were invited to participate in the presentation of a Bitcoin diploma, an actual qualification in Bitcoin and financial education as students of (currently) seven public schools in El Salvador receive after attending a course offered by My First Bitcoin.
Less than a year ago, during our first trip to Bitcoin-only El Salvador, we attended a meeting between the first principal to join the Bitcoin Diploma Project, government representatives and the project’s founders. It was a historic moment.
So it was a special treat for us to see our first Bitcoin candidates in person. It was a circle that closed. It is with mass education that our technological and non-violent revolution will succeed. Certainly not through the legislative decree alone.
Visiting San Salvador
The next day, our awakening in San Salvador was quite traumatic – late, rushed, with the weekly video blog on our YouTube channel to edit and several urgent appointments to attend to. Because of this we decided to do something we hadn’t yet done here in El Salvador and we went to Starbucks. Last year we saw dozens of videos on Twitter of bitcoin transactions in this chain in the country and felt confident that this coffee shop would do it.
“Two cappuccinos and two chocolate muffins,” we said. “We pay with bitcoin!”
Silence. The waitress’ lost look meant only one thing: she had never used Bitcoin before and had no idea how to accept our proposed payment. Her colleague came to her rescue, but she couldn’t remember the password to their Chivo wallet. No dice. So we went to the McDonald’s next door, with the same intention.
That’s where the real surprise took place: Not even the McDonald’s manager remembered the password to the Chivo app. Less than a year ago, the same establishment was plastered with illuminated ‘pay for your burger in bitcoin!’ sign. Unbelievable.
We remembered that the restaurant’s automated checkout could create a bitcoin QR code without requiring any password, and we asked the staff to try it. It worked! But what a fight.
Education is everything.
The day before we witnessed the latest test of 16 and 17 year olds who proved to be perfectly capable of creating and managing new bitcoin wallets without custody, importing them to new devices, making chain transactions and monitoring them in a Bitcoin explorer. Less than 24 hours later, we found ourselves drinking watered-down coffee in a place where staff couldn’t remember an application PIN.
Adopting Bitcoin
The conference was beautiful and very well organized. It’s good to see so many friendly faces again, from all over the world. The content was of a high standard and the audience participation good.
The panel I attended was entitled “Orange Pilling The World’s Masses” – as if that was easy. I spent the night taking notes:
- I don’t like the term “orange pill”, although I wish teaching Bitcoin was as easy as swallowing a pill: You swallow it and boom, you’re a Bitcoiner. I consider that a misleading term. Studying and understanding Bitcoin is a long, time-consuming process.
- Bitcoin is the greatest human rights tool ever invented. It took so long to “have fun being poor” and the price doesn’t matter to me. The price is just a consequence of the technology and the social revolution it brings. In El Salvador, where a person understands that bitcoin is also fundamental to their own survival, they understand everything. That, to me, is the “orange pill” moment.
- Which wallet do I recommend to download for orange peeling? It depends on who I’m talking to. If it’s someone completely new to the field, I’ll go with Wallet Of Satoshi. The lightning transactions there are amazing. Granted, it’s total custody (not your keys, not your coin!), but the user experience is amazing. It’s just two buttons and it’s instant. It works like a charm. But if I’m talking to someone who already knows something about the technology, I go with Blue Wallet. In this application you have two different wallets: the non-custodial bitcoin wallet (of which you then own the private key) and one for using the Lightning Network. I think it is very useful to make the difference between layer 1 and layer 2 clear. If you want to pay for a coffee with the Lightning Network, you literally have to move your bitcoin from layer 1 to layer 2.
- In our work, we must always remember that it is really very early. As Bitcoiners, we would like to see this technology used in the world as soon as possible. The truth is that history itself teaches us that this will not be possible. Consider credit cards: Frank McNamara invented Diners Club, the world’s first credit card, in 1950. It took a remarkably long time after this for credit cards to become truly relevant. Bitcoin, in addition to being a disruptive technology, is a philosophical achievement. That’s why so many pre-coiners don’t think they need it and that it doesn’t solve any problems for them. We must be patient and give this creature more time to develop.
- When will we reach hyperbitcoinization? I always wonder what is meant by this word. The spread of a technology to transfer value instantly and without borders? To me, it’s not hyperbitcoinization. Bitcoin will allow us to vote in a distributed network, to certify in a distributed network. It will enable us sooner or later to interrupt any trust process. Trust is obsolete.
The notes worked and the panel went very well. There was a roar of applause and many compliments.
Sunbathing in Bitcoin Beach
The third day of the conference was a chance to socialize while sunbathing at Bitcoin Beach in El Zonte.
We are so engrossed in Bitcoin that we sometimes forget to be analytical and really rationalize what is happening to us and the world around us.
Let’s think about it: We were in Central America, the soundtrack for this day was the sound of the Pacific Ocean crashing on the black sand and volcanic rocks of the coast. All around us was tropical vegetation, incredible sunsets and exotic animals. People from dozens of different countries have gathered here. To sharpen the hearing was to perceive a Babel of different languages and accents. All this happened solely because of the intuition of a pseudonymous scientist – one who dared to dream so big that he came up with something capable of changing the world.
If this thing itself isn’t incredible, I really don’t know what is.
The truth is that Bitcoin has already changed our lives, irreversibly. And it has also already done so for so many people who are able to take this idea and build it into their jobs or even invent a new job from scratch. There are many such examples here. Sure, lots of technical people, like developers, journalists and entrepreneurs. But also many more creative people. The young man from India who decides to travel the world in Bitcoin, 40 countries in 400 days. The American couple who manage to teach while having fun. The journalist who, once he falls down the rabbit hole, devotes himself exclusively to Bitcoin. The driver who, thanks to Bitcoiners, sees the scale of the business as he could never have imagined. The small coffee producer who manages to export by getting paid in an instant and without burdensome fees.
We could go on listing similar cases for hours. These are small things, let’s be clear. And perhaps they are isolated examples. And it may take ingenuity and a touch of madness to make your dreams come true with Bitcoin. But it is already possible. Bitcoin works. It changes the lives of those who can seize opportunities, and all it takes is to have that spark.
The nights in El Zonte were hot and humid at this time. The sun quickly set behind the horizon. We all met at a hotel called Palo Verde for a conference party organized by IBEX. All our friends were there, the ones we love. We had something to eat, chatted for a while, and then the music started. There is nothing more liberating than dancing on the beach, feet in the sand. It was super hot, but the dance floor was still crowded.
At the entrance, we were given raffle tickets and prizes were to be drawn. Someone in our group won a very good bottle of whiskey. That’s the end. As the amber liquid trickled down our throats, we already sensed the hangover headache. When the music ended, it was time to say goodbye.
The way home for us translates to a long walk on the shoreline, under an impressive starry sky, barefoot, with the waves calmly bathing our ankles.
Pura vida.
This is a guest post by Rikki. Opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.
