In the last month, we’ve seen governments seize ordinary citizens’ assets, multiple financial sanctions, decades-high inflation, and the outbreak of war in Europe.
Amidst the chaos and financial de-platforming Bitcoin has emerged as a powerful force in the geopolitical arena.
Governments continuing to weaponize the financial system highlights the need for a permission-less, censorship-resistant, and un-seizable asset like Bitcoin.
I see the high moral value of money doesn’t mean it’s all-important to me. In fact, I find money less and less important as time goes by, the older I get. Perhaps that’s a function of Maslow’s hierarchy: If you’re hungry, food is all you really care about; if you’re freezing, then it’s warmth; and so forth. If you have enough money, these basics aren’t likely to be problems.
Buying Bitcoin is more voting (me personally) than investing.
Let’s explore how Bitcoin has served as a lifeline for those in need
Canada
The recent Canadian Freedom Convoy revealed how centralized payment networks and the traditional banking system can be brought to bear against citizens.
The protestors raised funds through traditional services like GoFundMe, however, the government seized the donations before the truckers received any money.
Eventually, the truckers found a lifeline by using Bitcoin to receive donations. Over $1 million worth of bitcoin was donated.
Things escalated when the Canadian government enacted “Emergency Measures” that were used to stifle the protest in the form of freezing the bank accounts and seizing the assets of its own citizens.
These protestors were not convicted of any crimes and yet were financially de-platformed with a click of a button.
It wasn’t just the protestors affected. Some normal people who simply donated $50 had their bank accounts frozen.
Even if you didn’t support the truckers’ protest, this sets a scary precedent going forward.
Can the government seize the assets of people who haven’t broken any laws? Is the fiat financial system a weapon owned by the politicians? Will this happen again?
Afghanistan
The War in Afghanistan may have officially ended when American forces left, but there are still financial battles to be fought, specifically, revolving around the $7 billion worth of Afghan foreign currency reserves held at the Federal Reserve.
The Biden Administration seized those funds and placed harsh sanctions on Afghanistan which have harmed not just the Taliban, but also the ~38M innocent citizens of Afghanistan.
This has led to a humanitarian crisis and widespread hunger with millions of innocent Afghans suffering from acute malnutrition.
How can Afghans send funds to their family and friends stuck inside Afghanistan?
Bitcoin is one way the people of Afghanistan have received aid.
Young Afghan women have turned their coding school into a relief organization using Bitcoin to send emergency funds to help their fellow starving Afghans.
Innocent, suffering Afghans caught in the crosshairs of conflict are bypassing sanctions and receiving funds they desperately need to survive, all because of Bitcoin.
Russia
It’s important to remember that the people of Russia did not choose to invade Ukraine; the autocratic Russian government did.
The citizens of Russia have suffered from the effects of widespread sanctions, including being cut off from SWIFT.
As a result of the sanctions, the Russian banking system is paralyzed and the ruble has lost over 20% of its value, just in the last week!
Long lines were observed at banks and ATMs across the country as Russian citizens rushed to withdraw their savings.
As the ruble loses value, Russians are increasingly using Bitcoin to protect their wealth.
According to Kaiko, Bitcoin-Ruble trading volume has spiked since the invasion began.
As financial doors to the outside world are closed to Russian citizens, Bitcoin remains an open lifeline to send and receive money from outside their borders.
Ukraine
After the attack by Russia last week, Ukraine closed its border to men and the National Bank of Ukraine suspended all electronic cash transfers and limited cash withdrawals.
Long lines formed at ATMs across the country as Ukrainian citizens attempted to withdraw their savings.
Many Ukrainians turned to Bitcoin to preserve their savings while fleeing a warzone.
Amazing stories have surfaced. One man escaped Ukraine to Poland with only a hardware wallet full of Bitcoin and another where a Ukrainian used Bitcoin to buy a car to escape when all the banks and ATMs were unavailable.
Even the Ukrainian government has turned to Bitcoin by asking for donations to support their efforts. Within days, over $50M worth of Bitcoin and crypto were donated!
It’s telling that the Ukrainian government turned to Bitcoin donations rather than USD, Euros Gold, etc.
Bitcoin is Protecting Human Rights Around the World
What do all these stories have in common?
Traditional financial system is being weaponized
Bitcoin serves as a lifeline to victims in need
As it becomes clear that the captured legacy financial system is full of confiscation and censorship risks, people will continue to discover that Bitcoin represents the exact opposite.
To recap, in the last two months, Bitcoin has:
Financed censored peaceful protestors in Canada
Helped feed starving citizens of Afghanistan
Provided a lifeline to innocent Russians cut off from the world
Delivered aid to Ukraine’s fight for independence
As El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said,
“The intrinsic value of Bitcoin is now in full display on the whole world.”
Bitcoin isn’t a traditional investment.
It’s a hedge against the collapse of the US Dollar and the potential downfall of fiat currencies
Learn how self-custody works (it’s risky) and don’t hold your bitcoin on an exchange.
Few understand this.
What is Woke Culture?
Consider the possibility that the Orwellian dystopia you fear is already here and has been in place for many years, you just haven’t noticed because you’re still allowed to watch Netflix or buy a gun or say whatever you want to say within a small impotent online echo chamber.
What is woke culture?
Well, perhaps it's a kind of aggressive progressivism.
There are various themes within it; it's about being more understanding towards people from marginalized and disadvantaged groups and giving them special help to overcome obstacles they may face.
It's about pointing out how past abuses can be responsible for present-day disadvantages and so perpetuate injustice across the centuries.
It's about mitigating the threat humans pose to their own environment and livelihood through pollution and over exploitation of finite resources... etc.
These are worthy causes.
Progressive yet also aggressive.
The approach however is highly antagonistic and accusatorial . It separates the world into abusers and abused with that black and white morality that a 1990s critic feared was developing in the millennial generation.
It is destructive. it doesn't just point out and acknowledge wrongs or challenge others opinions but must pull down statues and block the ability to speak of those with whom it disagrees...
This video will change the way you see the world--and your place in it.
Based on Strauss and Howe's book The Fourth Turning -- It illuminates the past, explains the present, and reimagines the future. Most remarkably, it offers an utterly persuasive prophecy about how we can use the past to predict its future.
Give it a watch and let me know your thoughts...
Talk soon!
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