I have been long Btc since Jan 2017, though it was Eth that got me into the crypto space in late 2016. It was clear to me that there was a tsunami of crypto tech heading this way which looked innovative and exciting. I can't remember why now, but I lost interest in Eth, and found Btc, which I thought seemed to be what I was looking for, which was - A peer to peer cash, outside of the traditional banking system. The reason for this was my anger and frustration after the 2008 crash, where the bad actors were rewarded, and the common man was chastised.
And so I started buying Btc, I wasn't dollar cost averaging - I didn't even know the term back then - I was just buying what I could afford. Sometimes a lump, other times a really small amount. I am just an everyday person, with not much spare money, so no high roller buy ins. After about a year, I started to talking to friends about Btc and many of them joined in the battle against the banks, buying what they could when they could.
Then came the crash at the end of 2017/18 and we all hodled together determined to see it through, which we did. We all continued to buy when we could, as we pushed ahead with 'changing the world'. Fast forward to 2020 and things were very different. Crypto was pushing into the mainstream, and we all cheered as one company after another signed up to the Btc wagon train. But for me something started feeling a bit off, though in retrospect it started before then. The very first inkling I had was the Btc cruise ship fiasco. A boat full of Btc enthusiasts and 'experts' on a cruise ship! To me it seemed completley wrong, but I swallowed it. I watched as they attacked Roger Ver, and ganged together in a way that raised my eyebrows.
This approach slowly morphed into, if you are not a meat eater there is something wrong with you, along with complimentary pictures of the meat that they would all be eating on twitter. Nothing wrong with this per se, but I would suggest it has nothing to do with crypto and everything to do with group think; the beginning of the narrative control. Since then it has been everything from, "Have fun staying poor." Laser eyes, and for me the condescending sign off of, "Few understand this." or worse just, "Few." While at the same time celebrating the very banks and corporations that Btc was set against. Of course if you said/say anything against this narrative, you are either ignored, chastised or ridiculed.
And now here we are in 2021 where just a handful of people on twitter control the narrative of Btc, mentioning no names. They totally believe without any doubt that they are correct in thinking Btc is the way forward, as I did for many years. Then came my banning from r/bitcoin which was a total eye opener for me. It suddenly became as clear as day, that Btc had been co opted from the inside and that the narrative had fully changed from a P2P cash, to an SOV - store of value - and anyone speaking against that narrative is wrong. The ban was a pleasant surprise, as looking for somewhere to vent, I found r/btc and r/bitcoincash along with r/cryptocurrency. All of which are worlds apart from the laser eye gang.
On these sub reddits you can read, discuss, suggest or whatever without feeling like you are walking on eggshells. People offer support, ideas and encouragement. It was there that I discovered Bitcoincash, or maybe rediscovered it, having bought into the Btc gang, and dissed it for years. Another eyeopening event occurred, the realisation that Bch is fast, it's cheap, it's private, and to top it all, people are using in everyday transactions. It's an amazing vibrant community, with more and more people getting involved. And instead of "Have fun staying poor" you see, "welcome onboard". It's inclusive not exclusive as Btc has become. The whole ethos of Bch couldn't be further away from where Btc has ended up. Locked away in a cold storage vault on its own, watching number go up. While Bch goes out to play in the world of people.
I don't really write that much, but just wanted to put down my reasons for now putting my Btc into Bch and encouraging all those people I convinced to buy Btc, to at least exchange some of that Btc for Bch if not all of it. I want to see Bch succeed where Btc has failed. As a community project to help everyone in the world, not just the few as the case is currently with Btc. A Peer to Peer cash for the people, outside of the draconian legacy banking system and the clutches of government control. The thing that Satoshi wanted it to be. I haven't been back to r/bitcoin but I would like to say thanks to whoever banned me, it was the best thing that could have happened.
Long Bch and Long inclusivity.
Finally, you realized it..