Bitcoin vs. Crypto

Why this issue is vital when protecting yourself against authoritarian creep.

I have returned from a trip to the United Kingdom, where I discussed the striking and concerning political similarities between the UK and Canada on multiple platforms. . More on that in an upcoming article.

Now, I want to discuss something increasingly relevant to our concerns about authoritarian creep in politics as it relates to our global financial system. Those of us who had our bank accounts and all financial accounts frozen by Justin Trudeau and Chrystia Freeland are sensitive to the topic which is why learning about the digital asset space, Bitcoin is an important insurance policy for all of us.

I want to expand upon the topic of Bitcoin versus Crypto because I know this is a confusing issue for those new to Bitcoin but it's an important step in learning to be financially self sovereign as a hedge against a potential financial recession, depression authoritarian regime control.

Lesson 1 bitcoin is a digital protocol. If you don't know what that means, don't worry for now but start by getting the idea Bitcoin is a coin out of your head. It's not a coin, It's decentralized protocol or as I like to call it, “The Freedom Protocol.”

The second thing to learn is Bitcoin is not crypto. They are two very different types of assets and Bitcoin is what was used at the Canadian Trucker Convoy. While these two concepts, Bitcoin and crypto, are distinct many individuals coming from the fiat financial system tend to confuse and or sometimes conflate the two. Even the legal systems in Canada, The USA and various countries label Bitcoin as a form of cryptocurrency. While there is an argument to support that to some degree, philosophically, Bitcoin stands apart from centralized cryptocurrencies run by corporations. The term "centralized" is crucial and I will elaborate on a later post.

Throughout my time in politics, while engaged in political initiatives behind the scenes, trying to combat woke and authoritarian encroachments that I experienced on campus at Ryerson University for many years, I did my best to unite people around shared interests, regardless of potentially differing philosophical worldviews. I attempted to steer the Freedom Convoy in this direction with positive messaging centered around unity, positivity, and hope for a brighter future, fostering connections among individuals spanning the entire philosophical landscape. I hope to do the same for Bitcoin and for people in the Cryptocurrency space wanting to learn more about Bitcoin as base layer money.

I am a what's called a Bitcoin Maxi, meaning I don't buy, sell, or trade centralized cryptocurrency. I'm not a trader and asset trading is not something I'm wired for. However, like most Bitcoin Maxis, I have delved into the centralized crypto (altcoin) realm at some point while learning about Bitcoin. I've reiterated multiple times on various Twitter Bitcoin spaces that I don't regret exploring the none Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or altcoin space. Partly because I wasn't heavily invested in it--more of a curiosity, really--but also because it provided me with insights into how smart contracts function, liquidity pools, and some of the fundamental aspects within the cryptocurrency.

Which leads me to the friction that you may or may not observe when researching Bitcoin online. From my experience, Bitcoin enthusiasts or long-term investors and cryptocurrency traders pursue distinct goals but with some overlap. This has resulted in conflicts caused by two groups having different conversations and talking past one another, resulting in inevitable and predictable conflict.

This gets exploited by individuals and entities who engage in a divide and conquer strategy, similar to what is experienced in every activist group, every political movement, and every community cause. A similar parallel can be drawn between the situation behind the demise of the Freedom Convoy and broader freedom movements, both of which have been co-opted by political parties, donors, and activists, using a similar divide and conquer strategy, akin to the co-opting of the Tea Party movement in the United States, something Andrew Breitbart was well aware of.

This leads me to the common cause that binds Bitcoin Maxis like myself and cryptocurrency traders. We all recognize the flaws and corruption within the opaque legacy financial system. However, a few Bitcoin Maxis sometimes chime in and label every participant in the cryptocurrency realm as scammers or disingenuous. I understand how they come to this conclusion because Bitcoiners generally are not traders and do not align with the motives behind cryptocurrency and tokenization. Because of this, it's easy to fall into the trap of making sweeping generalizations, but I have encountered cryptocurrency traders who are also fervent Bitcoin proponents and wish to educate others within the crypto space about Bitcoin's significance. This is why I am enthusiastic about engaging with them in a positive context.

The experience that Caribou, the many Bitcoin volunteers and donors, and I, along with the truckers, underwent in Ottawa, was a unique instance of living through the "it will never happen here" paradigm. It vividly showed the world in real-time why decentralized and censorship-resistant Bitcoin is crucial for all of us, whether we are long-term HODLers or crypto traders. The ordeal of having all my bank accounts, credit cards, and credit lines frozen--reminiscent of the movie "Enemy of the State," as detailed in my book "Honking For Freedom" (HonkingForFreedom.com)--profoundly impacted me and everyone else who shared this horrific experience. The horror of watching a western government debunk its citizens without cause or criminal charges was experienced by people across the political spectrum, regardless of the few fringe political activists who celebrated it. The massive bank run that resulted serves as evidence of this. All of this is a lesson for many young individuals in the cryptocurrency space about why decentralized proof-of-work Bitcoin is essential for their financial well-being, regardless of whether they engage in cryptocurrency trading or not.

The lesson we all must take from he debanking experience is the importance of an open and free market something we should all be striving for as a hedge against looming government tyranny. If I can help bridge some of the divide between Bitcoin maxis like myself and friends and supporters in the cryptocurrency space, I'll feel like I have contributed something positive for all of us.

I have been invited to speak at a cryptocurrency conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, called Cypherpunk 2023 https://www.cypherpunk2023.com, hosted by Flux, a crypto blockchain company building a decentralize cloud service that I'm sure I'll learn more about this week. My goal is to emphasize the significance of Bitcoin as the form of currency distributed to the Canadian Truckers in Ottawa and why understanding the freedom aspects of Bitcoin is vital for all of us. The participants at Cypherpunk 2023, many of whom are young and unfamiliar with Bitcoin, should already be predisposition towards embracing the "orange pill," and I am committed to assisting everyone to the best of my abilities.

I hope people understand that my intentions remain as genuine as they were when I shared what I hope was a persuasive message of a focus on Peace, Love, and Hope during the Canadian Truckers Convoy, striving to awaken Canada from the dystopian nightmare it had fallen into.

With any luck, I can have a similar impact on all those who acknowledge that our monetary system is in turmoil and an alternative exists and that the base layer of freedom is Bitcoin.

In my next post I we will delve into my trip to the United Kingdom, where I had the opportunity to serve as a guest co-host on the Lotus Eaters Podcast and participate in an interview on Trigonometry. Speaking to people in England was an enlightening experience and despite much of the chaos and noise we all witness politically there are many signs for hope in the future.

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