And we shouldn't try.
[...]
Why do I make such a request? not because these claims are impossible, not even because I don't believe they'll happen. It's only because the bigger and more public the threat, the more steps the established power structure will take in an attempt to discredit, disprove, and dismantle bitcoin.(and soon enough, they could succeed)
I dont WANT a payment processing and currency system that isnt safe vs such attacks. I want a currency that proves to be victorious after beeing fought by the very most powerful people in this world, including those who own much fiat. Because only after that, it is worthy to replace any fiat.
Just pay attention. Can't you see it happening already? bitcoin prices surge, they call it a bubble, we respond by laughing in their faces and the price just drives higher. They get nervous and start issuing warnings about bitcoin. and not just bitcoin, the whole bitcoin community at large. Are we criminals, or investors looking for a get-rich-quick?
I do issue warning aswell, whenever i want to buy an altcoin below the value it actually deserves. Scare away unexperienced people from markets where long-term thinking is needed. Nothing bad about that (except for selfish motives, as in my personal example, of course).
1, "criminals" evolve into "terrorists", soon enough a bomb goes off somewhere killing innocent people and payoff for the hit was made in BTC. Public outrage and suddenly people all over the world start turning their backs on BTC.
You cant pull another 9/11 for ever ennoyance to any western government. that trick only works as long as it isnt overused, and currently, it is. People in Europa laugh whenever US feds declare something bad or good based on the classic MUH TERRORISM argument.
2, The "warnings" turn into "threats". many many people get their bitcoin wallets hacked and/or stolen in an attempt to disprove bitcoins inherent security.(lots of people don't have good security, or passwords) While the bitcoin infrastructure may be impenetrable, human error is always evident. and it'll be the most vulnerable of bitcoiners that get hit the hardest. thousands of wallets are taken and people lose faith.
Again, people who profit from that will even jump in and spread more fear. Just to make their thing clients/websites/apps and remote wallets look nicer.
3, they use their fantastic purchasing power to buy up every bitcoin they can get their hands on and either make BTC either so expensive that no one can ever afford one, or so cheap that no one ever wants one.
Okay, im in. They will make me rich. If they crash it, speculating investors will balance it out soon enough and back to business as usual.
world business is forced to evolve
yes. transaction speed and low fees are just TOO GOOD for any bank to seriously expects customers to wait weeks ust because the target is in based russia.
IMO Bitcoin is NOT like the internet. Bitcoin is more like Tor: It's not very well understood, it holds an extreme level of value to certain people, some people use it for less than honourable ventures, some people have tried it and could care less. I think that if we treat BTC more like Tor, it will be much better accepted, and much less scary for the sheep who inevitably won't give a s&*t in the end either way.
YESS. And as better means of making cryptocurrencies understandable for everyone (like MegaCoin, look at their fully translated website) evolve, things will more and more get normal and people will get used to it. And eventually Cryptos will just be like fiat and debit cards, and people will learn how to pay with a third mean with other individual advantages and disadvantages.