[edited out]
fast forward to present: what are the current arguments of bitcoin critics:
-is used by criminals and therefore
(please add to the list the arguments missing here)
what is surprising is that all counter arguments are from years ago. bitcoin is running for a decade now. the critics had enough time to dig all through it and come up with really well thought arguments. but they didn't. all those smart economists, all the gifted shitcoin proponents, all the scared bankers - all they do is echoing the same old arguments from years before.
endeavors of this magnitude, with millions of people deploying billions of dollars into the project usually come with a shitload of trade-offs and compromises and mis-allocation of capital. with bitcoin even the hardest critics can't come up with new arguments.
this is a bullish sign.
few understand this.
My favourite is: the price is manipulated. As if the stocks aren't. lol
Regarding criminals:
Leaked documents reveal some of the world’s biggest banks allowed criminals to move dirty money around the world https://t.co/ZnHwIZNdRJ?amp=1
https://twitter.com/BBCBreaking/status/1307726541783171073
The whole fiat system is one big ponzi. Madoff ponzi is one of the brightest examples how helpless are SEC and CFTC. Merging banks and printing money can delay the collapse of the world economy, but for how long and at what price? We know what happened with the purchase power of the dollar in the last century. Let's see what it will be say in 20 years: 25% is too optimistic IMO. Satoshi knew this and created a decentralized internet money with a fixed supply, which halves each 4 years.
Banks and governments are scared and they try both to manipulate the price downwards and to make obstacles for the people to get into. For example, since the 2017 bull run, the banks in EU were so scared, that many of them banned transactions to and from Bitcoin exchanges. However, in most countries there are still enough banks that don't do that. On the contrary, some of them even offer their clients easy trading and holding, like Bitwala.
Regarding governments, only the most stupid communits rulers think they can ban Bitcoin. It is like banning Internet. Only North Korea can do that. But I think we are living in different times, when more and more institutions and closed markets are involved into bitcoin - futures, hedge companies, etc., the list is endless. A ban on Bitcoin for USA would mean collapse of those companies which are listed on Wall Street, hence causing a major financial crisis. Even imbeciles like Trump and Mnuchin won't do it of course. Bitcoin will always find ways around the obstacles, like Chinas pathetic bans. So nowadays, the hodlers have nothing to worry about. The basics are solid and the future is bright. Everything else is just FUD.