There was this perception some years ago that #bitcoin represented a break away from the traditional system of control by governments and banks.

Increasingly, people spoke of more freedom from broke (financially and morally), over-reaching governments, wanting to take a peek at everyone's life, in a guilty-by-default, fishing-net style, that we have collectively and unfortunately allowed, and continue to allow.

Of course, for anyone who actually understood how #bitcoin works, the truth was always obvious:

Far from being a tool for freedom and prosperity, bitcoin actually makes possible levels of surveillance that the most totalitarian of totalitarians could only have dreamed of.

Slowly, the powers that be realized this, and a fear about #bitcoin (and the corresponding loss of control on their part) suddenly transformed into ecstatic delight, as it dawned on them that after FATCA and CRS, #bitcoin is the best thing that ever happened.

Though we live in a beautiful age of technological progress (pause for a minute and ponder just how much technology and machinery, and how many laws of Nature had to be understood, for my words to reach your conscious awareness, if you doubt this), in a beautiful planet, it is far from perfect.

It worries me that we have slowly slipped into a reality where if you are not fully exposed to the state, then you are assumed to be up to no good. "If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about".

Have you noticed?

Collectively, in this space, what is the one thing that worries people the most?

The state.

That same state that should be here to protect us.
That same state that we fund, whether we want to or not.
That same state that ought to work for us, but instead, many of us find ourselves "donating" 50% or more of our income.

That same state that seems hellbent on making criminals of all of us.

Rather than embracing this radical shift in the way the monetary system works, the current system seems more concerned about perpetuating its own power.

More concerned about neutering the technology to the point where its core strengths are no longer a threat.

You must decide

What is the world you want to live in?

A world where big corporations gather your data, track your whereabouts, and then profit by selling this data off to other companies, and governments?

A world where the use of encryption is banned, because only druggies, terrorists and pedos use encryption?
(It is incredulous to see this debate being resurfaced, and so-called free countries like the UK, US, FR and DE seriously considering adding backdoors in order to obtain total control over the information flowing over this worldwide digital electronic nervous system that we call the Internet.

A world where your bank and credit card company not only know your whereabouts whenever you make a payment, but also have extensive and detailed reports about your financial life ? Which they then proceed to either auction off to other companies in order to profit from you, or more often than not, end up losing the data to a hack?

You must decide.

Is that the world you want to live in?

If it isn't, I have good news for you: The fight is not lost just yet.

And I wish we don't have to go all the way down the road to a totalitarian system, once again, for we appear to have forgotten the lessons that our ancestors paid for in blood and tears.

An all-seeing, all-controlling system of government crushes the human spirit. It is no way to live.

You must decide.

Do you kowtow and accept this reality?

Or do you join the millions who want privacy, not because they are up to no good, but because they recognize a life without privacy is not a life lived in dignity?

Perhaps freedom is not all that important to you. And if it isn't, then there isn't much that I can write here that would change your mind.

Continue using your personal tracking device at all times (I believe they call it a cellphone), continue using closed-source software that snitches on you and collects everything you do with your wondrous digital device, continue using fully-transparent cryptocurrencies that give away your financial privacy for the whole world to see.

Now, in all other areas, there are already good alternatives; namely, free and open source software, ditching proprietary software, using more cash and paying less with your card, and so on.

Until recently, however, there was not much practical choice for safeguarding financial privacy for the average person.

We now possess that technology.

Monero is a cryptocurrency designed from the ground up to protect your privacy. The technology is simply unmatched, and the hard-working people grinding to make it all possible are some of the most competent technical people I have had the pleasure to interact with.

The technology is here, right now, to have a private, in-your-pocket bank account, where your assets are known only to you.

This does not mean you don't pay tax. This does not mean you are up to no good.

You must decide

Do you want to live in a world where carrying and storing cash is an accepted and established practice, like it has been for thousands of years?

We have now created this wonderful digital world of the mind, and of course, in a strange mystical way, it crosses over back to the physical, material reality that we appear to inhabit.

Failure to preserve our 'physical rights' in this digital landscape will be a terribly crushing blow to civilization, freedom, and most importantly, the human spirit.

That is the fight (well, one of them) we see around us right now.

The right to be able to communicate privately and anonymously online.
(Who among us, would agree that the people in power should have the right to listen to every conversation that ever takes place, anywhere? Pay attention, for if backdoored encryption standards and devices are allowed to become the norm, this is exactly what will happen, and it sets the precedent for what follows next)

The right to be able to transact privately, as people have done for thousands of years, without the full power of the state watching over your shoulder.
(Who among us, would agree that the people in power should have the right to watch every transaction that ever takes place, anywhere? Pay attention, for if private cryptocurrency is banned and relegated to the dark corners of the internet, this is exactly what will happen)

So I urge you, think about this.

Together we build this reality we share.

Think about the world you want for the rest of your days, and think about the world your (future?) children will inherit.

I don't know about you, but for me the answer is clear: privacy and freedom must remain.

You must decide

Do you want the new economic system to look more like this?
Or perhaps like this?

One will protect your rights online. The other (and what goes for bitcoin goes for 99.999% of other "cryptos" out there) simply does not.

And the market has not priced this in yet.

That is a good point, in fact, which I almost forgot to address:

Don't see XMR (Monero) as an investment.

(Speculation, more accurately)

If you are still thinking about cashing out your investment, I would argue that you are still missing the point.

Now, of course, some of it, as a form of hedging, I understand.

But - think bigger.

How can we bring Monero to more people ?
How can more businesses accept Monero?
What can YOU do to further this vision that many of us are attempting to materialize?

Will there ever come a time where you can pay for most of your purchases, whether it be travel insurance, groceries, domains and virtual machines, flights, with Monero?

Do you think that is desirable?

Well, then..

You must decide

Help us make the dream come true. Help us educating more people about #monero, so that we can live in a world that's a little bit freer.

Where privacy is accepted, heck, even encouraged.
Where people are not guilty by default, or guilty by association without any proof.
Where your whole life is not surveilled and cataloged.

I believe it is possible.

Do you?