I find them sort of heart-breaking. Bitcoin is a wonder, but makes and breaks men faster than silver
I see bitcoin as a computer technology experiment, that was appropriated by various groups and pushed as something that it was never intended to be, and is nowhere ready to be.
Agreed.
Edit. As a rule I dislike Libertarianism, mostly as it has been co-opted by the right, but I was drawn to Bitcoin for purely political reasons; I think the world needs slightly more liberty than it currently has. Unfortunately as it stands crypto just seems clumsy and liable to hurt anyone who goes near it
Libertarianism is just a slightly confused version of classical liberalism. A democratic society of the people and for the people is fully legitimized to provide services which promotes equality, health and security for its citizens. Even Warren Buffett thinks so:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irAVaMIvvYYHis idea of a Genie is, of course, not his own. What he is describing is John Rawls' "Veil of Ignorance". The solution in his mind is within what we would call social liberalism, certain vains of christian conservativism and modern social democrats.
Bitcoin has an exciting role in that it is not really hindered by any political ideology except for certain vains of extreme nationalism and extreme socialism. It can work as an internet coupon. It can work as a substitute for, or in addition to a national currency. And in the long term it can replace the dollar as a world currency. History tells us that that status is very temporary. What else could replace the dollar? The Swiss Franc? The renminbi? The Euro? The Rouble? The Rupee? They are certainly not better than the dollar right now, and won't be for the foreseeable future. And they would be hard pressed to offer more than the dollar even if they catch up with it. What is needed is something new. What is needed is a trustless global currency which can't be manipulated or controlled by single governments. A currency that grows into its role rather than is chosen by the community of states in concert. A currency that has a foothold in most or all of the major economies in the world and thus represents the world economy in a very real way. Bitcoin is not a anarcho-libertarian looney currency. Nor is it a supranational currency. It is a currency for the people as well as the global society of independent states. It is a cosmopolitan currency.