If you are confused about the utility of Bitcoin, I want to share this with you.

except recent events have all but killed the whole 'decentralization utopia' thing, haven't they?

Its all a rouse now because of the mistakes Metamask made. The genie is out of the bottle. Ive sold everything crypto, and I was a mega bull. The idea was there but decentralization wasnt taken seriously enough because we just all believed it.

cryptoslate.com article: metamask-blocks-ethereum-transactions-in-several-jurisdictions-citing-compliance-issues

: MetaMask has blocked users from certain jurisdictions from accessing its services and interacting with Ethereum.

Users from Venezuela and Iran have begun reporting problems with accessing their digital wallets earlier today, with hundreds of users saying none of their transactions sent through MetaMask were realized.

First instances of bans were noticed on OpenSea, which reportedly locked and deactivated users of several Iranian users. Users from Venezuela began reporting problems with accessing their own MetaMask wallets soon after, with thousands of messages about the issue popping up on social media.

Not only @opensea
But MetaMask itself is also BANNING every wallet associated with an Iranian IP address.

?? THIS IS NOT A DRILL ??

Iranian People are losing access to their NON CUSTODIAL Wallets with this update.
This is UNACCEPTABLE! pic.twitter.com/qDEBcezJba

— Bornosor.eth (@Bornosor) March 3, 2022

MetaMask briefly addressed the issue on its support page, saying that MetaMask and Infura will be unavailable in certain jurisdictions due to legal compliance. When attempting to use MetaMask in one of those regions, users will receive a message stating that MetaMask is unable to connect to the blockchain host.

@MetaMask Do not tell me that you became Centralized, I have this problem and many people in Venezuela have the same ?????? pic.twitter.com/lENciOPysp

— L.A.R.V. (@goluis1_) March 3, 2022

While users are able to see their MetaMask balances and transaction histories, any attempt to interact with the Ethereum network is blocked. This means that the ban stems from Infura, the Ethereum API infrastructure developed by ConsenSys.

MetaMask’s ban has caused outrage in the crypto community, leaving many disappointed in its lack of decentralization and liberal use of censorship.

If Metamask/Infura is open and willing to block countries like Venezuela by IP addresses, it's only a matter of time until they are forced by regulators to censor individual people's IP addresses. We need alternatives immediately, hoping that Alchemy and others don't do this

— Larry Cermak (@lawmaster) March 3, 2022

The ongoing incident has also sparked an industry-wide debate about the importance of using secure VPNs when interacting with cryptocurrencies and the need for viable alternatives to MetaMask.

Neither MetaMask nor ConsenSys has officially commented on the issue.

Explain what YOU think decentralization is?

Not sure what you think MetaMask has to do with it so I would like to hear your take.

Do you realize that you can import your seeds into other wallets not called metamask?

Also, what TTT said above.

Dummy

Saw him on Bloomberg and thought it was the best explanation I had been exposed to to-date.

Keep in mind when listening to him that he also reinvented his company to be amass many billions of $ of crypto; whether good/bad/indifferent, he has a point of view and a motivation.

Most clear utility explanation I have seen.

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As far as Saylor goes, dude is a champion at creating simple analogies to explain to the layperson why an asset/network like Bitcoin has a very unique value proposition as a longer term investment vehicle in an increasingly digital world with increasingly loose monetary policies and confiscatory governments.

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This is a great primer for BTC. Tucker Carlson Interviews Michael Saylor

Meh, Bitcoin is the one confused. I'll pass. It is trash during market good times and will continue to be trash as we have entered tumultuous times.

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Explain what YOU think decentralization is? Not sure what you think MetaMask has to do with it so I would like to hear your take.

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Not sure why this is getting downvoted. The initial idea behind decentralization of Bitcoin was that the nodes containing the public ledger and the mining rigs providing security were distributed internationally with no trusted party required to facilitate transactions. By running a node, you can create your own wallet.

I think it’s fair to ask where an Ethereum based software wallet comes into play when talking about the decentralization of Bitcoin. If Metamask is acting shitty, just don’t use Metamask.

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My friends who have had a hard time "getting it" got it after listening to this one so I wanted to share with those who are interested and want to learn more.

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When it hits 10 I may buy

Why isn't crypto on a relative 1to1 ratio with the dollar? If it's true intention is to be an alternative why is is so much more expensive?

It's a good thing that your friends didn't "get it" when it was 62k