[toenail]

So the government creates a problem, and you think more government is the solution? Bizarre. Yet the 15 year old can find a teacher and pay them directly, they can buy and sell services globally and get paid. Yeah, bitcoin doesn't solve any problems..

[shagmin]

Can't you just say that about any less than perfect solution? Bitcoin has been used to facilitate illegal drug trafficking, which is a problem. Yet you think more bitcoin is the solution? Bizarre.

So there's already a lack of a stable, functioning government, and the solution you're touting isn't currently a reality, why? In the US when there's little friction in a marketplace people in some communities resort to using Tide laundry detergent as a medium of exchange. There's nothing stopping them from using bitcoin or cryptocurrencies currently, but navigating a market place, finding qualified teachers, finding motivation to use what little resources you have to use a novel medium to pay for teachers in a place with no opportunity, etc., doesn't seem too easy. One tool alone doesn't usually solve any problems.

[Breza]

> One tool alone doesn't usually solve any problems.

I completely agree. The world of developmental economics has had so many great "One tool to fix everything!" ideas, but at the end of the day, they generally don't add up to much without a functioning government that's focused on serving its citizens.

[Breza]

So in 2025, what self-hosted options does a 15 year old have to manage his finances using Bitcoin? Assume he gets a monthly paycheck of 0.00125 BTC. How would his employer pay him? How much would be eaten up by fees?

Back in 2013, I loved the idea of Bitcoin. Then I actually tried using it. Such a pain. I switched to Coinbase until I gave up entirely on crypto around 2017 and became highly skeptical it was going to change the world as promised. I would love to hear that the world of self-custodied Bitcoin has become less onerous.