This is an opinion editorial by Holly Young, Ph.D., an active builder in the Portuguese Bitcoin community.
Like many women in Bitcoin, I was first introduced to it by my partner. He had been a banker, and spoke eloquently and knowledgeably about money. When he first told me about it in 2016 the thing that shocked me the most was how ignorant about money I was back then. He asked me if I knew what the gold standard was to my embarrassment, I had only the vaguest of ideas.
We both went on quite the learning journey together, he leading the way. We both did an online course, the first of its kind, about digital currencies and he went on to do a Masters from the same university, Nicosia in Cyprus.
My first Bitcoin conference was an experience. Of the hundred and fifty odd participants, I was one of only three women and I joked with the other two about how this was the only event we had ever attended where there was no queue at the womens bathroom. But there was no denying it the atmosphere at that conference was electric. We were fizzing with an irrepressible excitement. We were onto something big and we knew it.
My learning when it comes to Bitcoin has never stopped and I look back at those early days with a fond nostalgia. The more I learned, the further reaching the changes I made. Soon enough I had changed my diet, my lifestyle, my approach to religion, family, life.
I guess once you have seen how important a discovery Bitcoin is, it could be argued that there is something of a moral imperative to tell the people who you care about. Ive been doing my best to make Bitcoin the subject of conversation amongst my family and my friends. Of course (and sadly) the success of this attempt is highly correlated to the price of Bitcoin at the time. But even taking the highs and the low in dollars into account it still surprises me how slow Bitcoin is, how hesitant most people are.
The series of stories which I have written as the Orange Pill Diaries are all true, and theyre about my varied attempts to introduce people I know and care about to Bitcoin. Im hoping that in the telling of my successes and failures there might be some common themes that Bitcoiners might be able to recognise, build upon or use.
These stories are all about people I know, friends or family. This first installment is about my friend Isobel, who owns a small trail riding business on the west coast of Portugal.
Ive got something Id like to show you, is what she said. I hesitated. I was sweat streaked and dusty. There was mud in my hair and blood under my nails from where I had clung on coming down a steep bank. I smelled strongly of horse. What I wanted was a long, cool shower with plenty of soap and shampoo in the heat of the Portuguese evening.
But when Isobel tells me she has something to show me, its pretty much always something special. Once it was a German cavalry saddle from the second World War which someone had unearthed from someones grandfathers attic and given to her as a gift. She had restored it with oil and the love true horsemen and women bestow on good equipment. Another time it was a pair of three year old Lusitano colts standing in the dusk, down through a wood and across a little stream. They were trusting, curious, blinking in the light from my phone. They rifled gently through our pockets for treats, explored our hair and boots with their muzzles and submitted to being petted like puppies.
So I followed her into the cool of her hallway, expecting her to lead me further into her house. Instead she fumbled under a pile of horse blankets and pulled out a cracked Ikea picture frame. Inside it, a five euro note. I found this, she said. I was out on a ride through the dunes and I saw it in the heather! So I jumped off and grabbed it. I looked at her in some confusion. Well, its not mine, I replied.
No well, I mean, I know. To my great surprise I saw that she had tears in her eyes. I know Isobel as a cheerful, sensible businesswomen, one of the best horsewomen I know (and I know very many, on this continent and beyond). Nothing phases her.
Seeing her on the verge of tears was unthinkable and I was momentarily lost for words. I just wanted to thank you again for coming. she says.
With COVID-19, times have been hard. Its not like horses stop eating, or dont need vets, or dont need the blacksmith once in a while, just because travel restrictions are in place and no tourists are here. Feed has gone up in price, shoeing too and no clients have been coming. When I found this five euro note I kept it for if I really get to a time again when I have nothing on my bank balance. At least Ill be able to buy bread for my kids for the next day. So thank you for coming. Im so glad youve never stopped traveling, even in all the restrictions and that you have come to ride with me again.
I didnt know what to say. Riding with her is a real highlight of every visit to the area but it had stupidly never occurred to me just how tight for money she must have been with so few clients, or how valuable my custom was.
Brightening, she told me how, to save on blacksmiths bills, she has taught herself how to trim her horses feet and is changing her routes so they only need to take the soft sand paths through the dunes. Its sixty five euros per horse per eight weeks now, she added. I have seven horses. That adds up very fast. This way, I keep their feet trimmed myself and none of them need shoes. She was cheerful again. I reached out to stroke the pretty white mare who had just taken me through the sand dunes, a light hearted adventure of walking and chatting combined with wild gallops down the narrow, twisting paths, emerging suddenly at breakneck speed onto cliff tops, with the turquoise Atlantic below. Wed talked about horses and our respective children and wed come back a little giddy from the galloping and the ozone rich air.
Id visited some months before, and I remembered when this horse was new. Almost all of Isobels horses are rescue horses. When she came this mare was afraid of her own shadow. If you raised a hand in her direction she flinched fearfully away, expecting a blow. Now, munching calmly on her feed, she turned contentedly towards me and rested her head briefly against my shoulder. I reached in my pocket for the cash I had put there, to pay for the ride I had just taken. Id slipped in a little extra but still, it didnt feel quite right, paying Isobel in euros. Someone whose work and skill I respected so much should be paid in well, better money. I gave it to her and she took it with a smile and more thanks.
I weighed my options carefully, trying to gauge her reaction. I knew if I offered her any financial help she wouldnt accept it, would be offended, even, and that it may sour a friendship which even in its very early days I recognized as a valuable one. I thought quickly through the pros and cons and then took the plunge. Do you remember how I told you about Bitcoin, Isobel? I asked her. She nodded. Well, would you maybe have time later in the week so I can explain it more? I think it might be a good way for you to be able to plan for the future.
My kids love a good swimming pool. I had made sure that the villa I had rented for our trip had one and a couple of days later I was lying beside it watching them plunge in, get out and plunge in again. Half my attention was on my book, which I wish I could tell you was something weighty on Bitcoin but was in fact an engaging novel about a penguin and mafia intrigues. I heard a bicycle on the gravel of the driveway and looked up to see Isobel peeking inquiringly around the hedge. Have you got time now? she asked. I brought my laptop.
We had spoken a bit about Bitcoin before. She knew I had an interest in it and was happy to talk about it. She also knew that I didnt want to give her financial advice on her personal situation but that I had made it very clear that if she had questions Id be more than happy to help. The real key to a successful orange pill, a good friend once told me, is awakening curiosity. And lets face it, most people come for the financial gains. Some people even stay for the gains, even when they have seen the revolution. Knowing Isobels financial situation, I started with the gains. I showed her a chart of Bitcoins price development over the years and I explained how, even though there are often dips, the dips have never gone to zero. I repeated the well known mantra: No one who has invested in Bitcoin for four years and not sold has ever lost money. Sketching it out roughly, I showed her why not.
But what is Bitcoin? was her eminently sensible question. I explained, as concisely as I could, how Bitcoin is a digital currency, whose ledger is maintained on the blockchain. I watched as the penny dropped when she started to realize the implications of property which is absolute. I compared it to the field where her two beautiful Lusitano stallions were no doubt at that moment happily chewing through the dry summer grass, a field whose deed had at some point in the mists of time been registered by an inhabitant of the village, now long dead. Ownership of the field and grazing rights was the cause of some strife for her and some government intervention from the council. We discussed inflation, which she was seeing in her life in the rising costs of the blacksmith and the feed she supplemented the dry grass with. I explained, as briefly as I could, how Bitcoin is decentralized and how crucial that is in determining its value. She had never heard of any altcoins (I think I once heard Elon talk about some kind of currency which I dont think was Bitcoin, but the mans a nut job anyway, she said) I repeated that Bitcoin is the only truly decentralized currency as a precautionary measure.
Then I asked her why she had her laptop with her. She told me she was curious. She had very little spare cash, she said, but she had seen how convinced I was in our first conversation. What she had heard during our conversation that day had helped her make up her mind. She wanted to buy a few euros worth.
I set her up with an encrypted email, a password manager and a wallet. Then we made our agreement. I told her I would pay for my daughter and I to go for a beach ride together with her. I would send her the euro amount in Bitcoin. We would wait to take that ride for bitcoin to double in value. Its an agreement which still stands between us. That was in May 2021, when one Bitcoin was $44,000. We still ride often together but were still waiting for Bitcoin to reach $88,000. That will be an all-time high to remember.
After I got her set up and explained what an orange pill was, I thought she would be well and truly done with talking about Bitcoin. Instead, she settled back in her chair. Where did Bitcoin come from? she asked. I put on a fresh pot of coffee.
This is a guest post by Holly Young. Opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.
Continued here:
Creating Hope In A Business Owners Life With Bitcoin Adoption - Bitcoin Magazine
- NYSE Plans Bitcoin Options, Bringing Another TradFi Giant Into Crypto - CoinDesk - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Mt Gox distributions may not be all doom and gloom for bitcoin - Blockworks - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Bitcoin ETFs are an 'astonishing success,' Goldman Sachs executive says - Quartz - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Franklin Templeton's Jenny Johnson on Bitcoin ETFs, RWA Tokenization and Blockchain's Potential for TradFi - CoinDesk - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Mastercard Crypto Credential Launches with "First Peer-to-Peer Pilot Transactions" - Bitcoin Magazine - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Is The MEV Monster Under Bitcoin's Bed? - Bitcoin Magazine - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- The 2024 Bitcoin Halving Is Still Playing Out. Here's What to Expect Next. - The Motley Fool - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Ether Spot ETFs to See Much Lower Demand Than Bitcoin Versions, JPMorgan Says - CoinDesk - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Bitcoin market split as buying and selling volumes remain the same - CryptoSlate - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Bitcoin price today: flat at $67.7k amid rate fears; MT Gox risk eases By Investing.com - Investing.com - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Bitcoin Finds A New Consolidation Phase: Heres What to Expect from BTC Price Rally In H2 2024 - Coinpedia Fintech News - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Bitcoin needs '3.3% or lower' CPI print to reach new ATH - Cointelegraph - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- This is How Bitcoin is Mirroring the 2015-2017 Bull Market - BeInCrypto - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- This CEO Is Looking For The Next Generation Of Bitcoin Fund Managers - Bitcoin Magazine - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Bitcoin Price Drops. These Are the Levels to Watch. - Barron's - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Bitcoin Spot ETFs See 13 Consecutive Days of Net Inflows, Maintaining Strong Momentum - Cryptonews - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- BlackRock Now Runs the World's Largest Bitcoin Fund - The Wall Street Journal - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- $1,000,000 Bitcoin Price Is Possible Within the Next 18 Months, Says Strike CEO Jack Mallers Heres Why - The Daily Hodl - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Hackers Recover $3,000,000 in Lost Bitcoin From 11-Year Old Wallet After Owner Lost Password: Report - The Daily Hodl - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Researchers cracked open $1.6 million Bitcoin wallet after 20-character password was lost well worth the six months ... - Tom's Hardware - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Bitcoin drops to $67,000 level, and Gemini returns more than $2 billion to users - CNBC - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Bitcoin Price Slips. Why Mt. Gox Refunds Are Making the Market Nervous. - Barron's - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Fold Will Be Your Bitcoin Bank With CEO Will Reeves - Bitcoin Magazine - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Healthcare tech company shares surge 27% after announcing plans to buy bitcoin with cash reserves - The Block - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Binance: Bitcoin has a scalability issue, but there's hope in solutions - crypto.news - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Bitcoin on Cusp of Entering Parabolic Phase of the Cycle, Says Crypto Analyst Heres the Timeline - The Daily Hodl - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Here's What XRP Price Could be if Bitcoin Hits $155,000 - The Crypto Basic - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- 41% of Voters Looking at Bitcoin and Crypto Due to Weakening Dollar and Political Tensions: Grayscale Survey - The Daily Hodl - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Ether will continue to outperform bitcoin in near term, says crypto asset manager - The Block - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- US major predicts Bitcoin recognition as a weapon system as catalyst for $100 million price target - CryptoSlate - May 31st, 2024 [May 31st, 2024]
- Bitcoin Reaches Record High of $69,000, Recovering from 2022 Meltdown - The New York Times - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Is Bitcoin headed for $100k? What it could mean for US dollar. - IG - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Bitcoin Rallies To Record $70K, Prompts Coinbase Upgrade; BlackRock To Add BTC Exposure To $17.83 Billion Fund - Investor's Business Daily - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- What Is Bitcoin 'Halving' and Does It Push Up the Cryptocurrency's Price? - Bloomberg - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- What to Know About Bitcoins Record High in Latest Crypto Surge - The New York Times - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- SEC's Gensler says crypto 'rife with abuses and fraud' as bitcoin surges to new all-time record - Yahoo Finance - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Rich Dad Poor Dad Author Robert Kiyosaki: Bitcoin 'on Fire' BTC Headed for $300K This Year Markets and Prices ... - Bitcoin.com News - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Bitcoin can top $150000 in the next 12-18 months, says Fundstrat's Tom Lee - CNBC - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Is This The Real $90 Trillion Reason Behind BlackRocks Huge Bitcoin ETF Flip That Triggered The Price Boom? - Forbes - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Bitcoin's Test of All-Time Highs Means Old Miners Are Cashing Out - CoinDesk - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Bitcoin Price Prediction: Can BTC Reach $100000? Forbes Advisor - Forbes - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Bitcoin hits new all-time high near $69,000 before tumbling - Yahoo Finance - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Bitcoin spikes above $70K, a record high, before fading - Yahoo Finance - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Bitcoin Ordinals Wallet Oyl Raises $3M With Arthur Hayes, BRC-20 Creator Domo Among Investors - CoinDesk - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Fear of bitcoin price 'triple top' dismissed by analysts following all-time high - TheStreet - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Here's why gold, bitcoin and stocks are all hitting new highs - Yahoo Finance - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Bitcoin vs. Ethereum: Which Is the Better Buy? - U.S News & World Report Money - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Crypto Analyst Predicts Bitcoin Could Surpass $330000, Breaking Historical Growth Patterns Markets and Prices ... - Bitcoin.com News - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Bitcoin is running out of enemies - Fortune - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Why is Bitcoin at an all-time high? - BBC.com - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Bitcoin tops $68,000 as it nears 2021 all-time high - CNBC - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- BlackRock's Global Allocation Fund Eyes Spot Bitcoin ETFs, Expects Institutional Uptake to Drive BTC Above $600k - TradingView - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- FT Cryptofinance: This time isn't different for bitcoin rally - Financial Times - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Coinbase Stock vs. Bitcoin: Which Should You Invest In? - Yahoo Finance - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- ETC Group CEO on Bitcoin's wild ride to a new high and why Ethereum could be the next big thing - Yahoo Finance - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Miners continue money-conscious moves ahead of the Bitcoin halving - Blockworks - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Warren Buffett's danger to Apple, the truth about Bitcoin's record, and Nvidia's bubble: Markets news roundup - Quartz - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Warren Buffett Says He Wouldn't Pay $25 For All The Bitcoin In The World He Considers Crypto 'Rat Poison' And ... - Yahoo Finance - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Bitcoin breaks record: Will the crypto rally sustain? - DW (English) - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Bitcoin Hit a Record High. Here's What Might Happen Next - CoinDesk - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Bitcoin price falls below $39,000 as indicators suggest risk of a deeper correction, according to Bitfinex - The Block - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- Bitcoin down 20% since ETFs approval, but may still see record high this year - MarketWatch - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- Bitcoin briefly falls below $39,000 as post-ETF selling pressure continues - CNBC - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- Bitcoin trims its losses after breaking below $39,000 to lowest level in 7 weeks - CNBC - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- Bitwise publishes bitcoin ETF holdings address after on-chain sleuths uncover BlackRock's - Blockworks - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- AI Agents Are Coming For CryptoPalantir Cofounder Issues Very Important Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana And XRP Price Prediction - Forbes - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- This Investing Phenomenon Could Be Why Bitcoin Prices Are Down After ETF Approval - Money - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- Bitcoin Under $39K as ETF Debut Continues to Be a Sell-the-News Event - CoinDesk - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- Blockchain, the tech behind bitcoin, may have found its 'killer use case' by keeping AI in check - CNBC - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- Why Aren't There Options on the New Bitcoin ETFs Yet? - The Wall Street Journal - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- Bitcoin ETFs to Likely Divert Users and Trading Volumes Away from CEXs, Says Anthony Bevan Bitcoin News - Bitcoin.com News - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- Retail investors are worried bitcoin will plunge below $20000 this year, Deutsche Bank survey says - CNBC - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- China's Currency Woes to Weigh on Bitcoin: Crypto Observer - CoinDesk - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- Bitcoin ETF fee war spreads to Europe - Financial Times - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- Bitcoin Bulls Buoyed by Report of FTX's $1B GBTC Sale - CoinDesk - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- Despite the Bitcoin ETF Hype, Survey Says Investors Are Still Skeptical - Barron's - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- Bitcoin ETFs aren't giving crypto a big boost just yet. Here's where the new funds stand - CNBC - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- Why Bitcoin's 'relentless' selling will end in weeks - DLNews - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- Bitcoin recovers above $40k amidst GBTC outflows, other ETF inflows - CryptoSlate - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]
- These two drivers will fuel Bitcoin's rebound: 'It's happened often before' - DLNews - January 25th, 2024 [January 25th, 2024]