Many folks mistake institutional interest for Bitcoin adoption. The arrival of ETFs, corporate treasuries, and Wall Street products has led some to believe that the financial establishment has embraced Bitcoin. But that often reflects demand for a profitable asset—not commitment to freedom, community empowerment and individual sovereignty. Thanks @DarthCoin for that meme.

The Monty Python's Life of Brian is fitting. In the film, people mistakenly turn Brian into a messiah, following him instead of thinking for themselves. Likewise, some Bitcoiners risk treating figures like Michael Saylor as symbolic leaders, equating institutional enthusiasm with Bitcoin's success.

Real Bitcoin adoption doesn't happen when corporations/institutions add Bitcoins to their balance sheets or when Wall Street launches another financial product. It happens when individuals become sovereign individuals, build local circular economies, and communities use Bitcoin as money. Bitcoin was designed to empower people—not institutions/corporations. Institutions and corporations may claim to use Bitcoin, but individuals and communities are what truly give it life.