pull down to refresh

Many of us talk about freedom, decentralization, sovereignty...
But in practice, we still work for corporations, use banks, and pay taxes that uphold the very system we criticize.
So here’s the question:
🧩 Is it hypocrisy or just survival? How do you balance it?
Let’s make this a poll + discussion. Vote and explain your choice in the comments. I’d love to hear real stories and perspectives from this community.
🌀 Hypocrisy — we must walk the talk16.3%
⚖️ Realism — living in both worlds51.2%
🎭 Depends — each case is unique20.9%
🛖 I’ve fully exited the system2.3%
🧘 I’m free, and that’s what matters9.3%
43 votes \ poll ended
127 sats \ 0 replies \ @optimism 16h
You strive for the utopia, but you can't be there right now, as then there would be nothing left to do. Sometimes you sacrifice, sometimes you need time to make a sacrifice, and at other times, there is simply nowhere to go but the fiat route.
But if seen as evolution rather than revolution, the question simply is what are you going to improve next? What difference are you going to make not only in your own life, but in that of others; even if it's just for someone to end up having a safety net where there used to be nothing.
I think that you can't slap the hypocrisy label onto something that is still developing. This is not the end game. We haven't even really found out to what extent Bitcoin is censorship resistant yet, which is arguably the most important test; thus far, attempts have been lame.
We have a long road ahead of us, let's not pass judgment. Not at all if we can help it, but especially not prematurely.
reply
There's nothing morally righteous about starving to death. The best I can do is the best I can do.
reply
I think the most reasonable position is to take the world as it is, rather than as we’d like it to be.
reply
71 sats \ 1 reply \ @BlokchainB 20h
Great answer
reply
I've had to give this topic a lot of thought, because I try to be as consistent as possible and there are lots of things that aren't as they should be.
reply
38 sats \ 0 replies \ @Aardvark 23h
Agreed. I can work to turn the world into what I'd like it to be, but not if I cant survive.
reply
21 sats \ 0 replies \ @nichro 22h
True. You're no use to the Rebellion if you're starving
yes I just binged Andor
reply
I kind of wanted an option that went
Yes, fuck em for what they've done. I have zero regrets paying fuckery forward
reply
That’s close to how I feel. There’s no need to be a victim twice over.
reply
I second this.
reply
554 sats \ 1 reply \ @kepford 22h
I think if we are all honest we are all hypocrites some of the time. We are flawed and often aspirational.
I don't believe all corporations are bad, so there's that. Not all banks are bad either. We don't pay taxes voluntarily. This is why it is important to realize taxes are theft. So government actions are actions that would occur even in a voluntary free society but with all the evil in the government my goal is to minimize the amount of money I have to surrender to the state. But I'm not going to act in an irrational way in this regard.
You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete
~ Bucky Fuller
This is how I view bitcoin. It seeks to obsolete the existing fiat model. Applied to government if the state fell tomorrow in most countries there would be mass disaster. Why? Because people are dependent on its systems. These systems must be replaced by voluntary private actors. Some will be individuals, others will be companies (groups of individuals voluntarily organizing). I'm just an individual but building wealth and skills are a part of the solution. Building community is as well.
With that said, pay as little taxes as possible. Don't work for a corporation you believe is doing the work of the devil. Build community. Get involved in creating solutions to real problems where you live. Build strong families. Become a person of faith. Its amazing how this impacts your view on things like this. And finally use bitcoin. Its a key aspect to all of this.
Also, it can get worse. I find far to many younger people do not realize how dark history has been and how good we have it. Other than a place like North Korea most places could get much worse. Especially the west.
reply
Another fantastic answer!
reply
37 sats \ 1 reply \ @OT 21 May
Until my wife has some understanding about how to use Bitcoin I pick the realism option. It might take longer this way but when you have a family this kind of stuff needs to be compromised and met somewhere in the middle.
reply
I would also be more extreme on my own too. As is, I’m just constantly taking baby steps in the right direction, while giving my family time to adjust.
reply
It’s a tricky one. Probably we are all moving in the right direction and gradually putting things in place.
reply
21 sats \ 0 replies \ @zapsammy 19h
the new-age mantra of "accept everything as is" is Ba'alshit at its best; the dark occult controllers got the feeble minds exactly where they want them; to know that the situation is deplorable and do little to nothing about it perpetuates the enslavement of mankind;
every week i wonder how else i can distance my energy from the system and stop feeding it; how to further reduce my wants and needs; how to become more self-sufficient and incentivize other to do the same, in order to build a distributed network of skillsets;
the number of people whom i leave behind is steadily rising, in order to make room for those who are willing to make radical changes in their life; the rest are losers who will continue suffering until they hit some sort of rock bottom or enlightenment or both;
reply
Monks exist for a reason
reply
I voted hypocrisy, but I think it's realism too.
I think it's okay to be in a hypocritical state.. but I won't lie to myself about it.
I spent 20 minutes this morning on the phone with my credit union telling them that their efforts to force me to use biometrics on my phone to log into the app are unacceptable and that I would leave the bank if this kept up.
reply
Totally feel you — we're all swimming in this tension between ideals and the world we still have to navigate. Standing your ground with the credit union shows you’re at least fighting back, which already sets you apart. Hypocrisy? Maybe. But intentional hypocrisy beats blind compliance any day. 🧠⚡
reply
But intentional hypocrisy beats blind compliance any day.
amen.
reply
There are small things you can do, but nothing to change the system quickly. You have to adapt.
I find it funny, though, that some people talk about these ideas but don’t do the small things - like, for example, paying with cash instead of credit cards.
There’s no reason to be involved in the system more than you have to.
reply
We are in a transition mode on so many aspects (economy, BTC, social, technology, science, spiritual...)
so before achieving one goal we have to go throught those moments where freedom, decentralization, sovereignty... have to be talk, share, understand and etc....
It is part of the process
reply
You should be free to do what's right to humanity
reply
I live my life under the scrutiny of myself. Pragmatism must be enforced always.
reply
Talk is cheap.
If you want to be free you must be prepared to risk your life and security to achieve it.
Most people are sheep;e and will sell out their freedom for a Big Mac and a Coke.
Most Libertarians are complete hypocrits- life long beneficiaries of western imperialism and resource hegemony, and would not last 24 hours in the absence of the protection, wealth, comfort and security thier 'statist' government provides them..
reply
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @flat24 21h
I think each case is unique... and the first thing is to be aware of what you mention, things that are difficult to apply to everyone (many are unaware of the reality they live in). For my part, I think our greatest goal is systematic freedom. Move as little as possible within the system, while living my life as best I can thanks to Bitcoin.
reply
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @nichro 22h
I think we all have different lives and situations, we come from different places and experiences, and some folks are responsible for the well-being of more than themselves.
Which means different tolerance to risk of exiting the system and burning all bridges.
But that doesn't make it inherently immoral or hypocritical. There can still be rebels within the system. In fact we need them just as we need those outside. We need the engineer that inserts and leaks the fatal weakness of the Death Star.
The question then becomes, given all these factors, what and where is the best place for you to contribute to the Rebellion in your own way?
There's a huge spectrum of dissent from speaking out education to throwing Molotov cocktails.
reply
I agree we must talk the talk but also must be realists. System change is a long battle. I think as long as we are moving towards fully exiting the system and helpings others along the way it is moral.
reply
I don't think it's immoral to work for a corporation (work for someone else) or to use a bank (storing money in a safe location)
I just use bitcoin because it's the best money. I don't overthink it
reply
These things go hand in hand, right?
reply
Gịnị bụ omume?
reply
I think it's a matter of survival; sometimes we need to adapt to circumstances in order to live and continue fighting for change.
reply
Walking the talk, is very rewarding but can be tough on relationships.
I often think of the lyrics from the song "baby i'm an anarchist" ( by against me)
We're all hypocrites,
But you're a patriot.
If I end up being a hypocrite, I try to at least not be a patriot.
reply