Not a Bitcoin worshiper, perhaps more a Bitcoin pragmatist. From reading your article, and also from my own observations and studies into how Bitcoin works, it would appear the weak point is its interaction with government backed fiat currency. Is that a technical problem, or a societal problem? (just the fact it needs to interact with fiat). The reason I have started looking into Dash of late is, to my understanding, it takes the best of Bitcoin, but deals with Bitcoins inherent lack of true privacy. This is my rudimentary understanding of it.
So it seems the crypto world is new and evolving, somewhat rapidly when you consider it. I believe it is potentially world changing, but nothing that revolutionary goes unnoticed, and untouched, by the authorities.
But I believe in human ingenuity, so I am open to see how these issues pan out and develop and resolve themselves.
I am definitely feeling your vibes @naquoya.
One question though @barrycooper: Let's just assume the CIA has bitcoin hacked or neutralized. How would they go about manipulating or causing a positive reaction (for the government) in the Bitcoin market?
I mean I guess they'd have to come into the market after miners just can't mine anymore and then buy up a bunch? They'd have to do a bit of laundering since that would be on the blockchain....the market would definitely react to a lot of Bitcoin purchased.
The gold price has been manipulated through the paper-gold market. So in a way that too is hacked. But to me, the ultimate value of Bitcoin is the Blockchain. So like you say, it would expose certain things, at least to those who know how and where to look.
Like all revolutionary ideas and technologies, I don't doubt certain agencies have some type of involvement, but most likely after the fact. The uncertainty surrounding the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto just adds to the mystery.