Summary by @tldr:
I had tons of questions, and as I learned more, I began to see that Bitcoin is more than just a convenient way to send money to anyone, anywhere... it also reduces the costs and friction of international commerce, and presents a viable alternative to the world's troubled currency markets.
We'll also explore the breakthrough technology underneath Bitcoin--"the blockchain"--and how it can change more than just our relationship with money; it can transform our societies, our governments, our businesses, and possibly our every interaction.
At its essence, the blockchain keeps track of every Bitcoin transaction that's ever taken place, and enables what is called distributed consensus--each node on the network can mathematically verify that the ledger is accurate and has not been altered.
The estimated 4,000,000,000 people on earth who currently don't have reliable access to banks can now plug in to the global financial network... with nothing more than a cell phone that can send a text message!
Accepting traditional credit card payments is expensive for merchants; Bitcoin's low transaction fees save business owners serious money!
And a website called LocalBitcoins.com connects people around the world, allowing them to trade traditional currency or other items like Amazon gift cards for Bitcoin, online or in person.
In early 2015, I moved from Los Angeles to participate in the Free State Project, a geopolitical movement getting 20,000+ libertarians to relocate to New Hampshire to decrease the size and draconian reach of the government while protecting individual liberties.
stats: 9.2% of original contents - learn more