One of the worst things to come out of the political and social polarization over the past decade is that virtually everything you do or use is a political statement. Sure, it was probably always the case, but it's more apparent now.

Like if you use an (allegedly) privacy-focused email provider instead of Gmail, it gives off the idea that you subscribe to a niche or radical political ideology that justifies hiding yourself from the feds. Maybe you just simply want a private email provider, but given that those providers are often used by political dissidents and the MSM will write hit-pieces on them it does give off that vibe. It wouldn't surprise me if people had their job applications rejected because they used a Proton email address or something like that.

This is probably why many white market businesses and services like Steam stopped accepting crypto, besides the government regulations. All of the sudden, cryptocurrency became associated with ancaps and the alt-right and by using it, even for legitimate purposes, you are pandering to them.

Of course, this is probably all by design, but it gets really frustrating that living a slightly different lifestyle means that you are some political extremist that should be put on a government red-flag list.

@xianc78 I really think the average person associates crypto more with speculation, ponzi schemes, and illegal activity than with right wingers

If people treated it like a currency instead of an asset it would have had a better image

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@frost
>I really think the average person associates crypto more with speculation, ponzi schemes, and illegal activity than with right wingers

During the height of the culture war (2017-2019), it was strongly associated with the dissident right because it was the only thing that was financially supporting them.

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@xianc78 @frost You still see a bunch of lefties that internalized that association and have become annoying anti-crypto crusaders as a result (even though they all buy their hrt with it)

@RK7 @frost Well the mere existence of cryptocurrencies debunks the LibLeft claim that money requires a state to exist, so that's probably why ancoms and other leftists get triggered when you bring it up.

@RK7 @xianc78 @frost >(even though they all buy their hrt with it)

Other drugs too. In the 2010s, Bitcoin was the "drug dealer" currency. It was so associated with this, that dodgy vape shops that'll sell literally anything and everything (see: Galaxy Gas/Nitrious) even had ATMs. Some might still have them for sure.

ATMs are also notorious for having the shittiest KYC, usually asking for just an e-mail and phone #.
@RK7 @frost @xianc78 While mailing drugs through the mail is just risky and asking for a USPS postmaster to issue a warrant, this was also very common at one point.

Not only did you not need to "know a guy" from the hood or your middle school who knew a guy, but you also could get many drugs easily and the reputation of their quality was notable. I remember reading that darkweb sellers had to sell good shit or their reputation would tank.

Of course in 2024 shit is different, the farm bill led to "legal" weed being sold at gas stations/vape shops, and that's on top of state after state legalizing it. There's also Ketamine clinics where for a price you can trip with them.

@PurpCat @xianc78 @RK7 @frost USPS is what the spooky web uses to deliver drugs, you just don't have to "know someone" anymore and you usually have security through obscurity. Feds rarely target random buyers either, only people buying large amounts who are intending to resale.

@xianc78 @PurpCat @RK7 @frost Not that the last part is all that relevant I just want more Fedi autists to ruin their lives with dope.

@PurpCat @xianc78 @RK7 @frost
>mailing drugs through the mail is just risky
depends on drug, also ordering domestic is better of course
@PurpCat @xianc78 @RK7 @frost
>shittiest KYC
can confirm after looking at the atm at the grocery store here a while ago. not even worth it
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