> 1. no, you cant get FX. capital controls.

I can't find where this is true. There are some restrictions about denominating some contracts, etc. in FX, but nothing about investing in foreign currencies. And it looks like many Turks are in fact doing this [1].

On the other hand, after a non-zero level of crypto hype [2], a lot of Turks invested in crypto only to fall prey to some bonkers scams [3]. I know the typical rejoinder is "there are fiat scams too", but particularly in failing/failed states, the regulatory infrastructure is completely incapable of policing this stuff, making it all the more likely. The fact is it's easier to run these scams using crypto than fiat, because of the lack of international banking controls and KYC.

> 2. USDC stablecoin actually has explicit sanction exemptions from US Govt to help people in Venezuela. They aren't easy to get at all, but I guess according to USDC does absolutely nothing in Venezuela, so it must've been a waste of effort.

The argument crypto advocates make is that if you're in an failing/failed state, you can just switch to BTC. This clearly hasn't happened. The US is using a blockchain and VPNs to get aid to Venezuelans. That's (super) cool, but it's not at all what crypto advocates were talking about. It's also worth saying Venezuela is still in dire straits, despite all this. So while it's not a wasted effort, it certainly isn't a cure-all (again, what crypto advocates have argued).

> 3. transaction fees are measured in milli-cents on Lightning Network. They are also instant. Still Bitcoin, with the same security budget.

Lightning has all kinds of problems, and is probably unworkable:

- It currently only holds $70m, despite being available for years.

- It doesn't solve the problem of very small transactions across multiple parties (think gas stations, retail, vending machines, tolls, monthly subscriptions, etc. etc. etc.)

- It's fundamentally a desync from the blockchain, with all the potential for fraud that implies.

- The protocol requires constant internet connectivity; if you disconnect you risk losing your funds in the desynced transaction (again, bad for developing nations)

> 4. Why is using renewables super bad for the planet.

Crypto advocates seem to have a lot of assumptions about the use of renewable energy for mining, but the best study that wasn't conducted by people heavily invested (literally and figuratively) in crypto shows a pretty mixed bag, and indicates that a lot of the reason for the use of renewables is that it can't be used for anything else (e.g. it's too far away and transmission costs are too high) [4]. In the Xinjiang region in China, for example, it's all coal.

There's also a lot of externalities when it comes to mining. Hydropower has a significant environmental impact. ASICs evolve and the old ones become e-waste.

> Either renewables can power the planet and our industries - or they just don't work. Make up your mind.

They can power the planet and our industries, as long as we're wise about their use. Using them for crypto mining is an unwise use, akin to leaving the A/C on and all your windows open.

> Proof of Work exists to remove any subjectivity from consensus. Longest valid chain with most work, period. Subjectivity = politics, and everything that comes with it.

You can't seriously say crypto governance is free of politics. Look at the block size debate, or all the weirdness around ETH2.

> devs do not have anywhere as much control as you think, and the ecosystem can trivially eject malicious devs. happened a number of times.

ETH devs keep pushing ETH2 into the future, putting off the gains of people who bought into PoS and shoring up the positions of people who invested in big PoW mining rigs. That's politics, with devs at the heart of it. I can't think of a bigger issue in ETH, now or ever.

> Everyone is a criminal.

First of all the book that "article" references is pretty cranky. That said, it's true that it's very easy to incidentally commit crimes. However, there's plainly a difference between incidental criminal acts, and trafficking drugs or people. Don't equivocate between these two things.

[1]: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-15/turks-are...

[2]: https://www.coindesk.com/turkey-doesnt-regulate-crypto-its-t...

[3]: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/5/5/for-the-ruined-tu...

[4]: https://cdn.crowdfundinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/...