WHAT WE\u2019RE READING: Blockspace Media<\/a><\/p>\n A recent Blockspace article<\/a> deeply resonated with me as someone who’s lived in Asia and the West. It examined how Asia-based Bitcoiners are mostly profit maximalists, not philosophically driven Bitcoin maxis.<\/p>\n This rang true from my experience. When I meet Asian Bitcoiners, money and profit seem to be the primary motivators. Contrast that to Westerners, who often cite the cypherpunk, privacy, and political ideals behind Bitcoin.<\/p>\n Of course, this is a broad generalization. Many exceptions exist across both continents, but the general lens is that each side\u2019s views on Bitcoin differ substantially.<\/p>\n Cultural and economic differences likely drive this divide. Western Bitcoiners are often born into prosperity with strong infrastructure. Money itself doesn’t captivate them, as it’s abundantly available. Thus, they have the luxury of prioritizing loftier Bitcoin goals like privacy<\/a>, censorship resistance<\/a>, and decentralization.<\/a><\/p>\n Meanwhile, many Asian Bitcoiners grew up poor, struggling for money amidst crumbling infrastructure. When they discover Bitcoin, it understandably represents financial opportunity above all else. After lacking money their whole lives, profits take precedence over philosophical concerns.<\/p>\n A prime example is the common maxi argument against altcoins – that they lose value against Bitcoin over time. This philosophical stance falls flat in Asia where people judge investments based on empirical results measured in fiat gains. If an altcoin generates a 20x fiat return, Asians won’t care that it dropped 98% against Bitcoin. Their profit-centric framework renders certain Western philosophical arguments ineffective.<\/p>\n