I enjoy watching slum porn on youtube. Here is an example of what I’m talking about. I watch these videos because I cannot believe the decay and degradation of the United States during my lifetime. I appreciate what I have more after seeing how many of my fellow citizens live.

As a bitcoiner, I spend a lot of time thinking about El Salvador, the continent of Africa, and other places throughout the world where people can benefit from bitcoin adoption. For some reason, I have had a blind spot about my own country.

It occurred to me that one of these urban, suburban or rural slums in the US would be perfect as a locale to start a bitcoin community. Housing stock is available and extraordinarily cheap in some locations (less than $1000 for a house), property taxes are very low, and the infrastructure, though crumbling, already exists. I remember living in Brooklyn, New York in the 1980’s and 1990’s when intrepid young people would “gentrify” run down, crime ridden neighborhoods block by block. These are now some of the most desirable places to live in the borough.

One of these neighborhoods would be the perfect laboratory for a bitcoin economy. Many of these places have been abandoned by local governments. This would present an opportunity for bitcoiners to run their own communities with a good deal of autonomy. If you doubt this, do a little research on Amish and Mennonite communities in the U.S., or this Orthodox Jewish community, where rabbis control local politics and education.

I’m too old and set in my ways to do this, but I am sure there are young, brave hodlers out there who could serve as the initial pioneers. If they build it, we will come.