1. Yes blockchain requires energy to run but so does the internet and pretty much everything we use / do. And if people tell you blockchain is worse then just ask them to consider how much energy is required to print and distribute paper money. Think trees, chemicals, physical transport, gasoline, guns etc etc.
2. Regulation is just the big topic at the moment and while China has taken a stance against cryptocurrencies it is still actively supporting blockchain! All other countries are either for self regulation and think he state should not get involved or even try to lure blockchain technology into their country or state with tax breaks and beneficial regulation.
3. This is true for every new technology and just remember the internet fifteen years ago. Not very user friendly and everyone thought it would be difficult to get everyone to adapt it. Same for computers: in the sixties they used punch cards and had neither keyboards nor monitors let alone a graphical user interface. So we can be sure that more user friendly access to blockchain technology will emerge for sure!
4. Yes that is true and but it is already faster than a lot of fiat technology for money transfers (Ripple / XRP is being used by moneygram and Santander for international money transfer because it is faster than their existing technology) speed is also something that will improve with technology maturing, through infrastructure as well as new protocols.
5. Absolutely and that just emphasizes how important this technology really is!
What are your thoughts?
These bright sides are my concern. After going through it, I was taken back to memory lane on the hurdles passed through when computer was introduced to the society and the biase that accompanied it plus the negative of not being able to suit into the society. And today, computer did not only fit in but has been advanced in so many ways with different versions of hardware etc, helping humanity to make life easier, to say a few.
It brings into bear that these days from 2009 that saw the introduction of bitcoin to these days where we now have numerous altcoins are just the early days of digital currency. Digital is the era we are.