I have to say, this is exactly what I thought when I saw the darkwallet stuff.

Bitcoin seems to be doing EXTREMELY well right now under the circumstances. In my opinion (so far) most governments have actually acted pretty reasonably. Sure they don't really know what to make of it yet and have made some slightly uninformed judgements a few times but overall I think we should be pretty respectful of how things have been handled. Especially when you consider how disruptive this technology is. There are few technologies appearing right now that are literally going to change people's everyday lives like mobile phones and the internet did. Bitcoin is one of the few, if not only, technologies that can a direct impact on how governments, organisations and businesses work.

All that considered, why are people like Amir Taaki sticking a big middle finger up to the governments who have so far been relatively reasonable? Compromise and change IS going to have to happen in bitcoin and it's community if we want it to move from a fridge to a mainstream technology. Few people would disagree that bitcoin should go mainstream but I don't here many people in the community agreeing that some sacrifices are going to need to be made to make that happen. I think people often forget that they are not the average person or even not every person. Most of the people in the world don't give a shit about anonymity or deregulation. All bitcoin needs to be to them is a way of paying for things easier than paypal or a credit card. That's it. This is the thing it is going to make bitcoin big. It is THE payment method of the 21st century because it is simultaneously a transaction method and a form of currency. It is not anonymous and this is not even a feature that most people in the world will care about. There are going to be bitcoin banks, bitcoin loans, bitcoin investments, bitcoin stocks, bitcoin taxes. I think a lot of the community do want this but I think it is a sacrifice that they will need to make if bitcoin is ever to become truly mainstream.

This opinion will likely be unpopular with the community as a whole, I am sure.