While possibly true for VC based money grabs, your statement is ignorant. My BTC node is an raspberry pi, no amazon server required.
My node is on an Intel NUC running Linux Umbrel - running docker versions of bitcoind, LND, and a bunch of apps, love my own personal bitcoin blockchain explorer Just upgraded to Umbrel v4.16 yesterday (haven't checked in a while so maybe 4.16 might have released many days before) Bitcoin and Lightning Network node in one, over TOR and accessible for administrative purposes over TOR I wish every Bitcoin and crypto hater would run an Umbrel node and put a few hundred $ and perform a few transactions over Bitcoin and Lightning Network, they can even do it to their own wallets, the network transaction fees are pennies It is simply mind-blowing, how the whole thing operates on the MOST SECURE decentralized network Over 200 Million Trillion hashes per second of computing power is the security of the Bitcoin network Bitcoin is the hardest money in the history of the world. Few understand this
While I agree, I sure can't say the "leaders" in most of Europe, Canada, Australia are any better. In fact, some are far worse.
Even if all of that is true (it's not because it's all centralized bullshit), you couldn't pay me to have my mind poisoned like this. If you got lucky and got in early... good for you, count your lucky stars. However do not mistake being lucky for having competence.