Too Long; Didn't Read
Mining is a great way to enter the cryptocurrency ecosystem. However, Bitcoin/Litecoin is almost impossible to mine for the average user. It requires expensive equipment called ASICs that are made by a controversial, centralized company called Bitmain. These ASIC chips consume high amounts of electricity, and ASIC mining farms often use cheap & ecologically-destructive coal power. These centralized mining cartels mint the vast majority of new Bitcoin, and are responsible for contentious forks of Bitcoin in order to maintain a monopoly of the network.