Professor at MIT teaching blockchain technology (and pizza day!)

Five years ago, Gary Gensler was a professor of the Practice of Global Economics and Management at MIT. He taught courses on blockchain technology. These are still available online. See https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUl4u3cNGP63UUkfL0onkxF6MYgVa04Fn

In his lectures, Gary Gensler often spoke very fondly of blockchain technology, Bitcoin, and Satoshi Nakamoto.

He even told his students about Pizza day in his lecture on September 5, 2018. Pizza day is celebrated today and refers to May 22, 2010, when Laszlo had two pizzas delivered for which he paid 10K Bitcoins. This is a slide from Gensler's presentation:

https://preview.redd.it/kpwwf9jy7f1b1.png?1299&format=png&auto=webp&s=21308e6bfc4f62369cdc42a3e8bb680060d26d00

See https://youtu.be/v2yoPmhncSY?t=340. Gary had a huge smile on his face as he proudly told his students the Pizza story.

https://preview.redd.it/anzbqn8s8f1b1.png?1301&format=png&auto=webp&s=50d992da0d0edda121d21f73383b39b03e7b1d95

SEC chair as per April 2021

A few years later, Gary Gensler was nominated by Joe Biden to serve as Chair of the SEC February 2021. He was sworn into office on April 17, 2021. Most people were so positive given his blockchain expertise. The top replies on the lecture, which was posted in March 2021, illustrate the positive vibe:

https://preview.redd.it/4n7sc6ve9f1b1.png?972&format=png&auto=webp&s=285045113dc4708592767922a025c1cf0289ce11

https://preview.redd.it/j8mbo1xg9f1b1.png?1266&format=png&auto=webp&s=b7def33f6f4174aaeb900239c2f4f8328f285c9f

Replies to posts around that time here show the same:

https://preview.redd.it/9q9checu9f1b1.png?864&format=png&auto=webp&s=c6708847546aa25c83fbc4a525f61c584d29474c

https://preview.redd.it/dbtlut03af1b1.png?847&format=png&auto=webp&s=25a4f553062759ae0f47c8d72904e44be414af28

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Fast forward, and Gary Gensler is (perceived as) a major villain in crypto

Fast-forward two years and Gary Gensler has basically become one of the biggest crypto villains. He has failed to provide any clarity of the rules - he cannot even answer the question of whether Ethereum is a security. He has also seemingly at random sued various cryptocurrency projects and exchanges. He has also failed to protect investors from harm. It's like he is slowing the growth of crypto on purpose.

https://preview.redd.it/asyugu84cf1b1.png?366&format=png&auto=webp&s=7a687ee5c26f8ffbdbd6ea9dbb6e2714300c4b77

How is it possible that Gary Gensler went from a blockchain technology enthusiast who likely got many people to buy Bitcoin through his courses to the person he is today?