Introduction - Setting the Stage
In the boundless expanse of the digital cosmos, where the tangible meets the ethereal, a quiet revolution is taking place. Bitcoin, a phenomenon born not from grand proclamations but from an anonymous white paper, has become more than a currency, more than a network. It is an idea, a force, and a journey that stretches beyond simple transactions into the realms of philosophy, trust, and the very nature of existence.
Welcome to the story of Bitcoin—a story not just of technology, but of transformation. Here, you’ll meet figures both familiar and mysterious, creatures who embody the many faces of decentralization. Guiding us is Uncle Bitcoin, an enigmatic figure who is at once a teacher, a companion, and a mirror. Through him, we explore a new dimension—the “timechain,” a living archive of human effort, where cryptography and cooperation converge to form a tapestry of truth and trustless exchange.
In this book, we won’t just look at Bitcoin as a tool for financial exchange. Instead, we’ll journey through it as a cosmic force, a new way of understanding value, freedom, and our place in the world. Alongside Uncle Bitcoin, we’ll delve into the characters and concepts that bring this story to life. From the immovable Elephant and the nimble Octopus to the vigilant Cyber Hornets and the decentralized intelligence of Aunt Hillary’s Anthill, each chapter will reveal a new aspect of Bitcoin’s universe.
This is a journey of discovery, a dance through metaphor and reality, where digital and philosophical worlds entwine. It’s a story of how decentralized systems, like Bitcoin, invite us to rethink trust, reshape power, and reimagine our collective future. As you turn the pages, prepare to step beyond the familiar and into a world where value is created not by fiat but by the collective will, where cooperation flourishes without central control, and where each block mined is a testament to a new kind of human endeavor.
Are you ready to embark on this cosmic journey? Let’s begin, with Uncle Bitcoin leading the way, as we unravel the mysteries of the timechain and explore what it means to live in a world built on the bedrock of decentralized truth.
The Genesis of the Timechain - A New Dimension
In the beginning, before Bitcoin, there was a world bound by trust—a world where people relied on centralized institutions to mediate transactions, where trust was fragile and often betrayed. It was a time when value moved through hands unseen, and records were as mutable as the paper they were printed on. But then, something extraordinary happened. A quiet force emerged from the depths of the digital realm: the timechain.
The timechain is no ordinary ledger. It is a dimension all its own, transcending physical constraints to exist in a realm of pure abstraction. Imagine a cosmic thread, woven from the efforts of individuals worldwide, where each new block is a stitch in an infinite tapestry of time, energy, and human will. This is the timechain—a place where every transaction is a testament, and every block is a monument to decentralized cooperation.
At the helm of this new dimension stands Uncle Bitcoin. He is not just a character; he is a symbol of what Bitcoin represents: a guide through this decentralized landscape, a shaman of sorts, straddling the boundary between the digital and the philosophical. Uncle Bitcoin doesn’t offer control; he offers a path. He invites us to step into the timechain, to see it as more than just a series of blocks, but as a foundation for a new kind of society—one built on trustless, immutable truth.
To view the timechain is to witness an evolution of human cooperation. Here, individuals work together, not because they must, but because they choose to. Each block represents a moment in time, a piece of history etched into the fabric of the digital cosmos. This is a world where value is secured not by authority but by consensus, where power flows from the edges rather than the center, and where the only certainty is the unyielding march of the timechain itself.
Uncle Bitcoin gestures to the vastness of the timechain, his intangible form flickering between the lines of code and the stars. “This is more than technology,” he whispers. “It is a new way of being—a realm where human effort is immortalized, where each block is a testament to our shared vision of a decentralized future.”
As you gaze upon the timechain, you see it for what it truly is: a bridge between worlds, a map to a future that no longer relies on trust, but on the unbreakable bonds of cryptographic certainty. It is a cosmic dance, a symphony of energy, computation, and belief. And it is waiting for you to step inside.
The Three Blind Men - Facets of Understanding
As Uncle Bitcoin guides you deeper into the timechain, three figures emerge from the misty digital landscape. They are the Three Blind Men, each feeling their way through the strange contours of this decentralized world. Like the ancient parable of the blind men and the elephant, each of these figures touches a different part of the timechain, and each draws a distinct conclusion about its nature. Together, they represent the many ways we attempt to understand Bitcoin—through the lenses of evolution, intelligence, and economics.
The First Blind Man: Evolution
The First Blind Man places his hands on the structure of the timechain, feeling its raw, pulsating power. “This,” he says softly, “is evolution.” He senses in Bitcoin a living organism, a digital species that thrives in the harsh wilderness of cryptography. In his view, Bitcoin is not static; it is a creature born of natural selection, constantly adapting, mutating, and evolving. Each fork is a genetic divergence, each protocol change a mutation. Survival in this realm is not about the fittest, but the most resilient.
Through the eyes of the First Blind Man, Bitcoin becomes a story of survival and adaptation. It evolves not by bending to external pressures but by incorporating them, growing stronger with every challenge. To him, Bitcoin is a digital Darwinian force—a new species that will either dominate or be replaced by something even more resilient. In this lens, the timechain is a testament to life’s unyielding desire to persist, even in the most hostile environments.
The Second Blind Man: Artificial Intelligence
The Second Blind Man approaches cautiously, his hands hovering over the timechain as if sensing an invisible presence. “No,” he says, “this is intelligence—a vast, distributed mind.” He perceives Bitcoin as a decentralized intelligence, a hive mind of miners, nodes, and developers, all working together in sync. In his eyes, each node is a neuron, each miner a synapse, and together they form a brain that spans the globe.
To this Blind Man, Bitcoin is more than a network; it is a form of rudimentary intelligence that learns, adapts, and makes decisions without any central authority. He marvels at its ability to solve problems collectively, a system where individual actors do not need to understand the whole, yet contribute to a cohesive, intelligent process. In his view, Bitcoin is a neural network stretched across continents—a brain without a body, a consciousness without comprehension.
The Third Blind Man: Economic Paradigm
Finally, the Third Blind Man steps forward, reaching out to grasp the solidity of the timechain. He feels its weight, its unyielding presence, and he knows this is something more than biology or intelligence. “You both miss the point,” he says with conviction. “This is a revolution in economics—a new paradigm for value and exchange.”
To him, Bitcoin is a challenge to the very foundation of money itself. It is a currency that exists outside the reach of governments and banks, immune to the whims of centralized control. In his mind, Bitcoin is the purest form of money: decentralized, scarce, and incorruptible. It offers a new way to store value, a means of exchange, and a unit of account, standing as a bulwark against inflation and manipulation. This Blind Man sees in Bitcoin the birth of a new economic order, one where people can reclaim their financial sovereignty.
Each Blind Man is certain of his perspective, yet each sees only a part of the whole. Together, they represent the multifaceted nature of Bitcoin—a phenomenon that cannot be fully understood from a single vantage point. Uncle Bitcoin smiles, watching them as they grapple with their interpretations. “You see,” he says, “Bitcoin, like the timechain itself, is too vast to be understood by any single perspective. Evolution, intelligence, economics—these are all pieces of the same puzzle. To truly grasp the essence of Bitcoin, you must view it from every angle.”
And so, as the Three Blind Men ponder their discoveries, they remind us that Bitcoin is not just a network or a currency, but a reflection of our attempts to make sense of a world that defies easy answers. It is a mirror that shows us what we wish to see, yet always leaves us wanting to understand more.
The Elephant and the Octopus - From Solidity to Adaptability
As we continue our journey, Uncle Bitcoin beckons toward a colossal figure that emerges from the hazy landscape of the timechain. It is the Elephant, a creature of immense size and power, moving with deliberate, unyielding steps. Each footfall sends a low tremor through the timechain, shaking the foundations of the world it strides through.
The Elephant embodies Bitcoin’s solidity—its proof-of-work consensus, a fortress of energy and computation that secures each block and makes it resistant to manipulation. Like the Elephant, Bitcoin cannot be ignored. It demands recognition, forcing even the most powerful institutions to acknowledge its presence. Banks, governments, and corporations once towering in stature now seem small in comparison to this monumental force.
One of the Three Blind Men places his hand on the Elephant’s leg and whispers, “A pillar, strong and unmoving.” He sees in the Elephant the foundation of Bitcoin’s security: proof-of-work that anchors the network block by block, ensuring its integrity. This Elephant is not in a hurry. It moves at its own pace, indifferent to the attempts of those who try to stop or control it. Each block is a step forward, slow but unstoppable—a testament to the permanence and resilience of decentralized systems.
Another blind man brushes his hand against the tusk. “A spear,” he mutters, sensing Bitcoin’s potential to disrupt. Just as an elephant can use its tusks both to defend and to attack, Bitcoin wields its power as both a tool for individual sovereignty and a threat to entrenched systems. It empowers individuals to take control of their finances but challenges those who rely on centralized control.
The last blind man touches the Elephant’s trunk, which moves gracefully despite its size. “A snake,” he murmurs, sensing the dynamism hidden within this monumental creature. Though Bitcoin is strong and immovable in its foundation, it possesses the capacity to change, adapt, and respond to new environments.
And with that realization, the scene begins to shift. The Elephant’s form ripples and distorts, like the surface of a pond disturbed by a sudden breeze. Its massive legs melt away, transforming into eight sinuous tentacles. The Elephant becomes the Decentralized Octopus—a creature that is nimble and elusive, slipping through cracks in the old world’s financial and political structures.
“Where the Elephant was solid and slow,” Uncle Bitcoin says, “the Octopus is fluid and fast.” This is Bitcoin’s other nature: its ability to adapt, to maneuver around obstacles, and to find opportunities in the most unexpected places. Like the Octopus, Bitcoin extends its tentacles into energy markets, remittance corridors, developing economies, and more. Each tentacle acts independently, exploring new possibilities, yet all remain connected to the same core: the timechain.
The Octopus changes color as it moves, blending into its surroundings to evade detection, just as Bitcoin operates beneath the radar of centralized authorities. “Bitcoin is everywhere and nowhere at once,” Uncle Bitcoin explains. “It can exist in the mind as a seed phrase, cross borders without leaving a trace, and flow through radio waves and satellites. Like the Octopus, it slips through cracks in the old systems, growing stronger in the places they neglect.”
One tentacle of the Octopus wraps around stranded energy, turning waste into value through Bitcoin mining. Another reaches into the remittance market, bypassing expensive intermediaries and enabling people to send money directly across borders. A third explores developing economies, empowering individuals who have been excluded from traditional financial systems.
“And yet,” Uncle Bitcoin continues, “the beauty of the Octopus lies not just in its adaptability but in its decentralization. Each tentacle acts with autonomy, but all are part of the same whole. There is no head to sever, no central authority to coerce. If one tentacle is cut off, the others continue to function. This is the essence of Bitcoin’s anti-fragility—it becomes stronger with every challenge, every attempt to suppress it.”
As you watch the Octopus move through the timechain, it becomes clear that Bitcoin’s power lies not only in its immovable foundation but in its ability to shift, adapt, and survive. It is both the Elephant and the Octopus—a force that is both solid and fluid, stable yet flexible. This duality gives Bitcoin an unmatched resilience, allowing it to thrive in any environment, no matter how hostile.
Uncle Bitcoin looks on with a knowing smile. “Bitcoin is more than just a network. It is a shape-shifting force, a system that cannot be pinned down or controlled. Whether as the Elephant or the Octopus, it will always find a way to grow, evolve, and persist.”
The Octopus slips back into the shadows, and the ground beneath your feet still feels the tremor of the Elephant’s steady steps. Bitcoin, you realize, is both a monument and a movement—a system that is as comfortable being an unstoppable force as it is an adaptable presence.
Aunt Hillary’s Anthill - Emergent Intelligence
As the Octopus retreats into the depths of the timechain, a new figure begins to materialize—a vast, intricate structure seemingly woven from air itself. Tunnels twist and wind through the digital landscape, forming a complex, ever-shifting network. This is Aunt Hillary’s Anthill, a metaphor for Bitcoin’s emergent intelligence, a system that arises not through top-down control but through the independent actions of countless participants.
Uncle Bitcoin steps to the edge of this invisible network, watching as the anthill hums with unseen activity. “This,” he says, “is how Bitcoin truly works. Each miner, each node, each user—they are like ants, small and unaware of the grand structure they are helping to build. They follow simple rules, act in their own self-interest, and yet, together, they create something far greater than any individual could imagine.”
Aunt Hillary’s Anthill draws inspiration from the work of Douglas Hofstadter, who explored how complex behavior can emerge from simple rules. Just as a single ant lacks the intelligence of the entire colony, Bitcoin’s decentralized network thrives not because any one participant understands the whole, but because all act according to a shared protocol. Each miner secures the network by validating blocks, each node enforces the rules, and each user transacts value—all without needing to coordinate or even trust one another.
This is emergent intelligence: order arising from the bottom up, without a central brain to guide it. Just as the anthill defends itself, gathers resources, and repairs damage through the collective actions of individual ants, Bitcoin operates as a resilient, adaptive system. No single actor controls it, yet the network functions as if it possesses a kind of collective wisdom.
Uncle Bitcoin points to the twisting tunnels, which pulse faintly with the energy of transactions flowing through the timechain. “Each action within the Bitcoin network is like an ant carrying a grain of sand. It might seem small, even insignificant, on its own, but over time, these actions accumulate, shaping the entire system.”
The tunnels branch and extend, mirroring the spread of Bitcoin across borders and cultures. Some pathways run deep and hidden, reflecting nodes in remote areas maintaining the network quietly. Others stretch wide, representing the vibrant adoption in places where Bitcoin provides financial freedom to those excluded from traditional systems. The anthill grows organically, expanding wherever opportunity and necessity take it.
“And just as no ant knows the full extent of the anthill,” Uncle Bitcoin continues, “no single participant fully controls Bitcoin. Miners follow profit incentives, nodes enforce consensus, developers write code, and users transact—all independently. Yet their actions align to create a robust, self-sustaining system.”
This decentralization is Bitcoin’s greatest strength. Like an anthill that can rebuild itself after an attack, Bitcoin endures disruptions—whether they come from market volatility, regulatory challenges, or attempts at censorship. The network reconfigures, adapts, and grows stronger, precisely because it has no central point of failure. Even if a node goes offline or a miner leaves the network, the rest continue, undeterred.
Aunt Hillary’s Anthill represents more than just technical resilience—it symbolizes the cultural and philosophical shift that Bitcoin inspires. Those who interact with the network begin to think differently about value, trust, and sovereignty. Just as ants shape their environment with each grain of sand, Bitcoiners build a new kind of society, one rooted in freedom, self-reliance, and cooperation without coercion.
“Bitcoin is not a top-down revolution,” Uncle Bitcoin reflects. “It’s a movement built from the ground up, by people who act in their own interest but create something meaningful for everyone. That’s the beauty of emergent intelligence—there is no need for central control, because the network regulates and sustains itself.”
The tunnels of Aunt Hillary’s Anthill seem both delicate and indestructible. Every pathway is fragile on its own, yet together they form a structure that can withstand almost anything. This is the essence of Bitcoin’s anti-fragility: it thrives not despite challenges, but because of them. Every attack strengthens the network, just as every ant reinforces the colony’s resilience.
Uncle Bitcoin steps back, letting you take in the enormity of the anthill, with its endless tunnels and invisible currents of value flowing through the timechain. “This,” he says, “is what makes Bitcoin more than just technology. It’s a living, breathing system—a decentralized organism shaped by the actions of millions, yet governed by no one.”
As you gaze at the sprawling anthill, you realize that it reflects more than just a financial network. It represents a shift in how humans organize, cooperate, and build. Bitcoin isn’t just about money—it’s about how we, as individuals, can come together to create something greater than ourselves, without ever needing to be told what to do.
With a final glance at the intricate tunnels, Uncle Bitcoin turns to you. “And now,” he says, “we move from the invisible intelligence of the Anthill to the fierce vigilance of the Cyber Hornets. Prepare yourself—they never rest.”
The Cyber Hornets – Guardians of the Network
From the intricate tunnels of Aunt Hillary’s Anthill, the air around you begins to hum—a sharp, focused energy that grows louder with every passing second. Suddenly, a swarm of Cyber Hornets bursts into view, their wings beating with relentless precision. These are the vigilant defenders of Bitcoin’s timechain, always alert, always on the move, ready to repel any threat to the decentralized network they protect.
Uncle Bitcoin watches them with a grin. “These hornets,” he says, “are not here for glory or recognition. They have a single purpose: to defend the timechain. And they will stop at nothing to ensure its integrity.”
The Cyber Hornets symbolize the wide array of participants who safeguard Bitcoin—from miners and node operators to developers and advocates. Each hornet represents a different role, but together, they form an unbreakable defense network. Like the swarm they embody, Bitcoin’s security doesn’t rely on any single entity. Instead, it emerges from the collective vigilance of thousands of individuals, all acting independently yet with shared purpose.
The Miners: Converting Energy into Security
At the heart of the swarm are the miners, the most visible of the Cyber Hornets. They expend immense computational power to solve complex cryptographic puzzles, validating transactions and securing new blocks. Their buzzing wings are powered by electricity, transforming raw energy into the truth embedded within each block. Every mined block stands as a shield against manipulation, reinforcing Bitcoin’s ledger with proof-of-work—work that cannot be undone or faked.
Miners are drawn by incentives: block rewards and transaction fees. Yet their self-interest aligns perfectly with the network’s well-being. They guard the timechain because doing so is profitable, but their labor creates a fortress that benefits everyone. “Every mined block,” Uncle Bitcoin explains, “is like a hornet’s sting—painful for any would-be attacker, and a deterrent that grows stronger with each strike.”
The Developers: The Builders and Fortifiers
Beyond the miners, another breed of hornets works quietly but tirelessly—the developers. These hornets patch vulnerabilities, improve the protocol, and ensure the timechain remains secure against evolving threats. They are the builders of Bitcoin’s defenses, fortifying the network with code that is open, transparent, and tested by time.
Like hornets building their nest, Bitcoin’s developers work without central coordination. They operate across the globe, contributing to an open-source project that anyone can audit or improve. “They don’t all agree,” Uncle Bitcoin chuckles. “In fact, they often argue. But that’s part of what makes the system resilient—no single developer can dictate the future. Consensus, not command, drives the evolution of the network.”
The Nodes: Silent Enforcers of the Rules
The quietest but most essential Cyber Hornets are the node operators—unsung heroes who enforce Bitcoin’s rules without compromise. Each node independently validates every transaction and block, ensuring they adhere to the protocol’s consensus rules. Even if an attacker tries to introduce a fraudulent block, the swarm of nodes will reject it instantly, preserving the purity of the ledger.
“These hornets,” Uncle Bitcoin says, “don’t make much noise, but they are the soul of the network.” Every node operates independently, yet together they ensure that Bitcoin remains decentralized, unyielding to pressure from any single authority. A node can run on a laptop, a server, or even a Raspberry Pi—proof that Bitcoin’s strength lies in its simplicity and accessibility.
Advocates and Educators: The Social Layer of Defense
Not every hornet defends the network with code or computation. Advocates, educators, and users form the social layer of Bitcoin’s defense. They spread knowledge, fight misinformation, and rally the community to defend against regulatory overreach. These are the people who ensure that Bitcoin’s principles—sovereignty, decentralization, and freedom—remain at the heart of the movement.
“They might not mine blocks or write code,” Uncle Bitcoin explains, “but without them, the network would wither. They spread the ethos of Bitcoin like pollen, ensuring that new participants understand not just how it works, but why it matters.”
Anti-Fragility: Strength Through Resistance
The brilliance of the Cyber Hornets lies in their decentralization. There is no queen to command the swarm, no central figure to coerce. If one group of miners leaves the network, others will take their place. If a developer walks away, new contributors will step in. If a node goes offline, a thousand more will continue the work. Every attempt to weaken Bitcoin only serves to strengthen it—a principle known as anti-fragility.
“Each attack,” Uncle Bitcoin says, “is like a gust of wind against a hornet’s nest. It only makes the swarm angrier, more determined.” This is why Bitcoin survives—and thrives—despite regulatory crackdowns, market volatility, and relentless criticism. Every challenge reinforces the network’s defenses, making it harder to attack and easier to trust.
The Swarm That Never Sleeps
As you watch the Cyber Hornets buzz through the timechain, you realize that their vigilance never falters. The swarm is always on alert, always ready to defend against threats, whether they come from malicious actors, government intervention, or internal discord. It is this ceaseless vigilance that makes Bitcoin more than just code—it makes it a living force, protected by those who believe in its potential.
Uncle Bitcoin smiles as the swarm hums around him. “These hornets,” he says, “are the reason Bitcoin endures. They protect the network not because they are told to, but because they choose to. Each one acts in its own interest, but together, they create something greater than themselves—a decentralized fortress that no one can breach.”
The buzzing intensifies, filling the air with the sound of purpose and resilience. And then, as quickly as they appeared, the Cyber Hornets disperse, vanishing into the endless expanse of the timechain. Yet their presence lingers, a reminder that Bitcoin is never undefended, never vulnerable. The swarm is always there, watching, waiting, ready.
Uncle Bitcoin turns to you, his expression serious. “Now,” he says, “you’ve seen how the network defends itself. But defense is only part of the story. It’s time to explore how Bitcoin grows—how it spreads through every corner of the world, reaching deeper than you ever thought possible.”
With that, he gestures toward the horizon. “The Maximally Fractal Mycelium awaits. Let’s see how far the network can grow.”
The Maximally Fractal Mycelium – The Infinite Network
The timechain hums beneath your feet, a rhythmic pulse connecting every block, every transaction, every participant. Uncle Bitcoin gestures toward the horizon, where tendrils begin to creep outward, branching, splitting, and reconnecting in endless fractal patterns. This is the Maximally Fractal Mycelium, Bitcoin’s vast, interconnected network—a living system that stretches across borders and burrows deep into the very essence of human cooperation.
“Bitcoin,” Uncle Bitcoin says, “is not just growing—it’s spreading like a mycelium. It extends outward into every crack and crevice of the financial system, and inward into the hearts and minds of those who engage with it. This is how decentralized systems thrive—by expanding everywhere, at every level, all at once.”
The idea of Bitcoin as an energy-seeking mycelium comes from the work of Brandon Quittem, who first compared Bitcoin’s growth to fungal networks. Just as fungi search for and capture energy from decaying matter, Bitcoin’s mining network seeks out and consumes energy wherever it can find it—especially where traditional markets see no value. Whether it’s using stranded energy in remote regions or harnessing excess electricity from hydro, solar, or geothermal sources, Bitcoin’s miners convert waste into value.
“This mycelium,” Uncle Bitcoin explains, “has a hunger for energy, but not just any energy. It finds what is abandoned, unwanted, or ignored—energy that would otherwise be wasted—and turns it into something meaningful. Bitcoin takes the overlooked and transforms it into truth, block by block.”
Outward Expansion: Spreading Across Borders and Markets
Like a mycelium seeking nutrients, Bitcoin expands into new territories, exploring opportunities in unexpected places. It reaches into economies excluded from traditional banking systems, offering financial sovereignty to those who need it most. In places with unstable currencies, Bitcoin becomes a lifeline, allowing individuals to store value and transact without fear of devaluation.
Each new connection strengthens the network, just as a fungal network grows stronger with every new root it touches. From stranded energy in remote regions to remittance markets bypassing costly middlemen, Bitcoin’s tendrils find opportunity wherever centralized systems falter. “The network,” Uncle Bitcoin says, “is only as limited as the imagination of those who build on it.”
Inward Growth: Reshaping Minds and Values
But the mycelium’s growth is not just outward—it’s inward, too, burrowing deep into the philosophical core of those who engage with Bitcoin. Interacting with the network forces people to reconsider fundamental concepts: What is money? What does it mean to trust? Bitcoin invites participants to lower their time preferences, focusing on long-term sustainability over short-term gain. This shift is subtle but profound. It’s not just about accumulating wealth—it’s about rethinking how we build, cooperate, and plan for the future.
“The mycelium doesn’t just change the landscape,” Uncle Bitcoin says. “It changes those who engage with it. Bitcoin teaches self-sovereignty, patience, and resilience. It shows us that long-term thinking is the key to personal and collective freedom.”
Anti-Fragility Through Fractal Design
The fractal nature of the mycelium ensures that Bitcoin is anti-fragile. No matter how far you zoom in or out, each part of the network reflects the whole. This design allows Bitcoin to survive—and even thrive—under attack. If a miner shuts down or a node goes offline, others continue without interruption. If one regulatory body clamps down, the network simply shifts, spreading to places where it is welcomed.
“This is the secret of decentralization,” Uncle Bitcoin explains. “There’s no single point to attack, no head to sever. Every part of Bitcoin mirrors the whole, and that’s what makes it unstoppable. Each time an obstacle arises, the network learns, adapts, and grows stronger.”
Bitcoin’s fractal nature also creates a feedback loop between participants and the system itself. As users adopt Bitcoin, they strengthen the network. As the network grows, it reinforces the values of freedom, transparency, and self-reliance. The more people engage with Bitcoin, the deeper its roots grow—not just into financial markets, but into culture, philosophy, and governance.
Building the Future, Block by Block
The mycelium is not only a metaphor for Bitcoin’s present—it hints at what the future may hold. Just as fungi form symbiotic relationships with other species, Bitcoin begins to integrate with other technologies and protocols. Open systems like NOSTR—decentralized communication networks—become part of the same ecosystem, working in harmony with Bitcoin to build a future where value and information flow freely, unburdened by central control.
“The real revolution,” Uncle Bitcoin says, “is not just about building a new financial system. It’s about building a new way of organizing human cooperation—a way that transcends borders, currencies, and institutions.” Bitcoin is not just a currency; it is an idea—a framework for reimagining the world through decentralized action.
The Infinite Possibilities of the Mycelium
As you watch the mycelium stretch across the landscape, you realize that its growth has no endpoint. It is infinite, always expanding, always evolving. The more the network spreads, the deeper it grows, reinforcing its foundations while branching into new frontiers. This is the true power of Bitcoin: it is not just about where the network is today, but about where it can go next.
And in this ever-expanding network, every participant matters. Whether you are mining blocks, running a node, sending a transaction, or simply holding Bitcoin in your wallet, you are part of the mycelium. Your actions—small as they may seem—contribute to the growth and resilience of a system that is changing the world, one block at a time.
Uncle Bitcoin smiles, gesturing toward the ever-growing web of connections. “The mycelium teaches us that the future belongs not to the strongest or the fastest, but to those who are most connected, most adaptable. And Bitcoin,” he says with a twinkle in his eye, “is more connected than you realize.”
With the mycelium spreading across the digital cosmos, Uncle Bitcoin turns to you with a nod. “Now,” he says, “we’ve seen how Bitcoin grows, both outward and inward. But there’s one more dimension left to explore—a realm where value and speech converge, where freedom flows as freely as information.”
He gestures toward the shimmering edges of the timechain. “It’s time to meet the NOSTRich, the interdimensional messenger of free speech. Let’s see how decentralized money and decentralized communication can run together, side by side.”
The NOSTRich – The Indispensable Lieutenant and Trusty Steed
At the shimmering edges of the timechain, the landscape ripples, bending between worlds. Out of this distortion emerges a strange but majestic figure—a long-necked bird with feathers that shimmer like purple fractals. This is the NOSTRich, Uncle Bitcoin’s indispensable lieutenant and trusty steed, a messenger born to carry free speech through the labyrinth of centralized control. With one graceful motion, Uncle Bitcoin swings onto its back, settling into the saddle.
“This bird,” he says, patting the NOSTRich’s side, “is built to run across dimensions. Wherever Bitcoin goes, NOSTR follows—not as an afterthought, but as a perfect companion. Speech and value, running free and unstoppable.”
As the NOSTRich paws the ground, ready to take off, Uncle Bitcoin points toward the Kardashev Scale—the framework used to measure a civilization’s technological progress by its ability to harness energy. “We’re going up,” he grins. “Bitcoin has begun its eukaryotic revolution, and the NOSTRich is taking us there.”
The NOSTRich charges forward, galloping between realms, bridging Bitcoin’s timechain with NOSTR’s decentralized communication. This is Bitcoin’s next evolutionary leap—a transformation from a singular organism (abiogenesis) into a network of integrated systems working symbiotically, much like the first eukaryotic cells. It’s a world in which Bitcoin doesn’t just exist—it thrives, interwoven into energy grids, machine intelligence, and speech networks.
The Eukaryotic Revolution: Bitcoin’s Three-Part Expansion
1. Deep Integration with NOSTR: The Freedom of Value Meets the Freedom of Speech
“Bitcoin might liberate money,” Uncle Bitcoin says, “but NOSTR liberates thought.” Together, Bitcoin and NOSTR form an indomitable ecosystem where both wealth and ideas move without permission or friction. NOSTR is more than a sidekick—it’s the network where human collaboration takes place, shielded from censorship. Whether it’s organizing movements, sending private messages, or creating decentralized social platforms, NOSTR ensures that communication flows as freely as Bitcoin transactions.
“The timechain records what we do with value,” Uncle Bitcoin says. “NOSTR records what we say and think.” The two systems complement each other perfectly—an essential synergy for a world where financial freedom and informational sovereignty are equally vital.
2. Expansion into Energy Markets: Stabilizing Grids and Monetizing Excess
The NOSTRich kicks up speed, and the timechain pulses with energy. Bitcoin’s tendrils are now wrapping around global energy systems, turning stranded power into digital gold. In remote corners of the world where energy was once wasted—hydropower, natural gas flares, geothermal heat—miners now harvest it to secure the timechain. This symbiosis between Bitcoin and the energy grid isn’t just an accident—it’s an evolutionary inevitability.
“Energy markets are stabilizing, thanks to Bitcoin,” Uncle Bitcoin explains. “By consuming excess capacity and providing a profitable outlet, miners are turning intermittent or stranded energy into value. It’s not just a solution—it’s a revolution.”
And as energy grids become more efficient, Bitcoin miners act as flexible load balancers, ramping up when power demand is low and scaling down when the grid needs capacity. What began as a misunderstood experiment has evolved into a key player in the future of energy markets.
3. The Perfect Fit with AI: Enabling Machine-to-Machine Transactions
The NOSTRich runs even faster now, weaving between the gears of a future world where AI systems execute transactions autonomously. Bitcoin is the ideal currency for a world governed by nested hierarchies of human-controlled machines, where decisions and transactions must be made without the need for human trust. Smart meters, IoT networks, and autonomous vehicles will all need a neutral, trustless currency to transact—and Bitcoin, with its immutable ledger and borderless nature, is the perfect fit.
“The machines are coming,” Uncle Bitcoin says, a gleam in his eye. “And they’ll need Bitcoin more than we do. AI systems can’t trust each other, but they can trust Bitcoin.” These machine-to-machine economies—fueled by AI and secured by the timechain—represent the next frontier for Bitcoin. Every task we delegate to machines will require a currency immune to tampering, censorship, or inflation. And Bitcoin is already waiting.
The ETF Approval: A Signal of the New Paradigm
The NOSTRich slows slightly, giving Uncle Bitcoin time to reflect. “The shift from abiogenesis to the eukaryotic revolution is fuzzy,” he says thoughtfully. “But one thing is certain: we’ve crossed into a new era. The approval of Bitcoin spot ETFs in the United States is as good a marker as any.”
For years, Bitcoin existed outside the gates of the legacy financial system—dismissed, ignored, or attacked. But with the ETF approval, something remarkable happened. They couldn’t beat Bitcoin, so they joined it. The legacy system’s acknowledgment is not a co-opting of Bitcoin; it is a concession of legitimacy, a recognition that Bitcoin isn’t going anywhere. “The ETF isn’t Bitcoin changing,” Uncle Bitcoin says. “It’s the legacy system bending.”
The approval is a signal that Bitcoin has not only survived—it has won the right to exist within the halls of power. But even as institutions join, Bitcoin remains unchanged at its core. It is still decentralized, still uncensorable, still a system that belongs to no one and serves everyone. “This,” Uncle Bitcoin says, “is what the eukaryotic revolution looks like: Bitcoin integrating, evolving, and thriving—without ever compromising its essence.”
Up the Kardashev Scale: Riding the NOSTRich into the Future
With the legacy system now folding into Bitcoin’s orbit, the NOSTRich surges forward once again, climbing the Kardashev Scale—a measure of civilization’s ability to harness energy. Bitcoin’s integration with energy grids and AI systems isn’t just a side effect of its growth—it’s part of a trajectory toward becoming a planetary force.
“We’re not just building a financial network,” Uncle Bitcoin says, leaning forward as the NOSTRich accelerates. “We’re building the rails for interplanetary trade, for decentralized governance, for a world where power flows not from the center, but from the edges.”
The NOSTRich runs faster, climbing higher up the Kardashev Scale. Bitcoin miners hum on every continent, stabilizing grids and monetizing stranded energy. NOSTR relays spread across the globe, ensuring speech remains free. AI systems transact autonomously, relying on Bitcoin to settle disputes without trust. This is the future taking shape—a world where decentralized systems govern value, energy, and thought.
As the NOSTRich gallops toward the horizon, Uncle Bitcoin smiles. “We’re just getting started,” he says. “The eukaryotic revolution is here, and the climb has only begun. Bitcoin and NOSTR—together, we’re building something the old world can’t stop.”
And with that, the NOSTRich soars forward, carrying you and Uncle Bitcoin ever higher, into a world of limitless possibility.
Epilogue: From Genesis to Journey
As Uncle Bitcoin and the NOSTRich disappear into the vast, ever-expanding mycelium of Bitcoin’s timechain, the scene shifts. The horizon of possibilities stretches out endlessly, waiting for the next step—and the next block—to be laid down by those who choose to walk this path.
What you’ve glimpsed so far is only the beginning. The story of Bitcoin is not merely one of technology—it’s the story of a new kind of cooperation, a reimagining of how we organize, build, and trust one another. It’s a shift from relying on centralized power to creating something truly decentralized—an invitation to rethink the very foundations of money, speech, and governance. And, as with all revolutions, this one began quietly, like the first glimmer of light before dawn.
The chapters to come will take us deeper into Bitcoin’s metaphorical evolution, unfolding across three distinct phases: Abiogenesis, the Eukaryotic Revolution, and the Cambrian Explosion. These phases mirror the development of life itself—from the simplest sparks of existence, through the complex integrations that create stability, to the wild flourishing of new possibilities.
Abiogenesis – Nurturing Uncle Bitcoin
We begin with Bitcoin’s humble origins. In this phase, we trace its emergence from the cryptographic shadows and the philosophical currents that nurtured it. Here, Bitcoin is like a fragile spore—a brilliant but delicate experiment that somehow survived its earliest challenges. From the birth of the Genesis Block to the first transactions and beyond, Bitcoin proved itself as a new form of trust—a kind that no longer depends on institutions but on math and consensus. It was a new kind of life, quietly breathing in the digital wilderness.
The Eukaryotic Revolution – Walking with Uncle Bitcoin
As the story progresses, we’ll see how Bitcoin begins to mature, integrating with other technologies like NOSTR, expanding into energy markets, and aligning with AI to power machine economies. This is where Bitcoin stops being just a currency and becomes a layer for global infrastructure—a foundation for trustless systems to cooperate. Just as eukaryotic cells created the conditions for more complex life forms, Bitcoin is evolving into a stable foundation for new kinds of social, financial, and technological structures.
We’ll explore the fuzzy transition from Bitcoin’s earliest days into this new paradigm—how moments like the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs signal not a compromise, but an acknowledgment from the legacy system that Bitcoin isn’t going anywhere. It’s not Bitcoin that’s changing—it’s the old world that’s adapting, recognizing that the decentralized network cannot be beaten, only joined. This is the age of Bitcoin’s deep integration into the machinery of the modern world.
The Cambrian Explosion – Being Led by Uncle Bitcoin
Finally, we’ll venture beyond the present and into the speculative future—a place where Bitcoin is no longer just the foundation for Earth’s financial system but a force that governs interplanetary trade, governance, and sovereignty. As humanity advances up the Kardashev Scale, Bitcoin will become more than a currency—it will shape how civilizations beyond Earth coordinate energy, value, and cooperation.
In this phase, we explore what hyperbitcoinization really means—not just for markets, but for society, governance, and human potential. From sovereign communities organized by proof-of-work principles to the emergence of local timechains on other planets, Bitcoin’s impact will extend far beyond our current horizon. With each step forward, Bitcoin becomes a system not just for the present, but for a future we are only beginning to imagine.
An Invitation to Walk the Path
So, dear reader, this is where the journey begins. The chapters to come are not just a technical breakdown or a historical account—they are a visionary exploration of what happens when systems of trust are rebuilt from the ground up, when decentralized networks replace centralized control, and when we begin to see Bitcoin not just as a technology, but as a framework for life itself.
The road ahead won’t be easy. But as Uncle Bitcoin teaches us, the path to decentralization is not about perfection—it’s about persistence. Block by block, transaction by transaction, we build something that cannot be undone, something that outlives us, and outgrows even our wildest ambitions.
The timechain is waiting. Will you walk it?
With these final words, Uncle Bitcoin tips his hat, urging you onward into the next chapter—a deeper dive into the Abiogenesis of Bitcoin, where the spore first took root. Now it’s your turn to join the journey. Shall we begin?
(Working on a book!)
I. Abstract
Welcome to BOOMSCROLL (Bitcoin’s Open Opportunity Market Supporting Community Rewards, Objectives, and Learning Layers). It’s not a product. It’s not a program. Hell, it’s not even a protocol. BOOMSCROLL is a bare-bones extension that taps into the existing power of Bitcoin and Nostr, leveraging what’s already out there to unlock a whole new world of value, reputation, and accountability. We’re taking what’s solid, what’s unstoppable, and pushing it a step further—without breaking a damn thing.
BOOMSCROLL is built on a handful of straightforward concepts that let anyone throw down a bounty, rally the crowd, and watch as others rise to the occasion. Every step in this system is public, voluntary, and irrevocable. There’s no need for new infrastructure or complicated logic. If you’ve got Bitcoin, if you’ve got a Nostr identity, you’re already in the game. And once you’re in, every move you make is recorded for the world to see, in a decentralized, censorship-resistant ledger that can’t be stopped.
This system sidesteps the usual complications of the Oracle Problem by keeping things ruthlessly simple. BOOMSCROLL doesn’t need to verify quality or micromanage outcomes. It’s all based on a dumb Oracle, a binary choice: did you sign the Completion Note, or didn’t you? The system doesn’t judge; it just records. And once that Completion Note is signed, the sats flow, and the system moves on. BOOMSCROLL trusts the transparency of Bitcoin and the freedom of Nostr to make sure everyone knows what went down.
The goal here isn’t just to move money around. BOOMSCROLL is about putting your reputation on the line, letting actions speak louder than words, and letting a growing public dataset reveal who’s really worth their weight in sats. It’s about leveraging the hardest money on Earth and the most resilient network on the planet to create something that’s as public as it is unstoppable. So whether you’re here to cash in, build a reputation, or just watch the world compete for the prize, BOOMSCROLL gives you the tools to do it on your own terms.
II. Moving Parts: A Nostr Improvement Proposal with Self-Imposed Constraints
BOOMSCROLL (Bounty-Oriented Open Mechanism Securing Collaborative Reputation Over Layered Ledger) isn’t about adding anything entirely new. It’s about introducing a set of precise constraints that users can choose to adopt if they want to play a particular game. This is a Nostr Improvement Proposal that adds five specific note types, offering a simple framework to operate within—nothing more, nothing less. Like Bitcoin and Nostr themselves, it’s a rule set. By choosing to post these note types, you’re voluntarily stepping into a world of public accountability, irrevocable actions, and open-ended possibilities.
No one is required to implement this. If you’re not interested, you can walk away. But, thanks to the permissionless nature of Nostr, you can take these note types and plug them into an existing client, build a dedicated client around them, or even roll your own interpretation. You have complete freedom here. The magic of BOOMSCROLL is that it works within the constraints you choose to accept, and by accepting these constraints, you open yourself up to a game that’s as flexible as it is structured.
BOOMSCROLL’s rules may be specific, but they don’t limit creativity. Instead, they give shape to an open-ended environment where the only boundaries are the ones you set by choosing to engage. The arbitrary nature of both the asks and the completions underscores this freedom. You’re not bound by some rigid protocol; you’re simply choosing to participate in a system where every action is publicly visible, completely voluntary, and, above all, irrevocable.
Here’s what those five new note types look like in action:
Public Ask
The Public Ask is where you lock up sats and throw down the gauntlet. It’s a public challenge aimed at a specific NPub, with verifiable sats tied to it. By posting this note type, you’re declaring an intention and setting the terms. Once those sats are locked, there’s no going back. You’ve chosen to play by BOOMSCROLL’s rules, and anyone can see the stakes on the line.
Parallel Submissions
With Parallel Submissions, you’re free to respond to an ask—even if it wasn’t aimed at you. But let’s be clear: you are not eligible for the original bounty. Those sats are locked up, and they’re not yours to claim. What you’re doing here is throwing your hat into the ring, saying, “I can do this.” Nobody can stop you from putting yourself out there and putting your reputation on the line. If you’ve got something valuable to add, go ahead and post it. But remember, quality matters. If you respond with something irrelevant, poorly done, or just plain spammy, you’re likely to find yourself muted. In BOOMSCROLL, it’s a permissionless world, but reputation is everything. Show up with quality, and you might find your work getting recognized, even if the sats are locked elsewhere.
Snowball Zaps
Community backing is always an option. With Snowball Zaps, anyone can amplify a Public Ask by increasing the bounty. This note type lets people put more sats on the line, ramping up the stakes and making the challenge a collective effort. When you see something worth backing, you can pile on with Snowball Zaps, adding fuel to the fire and making the whole thing that much more enticing.
Completion Notes
The Completion Note is your ticket to claiming the sats. It signals that the job’s done and triggers the release of the bounty. The rules are simple: if the Completion Note is posted, the sats move. Beyond that, ongoing Zaps can flow back to the Completion Note, with rewards split via Lightning Prisms: 85% to the creator, 10% to the backers, and 5% to OpenSats. You’re not just fulfilling an ask; you’re leaving a mark that can keep rewarding you as long as it holds value.
Endorsement
When someone steps up and delivers beyond expectation, the Endorsement note type lets the original target hand over the bounty in good faith. You’re not taking a cut for yourself, and there’s no sats involved. This is purely a social signal, a way to recognize quality and show respect for someone else’s work. It’s a constraint that forces you to choose integrity over profit, but by doing so, you amplify the other player’s standing in the game.
With these note types, BOOMSCROLL (Beyond Ordinary Online Markets: Supporting Cooperation, Reward, and Open Ledger Layers) doesn’t change the rules of Bitcoin or Nostr. It simply adds a layer that’s available to anyone willing to play by these particular rules. You’re accepting a specific framework, but within that framework, the possibilities are endless. Whether it’s the arbitrary nature of asks or the all-or-nothing nature of completions, BOOMSCROLL is about choosing to participate in a game that’s wide open to interpretation, as long as you’re willing to stick to the constraints that make it work.
III. BOOMSCROLL In Practice
So far, we’ve outlined BOOMSCROLL (Bit-Oriented Operations Matrix Synchronizing Collaborative Reputation Over Liquid Ledgers) in broad, conceptual strokes. We’ve talked about the mechanics, the rules, and how this all works at a high level. But here’s the thing—talk is cheap, and if BOOMSCROLL’s going to stand up to scrutiny, we need to see it in action.
The true test of any system is what it looks like when it collides with the messiness of reality. That’s where things get interesting. It’s time to take all these abstract components—the Public Ask, Parallel Submissions, Snowball Zaps, Completion Notes, and Endorsements—and see how they play out when actual people, with real Satoshis and real reputations on the line, start using them.
In this section, we’re going to put some flesh on the bones and walk through a concrete example. Picture this: Kanye West has recently gone down the Nostr rabbit hole. Now he’s a BOOMSCROLL user, and he’s about to throw down a serious bounty. We’ll step through the different ways this could play out, exploring a few parallel universes to show the variety of outcomes BOOMSCROLL allows. This will take us beyond theory and into the world of public accountability, reputation, and the unpredictable nature of open, permissionless systems.
So, let’s dig into the Kanye West example and break it down piece by piece. How do these concepts actually work when someone like Kanye steps up to the plate?
The Setup: Kanye’s Coldcard Bounty
Kanye West, serendipitously catches Marty Bent on Tales From The Crypt when his uber driver is listening to an episode of the podcast. Soon, Kanye is a full-fledged freak - regularly commenting in the NOSTR live chat for every episode of Rabbit Hole Recap with Marty Bent and Matt Odell. Knowing the importance of proper self-custody, Kanye decides to throw down a Public Ask on BOOMSCROLL. He’s targeting Matt Odell with a 10 million sat bounty for a Coldcard tutorial that covers everything: setup, single-sig, multi-sig, you name it. This tutorial isn’t just for him—it’s something he thinks will benefit the entire Bitcoin community. Kanye’s putting his sats where his mouth is, and he’s making sure everyone can see it.
IV. Question Zero: Why Put Satoshis on the Line?
Before diving into the specifics of Kanye’s Public Ask, there’s an underlying question we need to tackle: why would someone put their sats on the line in the first place? What’s the motivation behind taking hard-earned Bitcoin and tying it up in a public bounty that anyone can see and scrutinize?
The answer lies in the power of reputation. In the world of BOOMSCROLL (Building Open Operations for Maximizing Support, Community, Respect, Overcoming Limitation Layers), reputation is a currency in its own right—one that can’t be bought or sold, only earned over time. Matt Odell has built up an impressive reputation within the Bitcoin space. He’s known for his insights, integrity, and dedication to educating the community. By targeting someone like Matt, Kanye isn’t just throwing sats at a problem; he’s signaling that he values quality and wants someone with credibility to take up the challenge.
But here’s the kicker: Kanye wouldn’t just throw down a bounty to any random person. He knows that if he does, he’s risking his sats for nothing. In BOOMSCROLL, play stupid games, win stupid prizes. If Kanye were to lock up 10 million sats to some unproven NPub, there’s a good chance he’d never see a return on that investment. But by choosing Matt Odell, he’s betting on someone with a proven track record and a reputation to maintain.
This is where the human factor comes into play. For Matt, it’s not just about the sats on the table. He has a lot more to lose than just Bitcoin. His integrity, his body of work, and his standing in the community are all part of the equation. If Matt were to take up Kanye’s challenge, he’d be putting his reputation on the line as much as Kanye is putting his sats on the line.
So why do people put sats out there? Because reputation amplifies value. When you back someone like Matt Odell, you’re not just hoping for a job well done; you’re leveraging a reputation that already exists. Kanye’s not just looking for any Coldcard tutorial—he’s looking for one with Odell’s stamp of approval, one that carries weight because of who made it.
This setup isn’t just a gamble; it’s a strategic move. In BOOMSCROLL, throwing sats behind a reputable figure isn’t just about paying for services—it’s about tying your bounty to someone who has a lot more than just money riding on the outcome. It’s about ensuring that the person you back has as much skin in the game as you do, if not more. And if you get it wrong? Well, you’re free to do that, too. In a permissionless system, you can back whoever you want, but make no mistake—the risk is real. It’s a system that rewards strategic choices and punishes reckless ones, with consequences that are public and permanent.
V. Scenario 1: Good Faith, Good Quality – Matt Delivers
1. Matt Sees the Ask and Decides to Take It On
Kanye’s Public Ask is live, with 10 million sats locked up and possibly boosted by Snowball Zaps from the community. Matt logs into Nostr, sees the ask with his name on it, and notices that the bounty has grown. Recognizing the community interest, he decides to take on the challenge. For Matt, this isn’t just about the sats—this is a chance to deliver quality content that will help people and further solidify his reputation.
2. He Puts Together a High-Quality Tutorial
Matt goes all in, creating a Coldcard tutorial that covers every angle Kanye requested: setup, single-sig, multi-sig, and any other feature that Bitcoiners would want to know about. He pours his expertise into the tutorial, making sure it’s clear, comprehensive, and accurate. This isn’t a quick cash grab; this is Matt doing what he does best and putting out content he’s proud of. The tutorial embodies the kind of work that has earned him his reputation in the Bitcoin space.
3. He Posts the Completion Note and Claims the Bounty
Once the tutorial is ready, Matt posts a Completion Note on Nostr. This is the signal that he’s finished the task, and it triggers the release of the locked sats. As soon as the Completion Note goes live, the sats flow to Matt’s Bitcoin wallet, marking the end of the original ask. He’s delivered on Kanye’s challenge, and the system has automatically rewarded him for his work.
4. The Lightning Prism Effect: Ongoing Rewards
But the payoff doesn’t end there. Thanks to BOOMSCROLL’s Lightning Prism integration, Matt’s Completion Note can continue to earn Zaps long after the sats are released. As members of the community find value in his tutorial, they can zap it directly, sending tips that get split according to the Lightning Prism setup. Every Zap is broken down: 85% goes to Matt, 10% split proportionately among the original backers including those who contributed through Snowball Zaps, and 5% to OpenSats to support broader Bitcoin and Nostr initiatives. This creates an ongoing revenue stream for Matt, as long as people continue to appreciate and use his tutorial.
5. Walking Away with Sats and a Solid Reputation
In this scenario, Matt walks away with more than just a pile of sats. He’s reinforced his reputation as a reliable, knowledgeable figure in the Bitcoin community. By delivering high-quality content, he’s shown that he’s willing to put in the work and meet the community’s expectations. He can hold his head high, knowing he’s made a meaningful contribution that will likely continue to earn him respect—and maybe even more sats—in the future.
This outcome is as good as it gets: good faith, good quality, and a win-win for everyone involved. Kanye gets the tutorial he wanted, the community benefits from Matt’s expertise, and Matt leaves with both his integrity and his wallet intact. It’s a scenario that highlights the best of what BOOMSCROLL has to offer, showing how the system can reward quality work in a straightforward, transparent way.
VI. Scenario 2: Bad Faith, Low Effort – Cashing Out and Running
1. Matt Sees the Bounty and Decides to Cash In
The Public Ask bounty has now reached 50 million sats. The community has rallied behind Kanye’s original challenge, and the reward has grown into something substantial—half a Bitcoin, just waiting to be claimed. Matt, aware of the sizeable bounty and the minimal effort required to post a Completion Note, decides to take the lazy way out. He sees an easy payout and thinks, why not just grab the sats and run?
2. He Posts a Low-Effort Completion Note
Instead of putting together the high-quality Coldcard tutorial Kanye and the backers hoped for, Matt posts a Completion Note that has nothing to do with the ask. In fact, he goes as far as uploading a ridiculous video of himself wiping his ass, clearly not delivering what the Public Ask requested. But here’s the thing: he’s totally allowed to do this. BOOMSCROLL’s permissionless structure means there’s no gatekeeper to stop him. As long as he posts a Completion Note, the system releases the sats.
3. The Sats Move, but the Damage Is Done
Once the Completion Note goes live, the 50 million sats are released into Matt’s wallet. The system works exactly as designed, transferring the sats because the conditions have been met. Matt’s free to do whatever he wants with his payout. But while he walks away with a significant sum of Bitcoin, the real cost here is reputation.
4. The Repercussions: Reputational Fallout
In a permissionless network like BOOMSCROLL, there are no technical barriers to low-effort or even absurd submissions. However, there’s a social cost. The community that watched the bounty grow, saw the Snowball Zaps, and expected a quality Coldcard tutorial now knows that Matt, despite his reputation, delivered absolutely nothing of value. This move might earn him a quick payout, but it’s a hit to his standing in the community.
Future backers might think twice before targeting Matt with another bounty. They’ve seen how he’s willing to respond when the stakes are high and the effort is low. In BOOMSCROLL, reputation is everything, and once it’s tarnished, it’s not easy to rebuild. Matt may have the sats in his pocket, but he’s also shown the community that he’s not above taking the easy way out. That’s a message that won’t be quickly forgotten.
5. The System Holds, and the Community Moves On
While this scenario might seem like a flaw, it’s actually a feature of BOOMSCROLL’s design. The system isn’t here to enforce quality or verify content. It’s here to record actions and let people make their own judgments. In this case, Matt’s allowed to take the sats and run, but he’s also allowed to face the consequences. BOOMSCROLL operates on transparency and accountability. The community can see exactly what happened, and they’re free to make their own decisions about Matt’s actions going forward.
In BOOMSCROLL, you’re free to play however you want, but don’t expect to escape the consequences. Matt took the low-effort route and cashed out, but he also walked away with a reputation that’s now publicly tarnished. In the world of BOOMSCROLL, your actions are your legacy, and sometimes, the sats aren’t worth the cost.
This scenario showcases how BOOMSCROLL handles bad faith actions. The system’s integrity remains intact because it doesn’t judge—it just records. The real impact is on social standing and future trustworthiness
VII. Scenario 3: Parallel Submissions – Playing the Long Game
1. A New Challenger Steps In: Parallel Submission Basics
The original bounty is locked to Matt Odell, but he’s not the only one who can answer the call. With BOOMSCROLL’s Parallel Submissions, anyone can step up and respond to Kanye’s ask. Maybe Guy Swann, Stefan Livera, BTC Sessions, and many many more catch wind of the bounty, recognize the public demand for a Coldcard tutorial, and decide to create their own. Each knows he can’t claim Kanye’s original bounty—that’s locked to Matt—but he’s putting his reputation on the line by throwing his hat in the ring.
2. Deliver Quality, Even Without the Promise of a Payout
BTC Sessions puts together a high-quality Coldcard tutorial, going through the same steps Kanye requested. He’s not cutting corners, and he’s not trying to subvert the system. He’s responding to the underlying community need that Kanye’s bounty has highlighted. By putting out something of value, BTC Sessions is contributing to the ecosystem and showing off his skills, even without access to the original sats.
In doing so, he’s telling the community, “I can do this, and I can do it well.” His work stands as an independent offering, meeting the demand for quality content on the Coldcard, regardless of what Matt chooses to do. Importantly - anyone who appreciates the effort can independently zap this note, providing yet another valuable (and public!) data point.
3. The Community Benefits, Even If Matt Doesn’t Deliver
Because BTC Sessions has stepped up, the community wins. They get access to the Coldcard tutorial that Kanye requested, fulfilling the public demand that the bounty represents. If Matt decides to walk away, the sats may stay locked, but the need has still been met. BOOMSCROLL (Blockchain-Oriented Optimization Market with Satoshi Collateralized Requests Over Lightning Layers) is flexible enough to allow for this kind of positive externality, where public goods can be created regardless of the original target’s response.
4. Building a Reputation for Future Bounties
BTC Sessions isn’t just delivering content; he’s playing the long game. By responding to this public ask, he’s putting his skills on display in front of an audience that’s actively watching. Maybe Kanye, or someone else who values his work, notices his effort. In a world where quality work and reputation matter, BTC Sessions has just proven he can handle a complex tutorial with professionalism and depth.
This visibility could lead to future bounties directly targeting him, recognizing the value he’s demonstrated. Even if he doesn’t earn a satoshi from this specific ask, he’s creating opportunities for future rewards. In BOOMSCROLL, value comes first, and those who prove their worth have a much greater chance of being tapped for future bounties.
5. A New Path for Recognition and Opportunity
Parallel Submissions in BOOMSCROLL are permissionless, allowing anyone to contribute, but they also encourage a meritocratic ecosystem. BTC Sessions’ submission may not unlock Kanye’s original bounty, but it shows the community that he’s capable, committed, and willing to step up when there’s a need. The real benefit here is twofold: he’s met the public demand, and he’s positioned himself as someone who can deliver value when it’s called for.
If someone in the community is looking for a trusted content creator in the future, BTC Sessions’ name may well come to mind. He’s shown that he can handle the work, even when the reward isn’t guaranteed. In BOOMSCROLL, reputation and visibility are the real currencies, and sometimes, meeting a public need is the first step toward long-term recognition.
VIII. Scenario 4: Endorsement Mechanism – Passing the Torch
1. Matt Returns to Find a Massive Bounty
Matt Odell, after a few weeks offline for paternity leave, logs back into Nostr and sees the 10 million sat bounty Kanye posted has snowballed to 50 million sats. The community has rallied behind the Public Ask, pushing the bounty to an impressive amount. But while Matt was away, BTC Sessions saw the ask, stepped up, and posted a Parallel Submission, crafting a thorough Coldcard tutorial that meets and even exceeds the original specifications.
2. BTC Sessions’ Work Is Impressive – More Than Matt Could Add Right Now
Matt reviews the submission and sees that BTC Sessions has done a stellar job. The tutorial is comprehensive, detailed, and has already started getting community attention and Zaps. Even the production quality - the lighting, the music, the editing - are all top-notch. Matt realizes that even if he could put something together, BTC Sessions has already covered all the bases, and knocked Kanye’s ask out of the park. Plus, with a newborn at home, Matt knows he doesn’t have the bandwidth to top it right now.
3. The Power of the Endorsement: Integrity Over Sats
In BOOMSCROLL, Matt has the option to use the Endorsement Mechanism. By endorsing BTC Sessions’ submission, he acknowledges that the work is already done—and done well. This isn’t about grabbing the bounty; it’s about recognizing quality where it exists. Matt decides to endorse BTC Sessions, publicly signaling that BTC Sessions’ work meets the high standard he would have aimed for himself.
With an endorsement, Matt forfeits the bounty. He doesn’t get the 50 million sats, and he doesn’t gain any direct financial reward. Instead, he’s demonstrating integrity and respect for quality. In a community that values reputation, Matt’s endorsement is a powerful statement. It shows he’s willing to acknowledge someone else’s work as definitive, even if it means giving up a substantial reward.
4. The Impact on BTC Sessions’ Reputation and the Community
For BTC Sessions, the endorsement is a major win. While he wasn’t eligible for the original bounty, Matt’s endorsement provides validation and visibility that can be just as valuable. The community now sees BTC Sessions as the go-to guy for Coldcard tutorials, someone even Matt Odell respects. BTC Sessions gains credibility, recognition, and potentially more opportunities for future bounties or Zaps.
The community also benefits. They get the content they were looking for without any ambiguity about its quality. Matt’s endorsement functions as a quality stamp, letting everyone know that the tutorial is worth their time. The endorsement serves as a form of community validation, reassuring backers and viewers alike that BTC Sessions’ work stands up to scrutiny.
5. Integrity as a Currency: The Real Payoff
While Matt walks away without the sats, he reinforces his standing in the community. In BOOMSCROLL, reputation is a form of currency, and Matt’s willingness to endorse BTC Sessions instead of claiming the bounty himself speaks volumes. He’s shown that he values integrity over a quick payout, and that message resonates. Matt may have forfeited the bounty, but he’s strengthened his brand as someone who puts quality and fairness above financial gain.
By using the Endorsement Mechanism, Matt has demonstrated how BOOMSCROLL (Bitcoin Ownership and Open Market Securing Collaboration, Responsibility, Overarching Liberty Layers) allows for honest recognition and authentic engagement. He’s shown that sometimes, stepping aside and endorsing another’s work is the most respectable move you can make. In this system, the way you play the game matters just as much as the outcome, and Matt has just played it in a way that strengthens both his reputation and the community.
IX. Putting Sats on the Table: Simple, Profound, and Unstoppable
In BOOMSCROLL (Bitcoin Open Outcome Model Securing Collaborative Rewards Over Lightning Links), it all starts with putting sats on the table. This simple act changes the game completely. In a world where likes, follows, and upvotes come cheap, sats mean something different. They represent hard money—something tangible that you can’t fake, inflate, or delete. Here, 21 sats is worth more than 21 million likes, because those sats have real, lasting value.
When Kanye throws down 10 million sats for a Coldcard tutorial, he’s not just making a request; he’s staking value on it. By backing his ask with Bitcoin, he’s showing he means business. He’s not looking for empty social validation or fleeting attention. He’s looking to create something that has real-world impact. Likes might tell you what people think in the moment, but sats tell you what they’re willing to back in the long run.
In BOOMSCROLL, you’re not just playing for clout or chasing trends. You’re playing with skin in the game, putting something real on the line. And because sats are finite, every transaction here is a reminder of the scarcity and value that makes Bitcoin so powerful. BOOMSCROLL is an anarchist’s paradise, where there are no rulers—just rules. You’re free to act however you want, but every action has a cost, and that cost is public, transparent, and immutable.
1. An Economy of Value, Not Vanity
The simplicity of BOOMSCROLL lies in its direct relationship with value. You’re not relying on algorithms, not beholden to gatekeepers, and not working for the approval of unseen overlords. You’re choosing to engage in a system where real money changes hands and where your reputation is built on the value you create. When you put sats on the table, you’re announcing that you’re serious. You’re not just playing a game; you’re playing with something that matters.
2. No Rulers, Just Rules
BOOMSCROLL operates without a central authority. It’s a world of permissionless interaction where you don’t need approval to participate. No one’s going to stop you from responding to a bounty, throwing down a Snowball Zap, or endorsing someone else’s work. But while there’s freedom of action, there’s also accountability. The rules are simple, but they’re powerful, because they’re rooted in public transparency and irreversible transactions.
Here, there’s no one to tell you what to do, but there’s also no one to bail you out. If you make a move, it’s out there for everyone to see. BOOMSCROLL’s simplicity isn’t just about the absence of rulers; it’s about the presence of immutable rules that level the playing field and let people compete, collaborate, and coexist on equal terms. It’s anarchy with a structure, where the rules are clear, and the choices are yours.
3. Why Sats Trump Likes Every Time
In a digital landscape where social approval is often shallow and ephemeral, BOOMSCROLL brings back the substance. In this system, a satoshi isn’t just a number; it’s a statement. Likes and follows come and go, but sats have staying power. They’re a measure of value that transcends fleeting trends and viral moments. They’re scarce, they’re backed by proof of work, and they carry a weight that no amount of social media applause can match.
By making sats the cornerstone of BOOMSCROLL (Broad Open Optimization Mechanism for Secure Collaboration, Reward, Ownership, and Ledger Layers), we’re saying that value matters more than vanity. When you put sats behind a request, you’re not just asking for something; you’re putting your money where your mouth is. And when you see sats on the table, you know someone is serious. This isn’t about signaling virtue or chasing popularity. It’s about real stakes in a permissionless environment, where you’re free to act but bound by the consequences of your choices.
4. The Simplicity of a Self-Regulating System
The beauty of BOOMSCROLL lies in its simplicity. There are no complicated protocols or endless lists of rules. There’s just a straightforward, self-regulating system where sats, reputation, and transparency do all the work. When you put sats on the table, you’re participating in a system where value is both the input and the output, where the only thing standing between you and the outcome is your willingness to engage.
BOOMSCROLL doesn’t need a bureaucracy to enforce standards or a boardroom to make decisions. It thrives on open competition and voluntary interactions. You’re free to create, contribute, and endorse. You’re free to ignore, mute, or walk away. The system doesn’t care what you do, but it does ensure that whatever you do is public and permanent.
In BOOMSCROLL, there’s no such thing as hidden actions or secret dealings. Everything is out in the open, laid bare for anyone to see. By putting sats on the table, you’re opting into a world where you own your actions and where your actions tell the story. It’s a simple system with complex possibilities, an anarchist’s paradise that runs on nothing but rules and raw, undeniable value.
@ODELL@BTCsessions
## BoomScroll's Anarchist Approach to Public Bounties
You're right to emphasize the **rules-based**, **public**, and **irrevocable** nature of BoomScroll. The sources consistently highlight these principles as the foundation of this innovative system. Let's break down how these principles create a system that is "as anarchist as the laws of math or physics," as you put it:
**1. Public Accountability Ensures Fairness**
* Every action taken within the BoomScroll system, from the initial Public Ask to the final Completion Note (or endorsement), is recorded publicly on the Nostr network.
* This radical transparency ensures a level of accountability and fairness that is absent in traditional, centralized platforms.
* Anyone can see if a creator produces subpar work, even if they technically fulfill the terms of the Public Ask and claim the bounty. This public record contributes to a creator's reputation over time, making it difficult for bad actors to thrive.
**2. Irrevocability Guarantees Payment**
* Once a backer locks up Satoshis for a Public Ask, those funds are irrevocably committed to the task.
* This removes any uncertainty for creators, who can be confident that the promised payment is secure and will be delivered upon successful completion of the task.
* This is a stark contrast to traditional platforms where payment disputes, arbitrary content removal, or platform censorship can jeopardize a creator's earnings.
**3. Arbitrariness Fosters Creative Freedom**
* The sources emphasize that BoomScroll is "ruthlessly fair" because it doesn't impose subjective judgments on the value or quality of the work being commissioned.
* The Public Ask can be for anything, and the Completion Note is validated solely by the creator's signature, not by any central authority.
* This arbitrariness empowers both backers and creators with a level of freedom not found in systems governed by gatekeepers or intermediaries.
**4. A Self-Reinforcing System**
* The combination of these principles—public accountability, irrevocability, and arbitrariness—creates a powerful self-reinforcing system.
* Creators are incentivized to produce high-quality work to build their reputation within a transparent system.
* Backers are encouraged to offer competitive bounties to attract talented creators.
* The public, even those not directly involved in a specific task, can observe, assess, and learn from the interactions and outcomes, further enriching the ecosystem.
**By adhering to these principles, BoomScroll aims to establish a truly level playing field where creators are directly rewarded for their work based on the objective rules of the system, not the whims of any individual or entity.**
I don’t understand how Bret Weinstein isn’t a bitcoiner and on NOSTR already!!!
@walker Dr Weinstein and/or Dr Heying would be ***fantastic*** guests.
“How many of our governmental institutions do we need to witness performing the INVERSE of their intended function before we understand that we are under attack?
FEMA enflames disasters
DOD issues stand down orders to the most capable and well equipped Americans as fellow citizens needlessly die in the mountains
FDA authorizes poison and bans medicine
CDC causes diseases to spread and distributes misinformation
Homeland security facilitates an invasion
FBI instigates insurrection and hides evidence
NIH/NIAID literally creates infectious human pathogens that destroy health
It’s a struggle to find even a SINGLE counter example to this pattern
To be clear: I am not saying the people who staff these agencies are traitors. I’m sure most are well intentioned. I am saying something has apparently gained control of our system and turned it against us. Most of the people in these institutions are just following orders because they’re too young to understand where that leads.
This is not the pattern we would expect if the problem was simply one of corruption.
Once is a mistake, twice is a coincidence, three times is enemy action, as they say in military circles.
We’re now talking about dozens of institutions at every level of governance including international, hundreds of separate instances, a pattern occurring now across the West.
And it isn’t just a government problem. In fact, it would be impossible in 2024 for the government to cryptically turn on the citizens in a Democratic Republic without the press, the academy and social media platforms marching in lock step.
There is a strong argument to be made that “cancel culture” and vaccine mandates were needed to cleanse the institutions of would-be resistors.
So the question is, what now?”
https://m.primal.net/LLWl.jpghttps://m.primal.net/LLWm.jpg
I’m a fiat-poor node virgin.
Want to fix that! Have a donated desktop computer from a friend.
I think worst-case scenario, I may need to upgrade the hard drive.
Haven’t thought too deeply, but leaning towards start9 or parmanode.
Thoughts?
I don’t do many transactions, this is more about learning by doing, walking the walk, and supporting the network.
I want to play with running a NOSTR relay for similar reasons, makes me think start9.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
#bitcoin #node #start9 #parmanode #noderunner #pv #gm #gfy
https://m.primal.net/KwIu.jpg
I’m finally at the point in my journey where friends and family are starting to say “I’m worried about you“.
Will they spend more than five minutes thinking about bitcoin, or the DEEP implications of artificial intelligence?
let alone how somebody goes from voting for Barack Obama twice, voting for Hillary Clinton, voting for Joe Biden, to voting for Donald Trump in 2024?
All of my current positions, I arrived at over the course of years, very often thinking in public, very often having the same people who are currently questioning my sanity, nodding along with agreement, maybe even patting me on the back or explicitly praising my analysis (when they happen to agree with it).
The drama of the pearlclutching is inversely proportional to the amount of work people are willing to put into engaging with ideas directly.
Anyway…
Always self skeptical, letting my wife be my sanity check (she is not orange pill and has no interest in these topics ha ha ha ha ha). So yeah, it’s hard not to laugh sometimes, it’s like I can see them running a predetermined script.
I’m convinced enough to dig in my heels and be stubborn. I can do no other.
Man, I would love to believe that.
My view is more along the lines of bitcoin is strong enough that even Trump can’t fuck it up , especially if his deal was just shitcoining or general ignorance, versus active suppression like we’ve had under the current blue team.
As much as I’d like to think Kamala Harris is good hearted/intelligent/whatever enough to come around to bitcoin, my bayesian priors prevent me from doing so.
**The Counterintuitive Genius of BOOMSCROLL: 21 Sats is Worth More Than 21 Million Likes**
In a world saturated with **empty engagement metrics**—likes, retweets, follows—there’s an illusion of value that is, at best, fleeting, and at worst, **completely hollow**. These numbers might make you feel seen, but they don’t equate to real support or real commitment. They are disposable, costless actions that require little effort and even less accountability. It’s all too easy to toss out a like and move on, with no skin in the game, no actual **investment** behind it.
BOOMSCROLL flips this entire paradigm on its head. Instead of a flood of likes that mean nothing, what if you had **21 Sats** on the table? It may sound insignificant at first glance, but that’s precisely where the brilliance lies. Those 21 Sats represent **real value**, and even at this small scale, they **matter more** than millions of empty likes ever could. Why? Because those **Satoshis are real**. They have **tangible, immutable value** that someone had to **earn**, choose to part with, and send with intention.
### **Putting Satoshis First: A Radical Shift in Incentives**
BOOMSCROLL starts with **value on the table**—Satoshis locked in upfront. This might seem counterintuitive because we’re used to platforms where content is **free** and creators are compensated later, if at all, based on how much engagement they attract. But by putting the Satoshis first, BOOMSCROLL completely **changes the dynamic**:
- **Skin in the Game**: Whether you’re a backer or a creator, you have something to lose and something to gain. There’s no empty signaling here. The backer stakes real value in a creator, and the creator works knowing those funds are **locked and waiting**.
- **Incentives to Act**: The mere act of **putting Sats down** is a signal in itself. It tells the world, **"I want this to happen, and I’m willing to pay for it."** This creates a powerful incentive for creators to act—not based on nebulous engagement metrics, but on **cold hard Satoshis**. And because it's a **public act**, others can see and rally behind it, adding more weight to the ask as it snowballs.
- **Irreversible and Voluntary**: In BOOMSCROLL, everything is **voluntary** and **irrevocable**. Once the Satoshis are locked in, there’s no taking them back, no reneging on the promise. It’s a radically **anarchist** system where no central authority can reverse transactions or interfere. The backer gives up control the moment they commit those Sats, trusting the creator to deliver. And here’s the kicker—whether the creator completes the task or not, it’s their choice. They’re **free to act in good or bad faith**, but their **reputation** and the social trust they’ve built are always on the line. This is **freedom with consequences**.
### **The Anarchist Paradise: Trusting in Transparency**
BOOMSCROLL thrives because it embraces the fundamental principles of an **anarchist paradise**: **voluntary exchange** and **public accountability**. No one is forced into anything, and yet every action is **transparent** and **publicly verifiable**.
- **Public Asks as Social Signals**: When someone posts a public ask, it sends a **clear signal** of demand. Even if you’re not the creator targeted by the ask, you can see that there’s **real money** on the line and real demand for that kind of work. This isn’t some speculative engagement metric—it’s hard Satoshis, and they are there for the taking. This creates a market that is **alive**, responsive, and inherently **self-regulating**.
- **21 Sats vs. 21 Million Likes**: It’s tempting to see **millions of likes** as validation, but what do they really mean? Not much. They’re frictionless, free, and fleeting. In contrast, those 21 Sats? Someone gave them up because they **believed** in something. There’s intent behind those Satoshis. It might be a small gesture, but it’s a **real gesture**. And in a trustless, transparent system, **real gestures of value** speak louder than any number of virtual pats on the back.
- **Freedom and Consequence**: The magic of this system is that it allows for **complete freedom**. The backer can be as vague or as precise as they want in their ask. The creator can choose to complete the task, pass it on to someone better suited, or even ignore it entirely. But everything is **out in the open**, and there’s no going back. If a creator decides to post a video wiping their ass as the completed task, that’s their call. But their reputation is **on the line**, and once they claim those Sats, there’s no hiding from the consequences. It’s a **self-regulating system**—trust is built or destroyed in the **public square**.
### **The Power of Transparency and Irrevocability**
Transparency isn’t just a **side feature** of BOOMSCROLL—it’s the **beating heart** of the system. Every ask, every completion note, every zap is **public**. Nothing happens in the dark. This level of visibility ensures that **trust is constantly being earned** and **tested**. It’s why the system can be **radically free** yet function with **integrity**. It doesn’t rely on middlemen or platforms to enforce contracts or mediate disputes. The public nature of the network does the work.
And because everything is **irrevocable**, every decision is **final**. Once the Sats are on the table, they’re there. Once the creator posts their completion note, the funds move instantly. This creates an ecosystem where **commitment** and **follow-through** are part of the DNA. There’s no room for backtracking or bad faith; once you’ve put your **Satoshis** or your **reputation** on the line, it’s permanent.
### **Unlocking New Incentives in a Trustless System**
By prioritizing **Sats over likes**, BOOMSCROLL unlocks **new incentives** for creators and backers alike:
- **Creators are Motivated by Real Value**: No longer are creators at the mercy of algorithmic engagement metrics. They’re working for something **real**, something they can immediately claim once they’ve completed the task.
- **Backers Signal Demand**: By locking in Sats, backers are signaling **real market demand** for a particular kind of work. And because this is all **public**, creators can gauge interest and decide how best to direct their efforts.
- **Everyone Wins with Good Faith**: The system rewards **good faith** on both sides. Backers commit upfront, and creators know the funds are already there. There’s no credit system or delayed compensation. But because everything is **transparent**, there’s also a social cost to **bad faith** actions, and reputation becomes its own form of currency.
### **Conclusion: Why 21 Sats is Worth More Than 21 Million Likes**
In the end, BOOMSCROLL’s power lies in its **simplicity** and **revolutionary shift** in what we value. Likes may be easy to give and easy to forget, but they carry no **real weight**. Satoshis, on the other hand, are **finite**, **real**, and given with intention. This system strips away the noise and forces us to reckon with what truly matters—**real value**, **real commitment**, and **real trust**. In BOOMSCROLL, **21 Sats** isn’t just worth more than 21 million likes—it’s the foundation of a new kind of engagement, one where **freedom**, **transparency**, and **voluntary action** rule the day.
***
21 Sats is Worth More Than 21 Million Likes
In a world drowning in likes, retweets, and upvotes, the supposed currency of digital value feels cheap and hollow. People click buttons without thought, and the creators behind the work are left with inflated numbers that mean nothing. Those metrics don’t pay bills, and they certainly don’t guarantee trust. What if, instead of throwing out likes, people had to give something real, something irrevocable? What if value came first? This is where BOOMSCROLL rewrites the rules.
With BOOMSCROLL, even a small amount—say, 21 Sats—has more weight than 21 million likes. Why? Because those Satoshis are tangible. They’re irrevocable. They’re given with real intent. They represent value that someone had to part with—value that signifies trust and belief in a creator or an idea. This simple yet revolutionary shift transforms the digital landscape from one of frictionless engagement to one of meaningful commitment.
Putting Satoshis First: Unlocking New Incentives
In BOOMSCROLL, everything begins with Sats on the table. This may seem strange at first glance—why lock value upfront when you could wait to see how the project unfolds? But that’s where the brilliance lies. By putting the Sats down at the beginning, trust and incentive are built into the system.
• Skin in the Game: When a backer puts Sats on the table, they’re signaling more than just casual interest. They’re saying, “I’m willing to part with something real because I believe this work has value.” The creator, in turn, knows the funds are already there, locked and waiting.
• Public Accountability: The fact that the bounty is public and visible to everyone adds another layer of accountability. People can see the Sats accumulating and the demand building. This creates an ecosystem of self-regulation, where transparency ensures that commitments are met with social consequences—whether positive or negative.
• Good Faith, Bad Faith, and Reputation: A creator can choose to fulfill the ask in good faith—creating something of real value—or they can act in bad faith and claim the bounty without delivering anything meaningful. For example, imagine a bounty for a tutorial, and the creator posts a video of themselves wiping their ass. Technically, the bounty is claimed, and there’s no way to reverse it. But—and this is crucial—the creator’s reputation is now on the line. They’ve exposed themselves to the social consequences of that decision. In the anarchist paradise of BOOMSCROLL, freedom comes with the reality of public consequences. You can do whatever you want, but you can’t hide the result.
The Value of Giving Away Sats: The Endorsement Mechanism
Now, let’s dig into one of the most counterintuitive yet powerful features of BOOMSCROLL: the endorsement mechanism. It seems crazy on the surface: why would a creator voluntarily give up Sats to someone else when they could keep them? But that’s exactly what the endorsement mechanism enables. It’s about social capital, reputation, and the power of selflessness in an anarchist system where everything is transparent.
Here’s how it works: Imagine a scenario where Kanye West posts a bounty for Matt O’Dell to create a ColdCard tutorial. Matt’s busy, or maybe he knows that someone else—let’s say BTC Sessions—has already created the perfect tutorial. Instead of taking the Sats for himself, Matt could choose to endorse BTC Sessions’ work, voluntarily transferring the bounty to him. This act of endorsement is public—everyone can see it—and it carries significant social weight.
• Reputation and Social Credit: By endorsing someone else’s work, Matt is saying, “This is better than what I could have done. I’m recognizing excellence, even if it costs me.” That kind of selflessness builds reputation. It shows that Matt isn’t just out to grab Sats; he cares about the quality of the work and is willing to take a hit for the greater good. In a system where reputation is everything, this public gesture is worth far more than the Sats Matt gives up.
• Purely Social Signal: The beauty of this mechanism is that it’s entirely voluntary. Matt has nothing to gain monetarily from endorsing BTC Sessions. In fact, he’s losing Sats. But that’s the point—by doing so, he’s making a purely social gesture that can’t be faked or gamed. It’s a move that elevates his standing in the community, and that social capital can be just as valuable as any amount of Sats.
• Trust in Action: When someone endorses another creator, they are putting their reputation on the line. If they endorse something mediocre or fraudulent, their own standing in the community takes a hit. This is why the endorsement mechanism carries such weight—it’s an act of trust, not just in the other creator, but in the system itself. It signals to the community that the work being endorsed is worth paying attention to. Over time, those who consistently endorse great work will build a reputation for being trustworthy arbiters of quality.
Why This Matters: Voluntary and Irreversible Action
One of the most counterintuitive aspects of BOOMSCROLL is the way it leans into voluntary, irreversible actions. Every step in the process—whether it’s putting down Sats, endorsing someone else’s work, or claiming a bounty—is public and final. There’s no undoing these moves. Once you give Sats, they’re gone. Once you endorse someone, it’s out there for everyone to see. And once a creator posts their completion note, the Satoshis move instantly.
This isn’t just a feature—it’s the foundation of BOOMSCROLL’s anarchist paradise. In a world where everything is voluntary and irrevocable, people are free to act as they wish, but they must live with the consequences of their choices. There’s no middleman, no platform to mediate or reverse decisions. The public ledger—Bitcoin and Nostr—is the final judge. And that’s where the magic happens: in the freedom to act with absolute autonomy and the public accountability that comes with it.
• Social Proof and Market Demand: Every action in BOOMSCROLL serves as social proof. The mere existence of a bounty signals demand. And when creators endorse each other or contribute to parallel submissions, they create a dynamic, self-regulating ecosystem where the best work rises to the top not because of some algorithm, but because people put real value behind it.
• Incentives to Give: The real genius of BOOMSCROLL is how it incentivizes giving. Whether it’s zapping a submission, adding to a bounty, or endorsing someone else, every act of giving builds trust and reputation. People aren’t just handing out Sats—they’re making statements about what they value. And in a system where value precedes everything, that trust and reputation become as valuable as the Sats themselves.
Conclusion: 21 Sats vs. 21 Million Likes
At first glance, giving away 21 Sats may seem trivial. But the reality is, it’s the most meaningful action in a world built on hollow engagement metrics. Every Sat given is a signal—it carries intent, value, and consequence. And every Sat voluntarily relinquished builds social credit and trust in ways that likes never could.
In BOOMSCROLL, 21 Sats means infinitely more than 21 million likes because it’s real, irrevocable, and intentional. It’s the foundation of a system where freedom and transparency allow people to act on their own terms, without platforms, gatekeepers, or intermediaries. It’s a decentralized marketplace where good faith and trust are more valuable than any algorithm. And in the end, it’s a system where real value—whether in Sats, reputation, or social credit—is the only currency that matters.
In an age where we have more access to information than any generation in human history, you’d think we’d be getting better at separating fact from fiction.
Instead, we seem to be drowning in a sea of confusion, where half-truths and manipulated narratives gain traction faster than facts can keep up. The problem isn’t just the overwhelming quantity of information—it’s how that information is packaged, filtered, and consumed through the lens of our own cognitive biases. We’re no longer just reading the news; we’re being fed the version that best aligns with what we already believe.
Take, for example, the infamous claim that “Haitian immigrants are eating cats.” Sure, this sounds absurd at first glance, but the claim persists because, as with most rumors, it’s directionally correct. There may not be hordes of Haitians devouring household pets, but if someone, somewhere, happens to eat a cat, suddenly the rumor feels justified. The specifics don’t matter much. It’s not about Haitians eating cats—just the idea that someone is. This is how half-baked stories morph into accepted truth: they have just enough plausibility to get a foothold and survive, like intellectual parasites feeding on our preconceptions.
This is where Jonathan Haidt’s insight about how we process information comes into play. When we encounter evidence that supports our beliefs, we ask ourselves a low-bar question: “Can I believe this?” In other words, is there any flimsy justification I can latch onto to confirm what I already think? And if the evidence fits, however loosely, we embrace it. But when that same evidence contradicts our beliefs, we go into defense mode and ask a much tougher question: “Do I have to believe this?” Now, we’re searching for any reason, however small, to dismiss or deny what we’re seeing.
This kind of thinking leads to two groups of people looking at the same information but coming to completely opposite conclusions. One group focuses on specifics—“It wasn’t a Haitian eating the cat, so this story is a lie.” The other group, meanwhile, is more than happy to generalize: “Maybe it wasn’t a Haitian, but someone’s eating cats, so the story is true enough.” In both cases, facts are playing second fiddle to biases, and the truth becomes a casualty of our own mental shortcuts.
If this is how people react to even legitimate information, imagine how much worse it gets when the evidence itself is deliberately manipulated. Take the 2017 “fine people” hoax surrounding Donald Trump’s comments on Charlottesville. Trump did, in fact, condemn neo-Nazis and white supremacists, but a selectively edited clip of him saying there were “very fine people on both sides” was stripped of context and played on a loop by the mainstream media. That sliver of a sound bite became gospel for those who already saw Trump as a villain. The context? Irrelevant. People who wanted to believe Trump was soft on neo-Nazis got exactly the confirmation they were looking for. Even now, seven years later, in 2024, you’ll still find people who genuinely believe Trump refused to call out white supremacists.
This is the dark art of selective editing. The facts themselves haven’t changed, but by cutting out key details, the entire narrative shifts. For some, this manipulated version of events is enough to keep the “Can I believe this?” train rolling full steam ahead. Meanwhile, those skeptical of the media look at the unedited footage, note that Trump did indeed disavow the neo-Nazis, and ask themselves, “Do I have to believe this?” For them, the deception is clear, and they find ways to reject the entire mainstream narrative. Again, two groups walk away with two very different realities based on the same raw information—filtered, of course, through their own biases.
But this isn’t just about Trump or immigrants. It’s about the broader problem of how we digest information in a world that has become saturated with data yet starved of clarity. We now live in an age where evidence itself can be suspect—thanks to deceptively edited videos, out-of-context quotes, and the rise of AI-generated content that can fake reality with frightening precision. If we already struggle to separate fact from fiction when the evidence is legitimate, what happens when the very evidence we rely on is manufactured or distorted?
We’re outsourcing our thinking, trusting intermediaries—whether they be journalists, politicians, or algorithms—to make sense of the world for us. And these intermediaries are anything but neutral. They bring their own biases, errors, and occasionally, deceptions to the table. When we outsource our critical thinking, we inherit not just the conclusions but the cognitive shortcuts and errors that come with them. The result is a kind of selective outrage, where the “truth” is little more than an echo of our preconceived beliefs, amplified by a feedback loop of misinformation.
The real danger is that once an idea takes root, it’s almost impossible to dislodge, no matter how many facts you throw at it. Whether it’s a story about cat-eating immigrants or Trump’s alleged defense of neo-Nazis, these narratives persist because they’ve been carefully molded to fit into the emotional and cognitive framework we use to interpret the world. They’re not falsifiable in any meaningful way—because when the goalposts keep moving, you can’t ever pin them down.
So here we are, in a world where information is infinite but understanding is finite. We navigate this ocean of data by leaning on others, trusting that they’ve done the hard work of making sense of it all for us. But those intermediaries can mislead us, intentionally or not. And once misled, it’s hard to find our way back to reality. The line between fact and perception blurs, and we become trapped in our own echo chambers, comforted by half-truths that feel good, even when they’re far from the truth.
In the end, it’s not just about what we believe—it’s about how we come to believe it. And in a world where truth is up for grabs, the only thing more dangerous than being wrong is thinking you’re always right.
The COVID pandemic provided a masterclass in how the flow of information can be manipulated, suppressed, and weaponized depending on whose interests are at stake. The lab leak theory is a perfect example. Early on, suggesting that COVID might have originated in a lab—specifically in Wuhan—wasn’t just dismissed, it was vilified. Anyone who brought it up was labeled a conspiracy theorist, a xenophobe, or outright racist. Platforms censored people, media outlets sneered at the idea, and it was effectively scrubbed from polite discourse.
Fast forward a couple of years, and what do we have? A growing consensus among scientists and officials that the lab leak theory is, in fact, one of the most plausible explanations for COVID’s origins. This whiplash—where a once “crazy” theory is now taken seriously—exposes how information is managed not based on its truth, but on its political utility at the time. It’s a case study in how, when certain ideas become politically or socially inconvenient, they’re not debated—they’re silenced.
The same thing happened with ivermectin. Here’s a drug that’s been used on humans for decades, a Nobel Prize-winning medicine, no less, known for its safety and effectiveness in treating parasitic infections. Yet, when people started talking about its potential to treat COVID, the media ran with a condescending narrative, dismissing it as “horse dewormer,” as though people were injecting themselves with straight livestock meds in some backwoods pharmacy. Yes, ivermectin is used for animals, but it’s also an FDA-approved drug for human use. The dismissiveness wasn’t about facts—it was about delegitimizing an alternative treatment that, crucially, wasn’t under patent. It wasn’t profitable for the pharmaceutical giants that were working on patented vaccines and treatments.
So, why was there such a harsh crackdown on discussions around ivermectin? Again, follow the money. Unlike the vaccines, ivermectin was dirt cheap, widely available, and off-patent. The idea that something inexpensive and readily accessible might be effective against COVID presented a massive financial threat to Big Pharma, which had billions tied up in the development, production, and distribution of new treatments. Combine that with governments and tech companies getting involved in controlling the narrative, and you have a situation where an established, safe drug is reduced to a punchline. The heavy hand of the state wasn’t just regulating public health—it was regulating the conversation itself.
What this all highlights is the sheer danger of centralized control over information, particularly in the digital age. The power to not only spread misinformation, but to silence dissent, has never been greater. Social media platforms, under pressure from governments and corporations, can decide what’s acceptable discourse and what’s “misinformation” with the flick of a switch. Overnight, entire narratives are erased, not because they’re false, but because they’re inconvenient. The COVID pandemic was a grim revelation for many of us who might’ve once trusted these institutions, but now see how easily they can abuse their power.
This goes beyond just media and medicine—it’s about the control of thought itself. When you have Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Government working in concert to manage what people are allowed to think and say, that’s not just dangerous—it’s dystopian. You don’t have to be a right-wing conspiracy theorist to feel deeply uncomfortable about the way power is concentrated in the hands of a few, and how those few can shape reality for the rest of us.
Like many of you, I come from an emotional and intellectual space that’s more liberal-leaning. I believe in public health, in collective responsibility, in protecting the vulnerable. But after witnessing how COVID narratives were manipulated—how legitimate questions were squashed, how cheap, effective treatments were mocked and marginalized—I can no longer ignore the inherent dangers of centralized power. Whether it’s the government, corporations, or tech giants, the more concentrated that power becomes, the more vulnerable we are to its abuses.
This isn’t a left or right issue. It’s about control—control of information, control of dialogue, and ultimately, control of what we’re allowed to think. And when you realize how easily that control can be wielded, it’s hard not to feel cynical. It’s hard not to question whether what you’re being told is true, or just another layer of convenient lies wrapped in the flag of public safety.
But let’s not sink into cynicism!
The fact that we’ve recognized the problem is the first step toward a solution, and there **are** solutions!
Enter NOSTR—Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays. It’s a mouthful, but the concept behind it is simple, and more importantly, revolutionary: decentralized, censorship-resistant communication. A system where control doesn’t sit in the hands of a few powerful entities but is distributed, open, and unstoppable.
The beauty of NOSTR lies in its architecture.
Instead of relying on centralized servers, where Big Tech or governments can swoop in and control the flow of information, it uses relays. Think of these as independent nodes, any one of which can carry your message. No single relay is in charge, so even if one goes down or gets blocked, your message can still find its way through other relays. It’s the digital equivalent of Hydra—cut off one head, and two more pop up. The system is resilient by design.
Here’s the kicker: it’s not just about censorship resistance. It’s about taking back control over your own communication. With NOSTR, you own your identity and your data. You’re not at the mercy of some algorithm that decides whether your content gets throttled, shadow-banned, or erased. It’s a communication protocol that can’t be stopped or manipulated by outside forces, which means you’re finally free to speak your mind without fear of being silenced by the gatekeepers of the digital world.
Remember when platforms like Twitter or Facebook started de-platforming voices they didn’t agree with, or when fact-checkers suddenly became the arbiters of truth? Those days don’t exist in the world of NOSTR. It doesn’t matter what side of the political spectrum you fall on; the core principle here is simple: free, unstoppable communication. No more worries about having your account shut down for sharing a controversial opinion or an inconvenient truth. If someone wants to block you? No problem—just use another relay.
It’s not just a pipe dream, either. We’ve already seen how decentralized systems like Bitcoin have challenged the traditional financial world by eliminating middlemen and putting control back into the hands of individuals. NOSTR does the same thing, but for communication. It takes the power out of the hands of Silicon Valley and returns it to the people who actually need it: all of us.
This is the antidote to the censorship that we’ve seen escalate over the last few years. Whether it was the suppression of the lab leak theory, the mocking of alternative COVID treatments, or the broader crackdown on anyone stepping outside the approved narrative, NOSTR provides the infrastructure to ensure that these ideas still have a place to be heard.
In an era where information is power, decentralized communication protocols like NOSTR give that power back to the individual. It’s a solution that not only combats censorship but also provides a blueprint for a more open, transparent future, where ideas—both popular and unpopular—can compete on an equal playing field.
Here’s the crucial part: NOSTR isn’t a product, it’s a protocol. It’s not a platform controlled by some mega-corporation or subject to the whims of a CEO, and it’s not tied to any particular app or service. It’s just a set of rules that allows anyone to build their own app, service, or interface that interacts with the broader system.
This is why it’s such a game-changer—it’s a foundation, not a walled garden.
Anyone, anywhere, can develop an application that taps into this decentralized network of communication, and each app can look and feel totally different, depending on who builds it. But the core principle stays the same: unstoppable, censorship-resistant communication.
Now, let’s get into the identity aspect, because this is where NOSTR really pulls away from the centralized platforms we’re used to:
Most social media platforms own your identity. You sign up with an email or phone number, and from there, your identity and everything tied to it—your friends, followers, posts, interactions—are locked into that one platform.
If you get banned, shadow-banned, or just want to leave? Tough. You’re stuck starting from scratch somewhere else.
NOSTR throws that model out the window. Your identity is tied to public and private keys—not some account managed by Twitter or Facebook. Think of it like having your own digital passport, one that no platform or company can take away from you. Your public key acts as your username or ID, while your private key is your password, securing your identity.
This means you control your identity, not the platform you’re on. If you don’t like one app or interface, you can pick up your entire social graph—your followers, your posts, your interactions—and move it to another app without losing anything. You take your identity with you wherever you go, untethered from any one company or platform.
And this isn’t just about portability—it’s about resilience. Your identity and your social graph can’t be deleted by some tech overlord. If you get booted off one relay or app, it doesn’t matter. You still exist in the NOSTR network because you control the keys to your identity. It’s a system that guarantees your ability to communicate remains intact, no matter what roadblocks someone tries to throw in your way.
In essence, this isn’t just about speaking freely—it’s about owning your digital self. With NOSTR, you’re not at the mercy of any one platform’s policies, and you’re not trapped in a system where your data and identity can be erased at the push of a button. It’s robust, decentralized, and designed for a future where individuals, not corporations, own their digital lives.
The persistence of your identity in a system like NOSTR isn’t just a technical detail—it’s a transformative tool for taking control of the way you interact with information. When you’re locked into centralized platforms like Facebook or Twitter, you’re at the mercy of their algorithms. These algorithms are driven by perverse incentives—often prioritizing engagement (and, by extension, profit) over truth. That means they’re engineered to feed you content that provokes the strongest emotional reactions, not necessarily the most accurate or nuanced information. Outrage sells; truth, unfortunately, tends to sit quietly in the back.
But with a protocol like NOSTR, where your identity is yours to carry from one app to the next, you control how you filter information. You can choose your own algorithms or create your own filters based on what you actually want to see—whether that’s verified, nuanced reporting, or even just a broader range of opinions that challenge your perspective. You’re no longer subject to what some opaque corporate algorithm decides is “relevant” or “trending.”
In the current media landscape, the platforms you use decide what’s important for you to see, driving echo chambers and feeding you the content that keeps you scrolling and clicking. But with NOSTR, the power shifts back to you. You can create or adopt algorithms based on trust, transparency, and diversity of thought, rather than algorithms designed to harvest your attention. Instead of having your reality mediated by Facebook’s or Twitter’s content farms, you curate your own information landscape, choosing the sources, voices, and perspectives that you want to engage with.
This isn’t just a subtle shift. It’s foundational. It allows for a more honest, individualized approach to truth. Rather than letting Zuckerberg or some shadowy content moderator decide which “facts” are fit for your consumption, you become an active participant in shaping your own information diet. Want to see more diverse viewpoints? You can set up filters that prioritize those voices. Want verified experts? You can configure your experience to highlight content from trusted sources without burying them under a pile of conspiracy theories or viral clickbait.
The persistence of your identity in NOSTR allows you to move through different applications, preserving your network, your preferences, and the integrity of your interactions. And since no single company or platform owns you, they can’t manipulate what you see, who you follow, or what content is pushed to the top of your feed. You’re no longer a passive consumer of information being served to you by algorithms that prioritize profit. Instead, you become the architect of your own reality—able to engage with information in a way that’s thoughtful, self-directed, and resistant to manipulation.
In a world where truth is often a casualty of the attention economy, systems like NOSTR offer a way to reclaim not just free speech, but free thought. No longer a mere cog in someone else’s engagement machine, you are actively participating in the pursuit of truth, on your own terms.
The shift from passive consumption to active curation—where you control the flow of information—changes the entire game.
With NOSTR, you’re not just scrolling through a feed dictated by an algorithm designed to maximize profit by feeding you outrage or distraction. You are the architect of your own digital environment. You can prioritize content from trusted sources, craft your own filters, and choose algorithms that emphasize depth over clickbait. You regain control over how you engage with ideas, filtering out the noise and allowing truth to take center stage.
But it doesn’t stop there. This paradigm shift gets even more profound when you introduce Zaps into the equation.
Unlike traditional social media metrics—likes, retweets, or upvotes—which are essentially free and therefore hollow, Zaps carry real value. A Zap is not just an empty gesture; it’s a micro-transaction using Bitcoin, the world’s first decentralized digital currency.
Now, I know for some, Bitcoin can seem niche or counterintuitive, so let’s break it down:
Bitcoin has a fixed supply—there will only ever be 21 million Bitcoin. That’s it. Its scarcity makes it valuable, like digital gold.
(Much like a dollar is divided into 100 cents, each Bitcoin can be divided into 100 million “satoshis”, or “sats”.)
So when someone sends you a Zap, they’re not just clicking a button—they’re sending you satoshis, actual money tied to a finite resource.
This means Zaps are fundamentally different from likes or upvotes. Sending a Zap requires spending something of real value. Unlike the likes you hand out on Facebook by the dozens, a Zap forces the sender to put some real skin in the game. That’s why it’s so much harder to game this system. Yes, bots can still exist—but every time a bot Zaps content, it’s spending satoshis, burning through real currency. Spamming Zaps costs real money, making it far more difficult (and expensive) to manipulate the system.
Now, imagine a world where Zaps become part of the algorithm itself. Instead of sorting content by shallow engagement—measured in meaningless clicks—you can rank it by the value people are attaching to it in the form of Zaps. You could filter your content feed by how much real currency has been exchanged in support of different posts, giving you a more accurate signal of what’s truly valuable, insightful, or meaningful.
It’s a shift from attention-driven metrics to value-driven ones. In this new system, creators aren’t incentivized to churn out low-quality content for the sake of clicks and likes. Instead, they focus on producing work that’s meaningful enough for people to Zap—because a Zap reflects genuine, monetary support. It transforms the economy of content from one built on mindless engagement to one based on authenticity and real value.
And this entire system—this exchange of value—happens over the Lightning Network.
For those unfamiliar, the Lightning Network is a second-layer solution built on top of Bitcoin, designed to enable nearly instantaneous, low-cost transactions.
When you send a Zap, it’s processed through the Lightning Network, and the transaction is final—there are no middlemen skimming fees off the top, no centralized payment processors taking a cut. It’s peer-to-peer, direct and immediate.
Contrast this with the current systems we rely on—banks, payment processors, ad networks—all of which take their pound of flesh at every turn. There are fees, delays, and often a host of third parties between you and your money.
With the Lightning Network, that friction disappears. You can Zap someone from across the globe in seconds, with the transaction finalized and the sats transferred instantly. No waiting, no approvals, no gatekeepers.
And here’s the most amazing thing about all of this: it’s not a dream. It’s not some far-off goal. It’s a practical reality. This system already exists today.
NOSTR, Bitcoin, Zaps—this isn’t the future we’re waiting for. The future is here. It’s just not evenly distributed yet. The tools to break free from the grip of centralized platforms and take back control of communication, content, and value are already in our hands.
The genie is out of the bottle. The toothpaste is out of the tube. These are more than technologies—they are ideas. And here’s the thing about ideas: you can’t kill them. Bitcoin and NOSTR aren’t just systems—they represent a new way of thinking about ownership, value, and freedom. And once an idea takes hold, it’s unstoppable.
https://m.primal.net/Kpuz.png
1. April 2018: Me and wife, also some cats.
2. September 2019: family drama, lawyers and CPS involved, tldr we now have 3 kids aged 4 and under!
3. November 2019: Wife has a stroke, can’t work anymore
4. March 2020: the world goes to absolute shit, and we’ve ***already*** lost an income and more than doubled our house size and my paralyzed wife is trying to homeschool toddlers while i work but holy fuck what a mess
5: 2021: ****now**** I get orange-pilled, finally have real hope that maybe just maybe won’t have to work until i die; stacking sats is incredibly difficult, i think i have the biggest ratio of conviction:holdings of any person on the fucking planet
Version 2
Abstract
BOOMSCROLL is a decentralized commissioning system, built on NOSTR, Bitcoin, and the Lightning Network, that enables backers to post public bounties tied to an ask, where sats are irrevocably locked and only claimable by the target NPUB upon posting a completion note. This locking mechanism—while a technical challenge to perfect—is at the heart of the system’s trust-based framework. Once locked, the sats cannot be retrieved by the backer and can only be released when the creator signs off on their work, giving them unilateral control over the completion event.
The system operates entirely on trust and reputation, without coercion or guarantees. Backers put sats on the line, and creators claim them based on the quality of their work—or lack thereof. Every action is public, and every participant’s reputation is at stake. BOOMSCROLL introduces five new note types to extend NOSTR’s functionality for public asks, parallel submissions, endorsements, and bounties, with the goal of creating a trustless system that thrives on voluntary exchanges.
In BOOMSCROLL, 21 sats carry more value than 21 million likes because they represent real skin in the game. The system doesn’t guarantee outcomes—it simply provides the framework for people to commit to each other publicly, transparently, and without coercion. The ultimate value lies in the integrity and trust of those who choose to participate.
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The Analog Example – Trust-Based Agreements
Imagine a simple, old-school scenario. You need a job done—say, a house painted or a piece of furniture built. You trust someone to handle it, so you place the money on the table and say, "The funds are yours when the work is done." No one else is involved. You aren’t haggling over the details or setting arbitrary standards for quality. You’ve made a clear, upfront offer, and the person you’re commissioning can claim the money once the task is finished to their own satisfaction.
The power of this arrangement lies in the trust between you and the person doing the work. You trust them to do the job well, and they trust that the money will be there when the work is complete. It’s a direct, transparent exchange: voluntary, clear, and non-coercive. In this analog example, the agreement is simple: the money is there, visible, waiting to be claimed. Both parties know the terms, and everything hinges on trust.
Now, BOOMSCROLL takes this same concept and moves it into a trustless, decentralized digital system, using Bitcoin, NOSTR, and the Lightning Network. Instead of cash on the table, there are sats locked upfront—real, committed value visible to all. Instead of a verbal promise or handshake, there are public asks and completion notes, posted in a trustless and immutable system where everything is transparent and irreversible.
But the key principle remains: once the sats are committed, they’re locked until the task is completed, with no intermediaries and no backing out. This is trust by design, rather than by relationship or personal connection. It's a voluntary agreement, carried out in full view of the public, with no room for dispute once the process is set in motion.
The simplicity of this trust-based system remains intact, but the mechanics are digital—public keys replace personal identities, zaps replace handshakes, and sats replace cash. Everything else follows naturally, from the initial public ask to the final completion note, and each step is voluntary, non-coercive, and entirely based on public visibility.
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The Moving Parts – What Already Exists and What We’re Building
At the heart of BOOMSCROLL is something that’s both new and familiar—a gadget built mostly from already-existing technology, with just a few critical additions. Like Bitcoin itself, BOOMSCROLL isn’t reinventing the wheel. Instead, it’s assembling a Rube Goldberg machine from components that are largely proven, using them in a new configuration to unlock a powerful way to create and deliver value.
NOSTR
NOSTR (Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays) is the decentralized protocol for public communication. Users create notes, sign them with their private keys (NSECs), and post them to relays. Each user is identified by their NPUB, a public key that acts like an address on NOSTR. NOSTR handles the public visibility of every ask, zap, and completion note in BOOMSCROLL.
NPUBs and NSECs
Every NOSTR user has a pair of keys: an NPUB (public) and an NSEC (private). The NPUB is the user’s identity, and the NSEC is used to sign messages. In BOOMSCROLL, the NPUB ties every action to a verifiable identity, ensuring that all interactions—from posting bounties to claiming them—are publicly tied to the creator’s key pair. This is the trustless foundation of the system.
Zaps
Zaps are Lightning-powered transactions between users on NOSTR. With Lightning, sats can be sent quickly and with minimal fees. In BOOMSCROLL, zaps are used to power snowballing (adding to a bounty) and to reward completed work. Zaps are already a standard feature of NOSTR interactions and can be used seamlessly within BOOMSCROLL to transfer real value between users.
Sats Locking Mechanism
The sats locking mechanism is essential to the public ask. When a user posts a public ask, they need a way to commit real value upfront—locking sats into a bounty that anyone can see. The challenge is ensuring these sats are locked until the task is completed and cannot be withdrawn or altered. While the precise implementation of this lock is still being refined, we’re confident it can be achieved. In fact, this locking function might be the only part of BOOMSCROLL that requires significant development beyond what already exists.
Lightning Prisms
Lightning Prisms are a mechanism that allow for the automatic distribution of zaps to backers who contributed to the original bounty. In BOOMSCROLL, this would ensure that the people who zapped the public ask get rewarded with a percentage of any future zaps made on the completion note.
This already exists today, though it may need adjustments to suit BOOMSCROLL’s specific use case. For now, it’s enough to say that Lightning Prisms allow us to reward early backers while keeping the system automated and trustless.*
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Parallel Submissions
• Parallel submissions allow other creators to post their own work in response to a public ask, even if they have no claim to the original bounty. This concept ensures that BOOMSCROLL remains open to creative competition, with creators able to contribute their own solutions without interfering with the original ask.
• While parallel submissions don’t unlock the original bounty directly, they still benefit from the social signal that the bounty exists—proof that there is demand for this kind of work. More importantly, by entering a parallel submission, you’re at least implicitly putting yourself in the ring to be endorsed by the original target of the ask. Even if your goal wasn’t to claim the bounty, your work now has the potential to win an endorsement, effectively becoming the completion note and unlocking the bounty for yourself.
• This creates an additional layer of creative meritocracy within BOOMSCROLL: while you might be submitting work purely for its own sake, the very fact that you’ve entered a public space with a parallel submission means you could end up receiving an unexpected endorsement. This mechanism fosters a rich ecosystem of competition where high-quality work can rise to the top, even when multiple creators are involved.
Endorsement Mechanism
• The endorsement mechanism is a purely social signal within BOOMSCROLL. When a creator like Matt O'Dell endorses someone else’s work (e.g., BTC Sessions), the bounty is transferred to the endorsed creator, but Matt receives no financial reward.
• This lack of financial tie is key to keeping the endorsement mechanism clean and non-exploitable. It’s a simple way to reward high-quality work while building social capital, and while it might seem counterintuitive in a system built around sats, it’s what makes BOOMSCROLL trust-based at its core. This mechanism leverages the public transparency of the system—every action and decision is visible, so reputation matters.
Where We Stand: Mostly Here, Partly Conceptual
At this stage, most of the BOOMSCROLL components already exist. NOSTR, NPUBs, zaps, and public notes are all here today, functioning in a decentralized, permissionless system. Even Lightning Prisms have been implemented in certain contexts, though they may need refinement for BOOMSCROLL’s specific use case.
The only major technical hurdle we foresee is in designing the sats locking mechanism—the function that ensures the bounty is committed and cannot be withdrawn until the task is completed. Once that’s in place, we’re confident the rest of the system will fall into place, leveraging the trustless infrastructure of Bitcoin and NOSTR to create a seamless process for public asks, creative work, and rewards.
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BOOMSCROLL in Action – Mechanics and Scenarios
Scenario 1: The Public Ask
The process starts with a public ask. Let’s say Kanye West posts a request for a cold card tutorial with a bounty of 10 million sats, locking it upfront via a sats locking mechanism. This bounty is publicly visible, signaling that real value is on the table.
Transparency: Everyone on NOSTR can see the ask and bounty, creating an open, trustless system.
Snowballing: Others can zap additional sats to increase the bounty, growing it as more people get interested.
Scenario 2: The Creator’s Response
Matt O'Dell sees the ask and begins working on the tutorial. He knows the funds are locked and reserved for him as long as he finishes the work and posts the completion note.
Unilateral Control: Matt decides when to declare the work done by posting the completion note, at which point the sats are transferred.
Scenario 3: The Completion Note – The New Event
The completion note is central to BOOMSCROLL—it serves as the fulcrum for the system. Once posted, it triggers the release of the locked sats and marks the completion of the public ask. But the completion note is also the entry point for the Lightning Prisms.
What the Completion Note Does: It publicly declares the work finished, and its posting is what unlocks the bounty. Importantly, it’s a new note event on NOSTR, visible to everyone. This event becomes the object of zaps from the community.
New Zone of Interest: The completion note is not only a signal that the bounty has been fulfilled; it also becomes the new focal point for future zaps. Anyone can zap the note to show their appreciation or further reward the creator for the work.
Scenario 4: The Lightning Prisms – Rewarding Backers
Once the completion note is posted, Lightning Prisms come into play. This is the mechanism that allows a portion of future zaps on the completion note to be distributed back to the original backers, rewarding them for supporting the project early on.
How Lightning Prisms Work: Whenever someone zaps the completion note, a percentage of the zap is automatically sent to the backers in proportion to their original contribution. For example:
Kanye posted the original 10 million sats bounty, so he gets a share proportional to his contribution.
Peter and Jack added 1 million and 2 million sats, so they receive smaller, but still proportional shares.
Fulcrum of Interaction: The completion note now becomes a new zone of economic interest—zaps directed at this note continue to reward both the creator and the backers, creating a positive feedback loop where high-quality work can generate ongoing value. The Lightning Prisms system ensures that early backers are financially rewarded if the work they supported continues to gain appreciation.
Scenario 5: The Endorsement Mechanism – Social Signal
With Lightning Prisms in place, we can now introduce the endorsement mechanism. If Matt O'Dell completes his work but decides that BTC Sessions’ parallel submission is better, he can endorse BTC Sessions instead of posting his own completion note. This endorsement effectively coronates BTC Sessions’ work as the completion note, transferring the bounty to him.
No Financial Gain for Endorsement: Matt doesn’t receive any zaps from endorsing BTC. This is a purely social signal—by endorsing BTC Sessions, Matt is passing on the financial reward while increasing his own reputation as a fair and honest creator.
Coronation of BTC Sessions: Once endorsed, BTC Sessions’ submission effectively becomes the completion note, unlocking the bounty and starting the Lightning Prisms process for future zaps. His work now becomes the zone of interest for future zaps and financial support.
Endorsement as Meritocratic Mechanism: The endorsement mechanism serves as a meritocratic feature, ensuring that the best work rises to the top, even if it wasn’t produced by the original target of the bounty. This creates an incentive for creators to endorse work they genuinely think is better, further reinforcing BOOMSCROLL's focus on quality and trust.
Scenario 6: Parallel Submissions – Potential for Endorsement
Parallel submissions don’t unlock the original bounty, but they still play a critical role. Creators like BTC Sessions, who post work in parallel, are implicitly opening themselves up for an endorsement from the original target (in this case, Matt O'Dell). While they may not intend to claim the bounty, the fact that they’ve submitted work means they could potentially receive an endorsement.
Proof of Demand: Parallel submissions gain value simply by being visible in a space where there is proven demand for the work, as signaled by the original bounty.
A Social System: Even if a parallel submission doesn’t unlock the bounty, it can still generate social capital and financial support through zaps, creating a dynamic and competitive ecosystem for creators.
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Trust, Reputation, and Endorsements – The Social and Philosophical Layer of BOOMSCROLL
Trust-Based Interactions in a Trustless System
BOOMSCROLL is built on a trustless infrastructure (Bitcoin and NOSTR), but it creates an environment where social trust becomes the key currency. Every action—whether it’s a public ask, a zap, or an endorsement—is a public signal of trust.
Unilateral Power: Imagine Matt O'Dell accepts a 10 million sat bounty to create a Bitcoin tutorial. Once he posts a completion note, the funds are released to him. But here’s the kicker: Matt could post anything. He could create a serious tutorial, or he could post a video of himself wiping his ass, take the sats, and run. Nobody could stop him.
And yet, the system works. Why? Because trust and reputation are at stake.
Public Trust and Consequences: While Matt could technically act in bad faith, doing so would destroy his reputation in the eyes of the entire community. His actions would be visible to everyone on NOSTR, and his reputation as a serious creator would be tarnished. It’s this social pressure that ensures creators act in good faith, even though the system itself doesn’t force them to.
No Technical Coercion: The beauty of BOOMSCROLL is that the rules are transparent. There’s no technical enforcement beyond the release of sats. The system doesn’t coerce anyone—it relies on the social trust layer to ensure quality work is produced. Everyone can see what Matt does with the bounty, and his actions speak louder than any rules.
Reputation as a New Currency
In BOOMSCROLL, reputation is the true currency. Every interaction leaves a permanent social footprint, and these footprints build a creator’s standing within the community.
Creators and Reputation: If Matt O'Dell consistently delivers high-quality tutorials, his reputation grows, and people will trust him more. But if he posts nonsense just to claim a bounty, that reputation is shattered. The next time a bounty comes up, people might hesitate to trust him with their sats. This is how reputation acts as a self-regulating force within the system.
Trust in a Trustless System: Even though the system itself is trustless, creators and backers alike earn trust through their actions. Matt’s reputation would have to be strong for someone like Kanye West to even post a bounty in the first place. Once that trust is built, it becomes a currency that creators rely on to continue earning bounties, endorsements, and zaps.
Endorsements as a Pure Social Signal
The endorsement mechanism in BOOMSCROLL is another powerful signal of trust. For example, if Matt decides BTC Sessions produced a better tutorial, he can endorse BTC’s work, passing the bounty along. This purely social gesture is a huge signal of trust and increases Matt’s standing in the community.
No Financial Gain, Only Reputation: Matt receives no financial reward for endorsing BTC Sessions. But his social capital grows. He’s seen as someone who values quality over personal gain, which bolsters his reputation even more. In a system where reputation is everything, endorsing quality can be just as valuable as creating it.
Parallel Submissions – A Competitive and Collaborative Ecosystem
Parallel submissions don’t compete for the original bounty, but they still benefit from the social signal created by the public ask. Even if BTC Sessions can’t claim the original bounty, the fact that there’s real demand for the work signals that his submission has value.
Endorsement as a Possibility: BTC Sessions might not have intended to compete for the bounty, but his work can still be endorsed if Matt believes it’s better. This creates a dynamic ecosystem where creators can collaborate and compete to produce the best work, knowing that their submissions are visible to everyone and that endorsements are possible.
Trustlessness and Voluntary Participation
One of the key features of BOOMSCROLL is that every action is voluntary, and every step is irreversible. There are no middlemen, no trust-based bottlenecks, and no coercive mechanisms.
Uncoerced Choices, Real Consequences: Matt can choose to take the sats and run, but he can’t undo the social consequences of his actions. Every decision is public and irreversible, and the consequences play out in real time for everyone to see.
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Long-Term Implications
The combination of trustless mechanics and trust-based social signals creates a system with profound long-term implications for how we commission and reward work.
• Incentives for Quality: The system naturally incentivizes creators to produce quality work because reputation and social standing are at stake. While it’s technically possible for someone to act in bad faith, the reputation cost is high enough to ensure that most creators act responsibly.
• A Meritocratic Future: BOOMSCROLL creates a meritocratic system where trust, quality, and reputation govern outcomes. Those who produce the best work, or who endorse the best work, will naturally rise to the top, while those who act in bad faith will quickly find themselves without backers.
***
Real-World Applications – BOOMSCROLL Beyond Bitcoin
Now that we've covered the technical and social mechanics, it’s time to explore how BOOMSCROLL could be applied in the real world. While Bitcoin tutorials are an obvious use case, the system has far broader applications across different industries. BOOMSCROLL offers a revolutionary way to commission and reward work, incentivize public accountability, and facilitate creative collaboration. Let’s explore several real-world scenarios where BOOMSCROLL could have a transformative impact.
1. Creative Content Creation – Subverting the Patreon Model
In today’s creative economy, platforms like Patreon allow fans to financially support creators, but they come with significant drawbacks: platform fees, censorship risks, and centralization. BOOMSCROLL presents a trustless alternative that puts creators fully in control of their work and rewards, while removing intermediaries.
• Webcomics or Independent Artists: Imagine an artist who creates a webcomic and traditionally relies on Patreon for support. With BOOMSCROLL, this artist could instead post a public ask, allowing fans to zap sats upfront in exchange for continued work. The artist’s reputation would act as collateral, ensuring that fans know the artist will continue to produce content. Every comic panel or piece of artwork could be tied to a completion note, releasing the bounty.
• No Platform Censorship or Fees: Unlike Patreon, BOOMSCROLL is completely decentralized, meaning the creator never has to worry about censorship or deplatforming. Additionally, there are no significant fees—the sats go directly to the creator, with any optional fees being transparently directed to development initiatives (e.g., via Lightning Prisms to support the open-source ecosystem).
• Fan-Initiated Bounties: Fans could even initiate bounties on their own, offering to fund the artist’s work for a specific project. If a group of fans really wants a certain comic arc, they could pool their sats, post a public ask, and entice the artist to complete it. As more fans contribute, the bounty grows, increasing the likelihood that the artist will take on the project.
2. Public Accountability – A Tool for Transparency
Another fascinating use case for BOOMSCROLL is public accountability. In an age where public figures—whether politicians, celebrities, or CEOs—are often asked to take a stance or explain their actions, BOOMSCROLL could provide a transparent system for demanding accountability.
• Commissioning Public Figures: Imagine a scenario where the public collectively wants a politician to explain their stance on a controversial issue. A public ask could be created, and sats would be locked into a bounty. The politician could then respond with a completion note that either addresses the issue or signals that they’ve chosen to remain silent. The public nature of the transaction means that everyone can see if the politician engages with the bounty or not.
• Non-Coercive Pressure: There’s nothing forcing the politician to respond, but the social pressure created by the bounty’s existence is undeniable. The sats are real, and the public’s desire for a response is real. If the politician chooses to take the sats, they’re acknowledging the request in a way that’s visible to everyone.
• Transparent Funding for Causes: This could also be used for public causes. Imagine a group of environmental activists offering a bounty for a company to adopt greener practices. The bounty would be visible for all to see, and the company could either take the sats and make changes, or ignore the bounty and deal with the public consequences of doing so.
3. Decentralized Software Development – Bounties for Open Source Projects
Open-source development often relies on volunteers or small grants from foundations, but it can be challenging to coordinate funding and incentivize developers to focus on certain features or fixes. BOOMSCROLL provides a solution by allowing users to commission developers for specific work.
• Targeted Bounties for Code: Suppose there’s an important feature missing from a widely-used piece of open-source software. A user could post a public ask, offering a bounty for the feature to be implemented. Developers could then submit parallel work, and the original requester could either accept the work or endorse another developer’s submission.
• Collaborative Development: As bounties grow, more developers might become interested in the project. This fosters collaboration and allows developers to contribute to projects that have real value locked upfront. The system incentivizes quality by allowing endorsements and rewards based on merit, not on who gets there first.
4. Journalism and Investigative Reporting
In the current media landscape, investigative journalists often struggle to find funding for important stories. BOOMSCROLL could offer a decentralized way for the public to fund independent journalism and investigative reporting, ensuring that critical stories get the attention they deserve.
• Crowdsourced Reporting Bounties: A public ask could be created to investigate a particular topic or event, with the sats locked into a bounty. Journalists could compete to produce the best work, and the first to complete the story would claim the bounty via a completion note.
• Transparent Funding: This approach ensures that funding is transparent and that there are no conflicts of interest. Journalists can take on stories that are important to the public, rather than being tied to the interests of media conglomerates or advertisers.
Conclusion: Trust, Not Coercion
The beauty of BOOMSCROLL lies in its simplicity and its refusal to coerce anyone into action. The system works because of what it does not do. It doesn’t force anyone’s hand, doesn’t require central oversight, and doesn’t offer any guarantees. What it does is facilitate trust-based exchanges between backers and creators, allowing real value—sats—to be put on the line. The backer locks up their sats, the creator accepts the risk of their reputation, and everything is visible.
The sats locking mechanism is the linchpin of this system. Once a backer posts a bounty, those sats are publicly and irrevocably locked. The backer can’t get them back. They’re tied to the ask, and the only way for the creator to claim them is by signing the completion note. And this part is critical: the creator has complete unilateral control over when—or whether—they decide to sign the note. They might post excellent work, or they might post something trivial and claim the sats in bad faith. The system can’t stop them. That’s the point.
It’s a system built on reputation and accountability, not rigid enforcement. A backer might post a random, meaningless ask and risk losing their sats. A creator might deliver subpar work and take the bounty. But every action is public, and every decision has consequences. Trust becomes the currency in this system, and the value of that trust is determined by the community.
BOOMSCROLL doesn’t do what most systems do—it doesn’t try to guarantee outcomes. Instead, it allows the social fabric to weave itself, through voluntary actions, public commitments, and the weight of reputation. And in a world where 21 sats carry more weight than 21 million likes, the value comes not from the system’s enforcement but from the integrity of those who participate.
https://evolensart.com/article-introducing-boomscroll.php
(Working on an automated system to parse article text and embed into the html/php/js on my website. Something glitched and the formatting is lost….)
Which is kinda funny, as this is effectively a “whitepaper”.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Anyway…. This is a proposal-for-a-proposal for a public bounty system built on NOSTR, utilizing Lightning Prisms.
I’m not technical enough to know for sure, but my hunches are:
1) it might not be that hard to pull off
2) it might actually be pretty cool
Can I get a gut check?
https://evolensart.com/article-introducing-boomscroll.php
Here’s a vocabulary list with key terms and concepts relevant to the **BOOMSCROLL** system. This includes both existing terminology and novel, speculative functions or mechanisms that we’re using in this system. Each term is followed by a short description that explains its role within the system:
---
### **Vocabulary List**
- **Nostr (Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays):**
A decentralized protocol used to create and sign messages in a public manner, enabling transparent, trustless interactions between users. It forms the backbone of **BOOMSCROLL**.
- **NPUB (Nostr Public Key):**
A public key on Nostr that identifies an individual user. In **BOOMSCROLL**, NPUBs are used to target specific individuals for bounties and commissions.
- **NIP (Nostr Improvement Proposal):**
A standardized method of proposing new features or changes to the Nostr protocol. **BOOMSCROLL** might be proposed as a new NIP, introducing the ability to handle bounties, endorsements, and fund transfers within the Nostr ecosystem.
- **Satoshis (Sats):**
The smallest unit of Bitcoin. In **BOOMSCROLL**, all transactions and bounties are denominated in **sats**, representing **real value** that is publicly visible and committed upfront.
- **Public Ask:**
A public request for work, where someone (e.g., a backer like **Kanye West**) posts a request for a creator to complete a task in exchange for a locked bounty. This is visible to anyone on Nostr, adding a layer of transparency to the system.
- **Initial Bounty:**
The original amount of **sats** locked into a bounty when the public ask is made. This is tied to the **NPUB** of the individual being commissioned, ensuring only they can claim it.
- **Snowballing Sats:**
The process by which additional users zap (contribute) more sats to the bounty, increasing the total amount as more people become interested in the project. This creates a **positive feedback loop** where growing interest leads to a higher reward.
- **Zap:**
A direct contribution of sats from one user to another via the **Lightning Network**. In **BOOMSCROLL**, zaps are used to add to bounties or to reward completed work.
- **Proof of Work (Completion Note):**
A **note** posted by the commissioned creator (e.g., **Matt O'Dell**) signaling that the task is complete. This note often includes a link to the final product (e.g., a tutorial), and serves as the **trigger** for the **transfer of funds**.
- **Completion Event:**
The moment when the creator decides the work is done and posts a **completion note**. This event is public and visible to all, ensuring that the funds are released only when the creator is satisfied with their work.
- **Acceptance Mechanism:**
The process by which a creator posts their **completion note** and claims the bounty. The creator has unilateral control over when to declare the work finished and receive the funds.
- **Transfer of Funds:**
The automated transfer of the **sats** from the bounty to the creator’s wallet, triggered by the posting of the **completion note**. This is executed on the **Lightning Network**, ensuring fast and transparent transactions.
- **Public Nature of Transactions:**
A defining feature of **BOOMSCROLL**—all asks, endorsements, completions, and fund transfers are **public** and visible to anyone on Nostr, reinforcing the **social trust** layer of the system.
- **Endorsement Mechanism:**
A unique feature in which the commissioned creator can choose to endorse another creator’s work (e.g., **Matt O'Dell** endorsing **BTC Sessions**). This publicly transfers the bounty to the endorsed creator, signaling that their work is of high quality.
- **Lightning Prisms:**
A speculative mechanism that allows for **fund distribution**. After the completion of the work, **Lightning Prisms** automatically split incoming zaps proportionally among the **backers** who contributed to the original bounty, rewarding them for their early support.
- **Reputation System:**
The cumulative effect of **endorsements**, **public asks**, and **completion notes** that builds a user’s reputation over time. Both creators and backers gain social capital based on their contributions and endorsements, and this reputation is publicly verifiable through Nostr.
- **Backer:**
A person who contributes to the initial bounty, or later zaps additional sats into a project. **Backers** are rewarded for their contributions through the **Lightning Prisms** mechanism if the work they support receives zaps after completion.
- **Positive-Sum System:**
A term used to describe the **BOOMSCROLL** model, where multiple creators can submit work in response to a single ask, without interfering with the original bounty. Each creator can be rewarded based on the merit of their work, and the system encourages more contributions and collaboration.
- **Trustless:**
A key characteristic of **BOOMSCROLL**. The system operates without the need for intermediaries or trust in a central party. Everything is verifiable through cryptographic signatures and public visibility on Nostr.
---
This vocabulary list covers the major concepts and terms that drive **BOOMSCROLL**. It establishes the core mechanics of the system, as well as speculative elements like **Lightning Prisms** and the **endorsement mechanism**. Let me know if you want to expand on any specific term or add new concepts!
*********
### i. Introduction
Welcome to **BOOMSCROLL**: a decentralized, trustless system for public commissioning, where **real value** is exchanged in a **transparent and open environment**. Built on the **Nostr protocol**, **Bitcoin**, and **Lightning Network**, BOOMSCROLL unlocks the potential for a new way of collaborating, commissioning, and rewarding work—not with fiat money or social media engagement metrics, but with **satoshis**, the hardest money ever created.
In today’s world of content platforms and algorithm-driven interactions, **likes, retweets, and upvotes** have become the dominant currency. But in truth, they hold no real value—they’re cheap, easy to manipulate, and ultimately hollow. **BOOMSCROLL** flips this model on its head. **21 sats is worth more than 21 million likes**, because it represents **real energy** and **commitment** from the people behind the transaction. This system is built on **public accountability**, where every ask, every proof of work, and every receipt of funds is visible and verifiable by anyone.
But what truly sets BOOMSCROLL apart is that it’s not just a product or a platform—it’s a **protocol**. **Nostr** allows users to **create and manage their own algorithms**. You’re not tied to a central entity or a predefined algorithmic feed. Instead, the data flows through the protocol, and you can **filter, rank, and organize** how you interact with bounties, backers, and creators. Whether you’re interested in **high-stakes bounties**, backers with **proven track records**, or creators whose **reputations are on the rise**, BOOMSCROLL gives you the power to build and customize the experience that fits your goals.
In this white paper, we’ll explore how BOOMSCROLL works, why it matters, and the long-term impact it could have on the way we collaborate and create in a decentralized, Bitcoin-native economy. We’ll break down the system’s mechanics, examine real-world use cases, and explore the **social trust system** that drives its long-term success.
### Ii. Public Commissioning: The Core Idea
At the heart of **BOOMSCROLL** is the concept of **public commissioning**, a simple yet powerful way for individuals to offer satoshis as a bounty for completing work, all in the open for the world to see. While the concept can be as straightforward as one person putting money on the table and saying, “Here’s the deal, finish this work and the sats are yours,” BOOMSCROLL takes this to the next level by **scaling it publicly**.
#### **The Mechanism:**
1. **The Ask**
A backer (let’s say someone like **Kanye West** or **Jack Dorsey**) publicly posts a request for work using Nostr. This could be anything from a **cold card tutorial** to a **Bitcoin-related educational resource**. The funds, in satoshis, are locked through the **Lightning Network**, and the conditions for completion are set. The entire request is visible to anyone on Nostr, ensuring transparency from the start.
2. **Public Visibility**
The beauty of this system is that everything is **public and transparent**. Anyone with access to Nostr can see the bounty, how much is locked, and what work is being requested. This sets the stage for both potential contributors and interested backers to follow along as the process unfolds.
3. **Real Stakes**
By using **satoshis**, real value is being offered upfront. Unlike fiat-based crowdfunding, where payment often comes after the work is completed or in stages, BOOMSCROLL works by having the money **locked in advance**. The creator knows the funds are there, ready to be claimed once the work is done.
4. **Growing the Bounty**
What starts as a single request from one backer can **snowball**. Anyone in the community can contribute additional satoshis to the bounty, increasing the reward and encouraging participation. This ensures that the stakes can grow naturally over time as more people see value in the proposed work. More funding means more eyes on the project, and more incentive for the creator to deliver high-quality work.
#### **Example in Action**
Imagine **Kanye West** posts a bounty offering 10 million sats for a detailed, high-quality **cold card tutorial**. The request is simple: create the best cold card tutorial out there, and the funds are yours. However, as people in the **Bitcoin community** see this public request, more well-known backers, like **Peter McCormack** and **Jack Dorsey**, might start adding to the bounty, zapping more sats onto the project. Suddenly, the total bounty grows to 13 million sats, and the competition heats up.
At this point, multiple creators might step forward, attracted by the growing reward. Each of them knows that their work, if accepted, will be publicly verifiable, and their reputation in the community will grow alongside the bounty.
The **public commissioning** process is simple, transparent, and based entirely on **social trust**. Every interaction—whether it’s a backer adding to the bounty or a creator deciding to take on the project—is driven by **real value**, not speculative engagement metrics. This is about **sats on the table** and **trust** in the creator to deliver.
### 3. The Completion Note and Fund Distribution
In the **BOOMSCROLL** system, the moment of **completion** is both simple and powerful. It’s the point at which the creator—the person who has been commissioned—declares the work finished. In this example, **Matt O'Dell** completes the cold card tutorial commissioned by **Kanye West**. This is where the system really comes to life, as the **completion note** serves as the **proof of work** and initiates the transfer of the locked sats.
#### **The Completion Note**
Once Matt decides his work is complete, he posts a **completion note** on Nostr. This is essentially a **public declaration** that the job is done, and it includes a link to the tutorial itself, which could be hosted on YouTube, a personal blog, or wherever the final product lives. The completion note serves as **proof of work**, and it’s entirely **Matt’s decision** when to post it.
Matt’s note might look something like this:
*"Here it is, the definitive cold card tutorial! 20 minutes of detailed instructions, from setup to multisig. Appreciate the trust, Kanye. I’m claiming the 10 million sats. Link below."*
**#Bitcoin #ColdCard #BitcoinEducation**
#### **Initiating the Transfer**
Once the **completion note** is posted, the **Lightning Network** triggers the **transfer of the locked sats** from the bounty to Matt’s wallet. The funds are immediately released, no middlemen involved, and the transfer is completely **transparent**. The entire community sees that Matt has declared the work complete, and the funds are his to claim.
#### **Generating a New Note for Zapping**
But the system doesn’t stop there. Once Matt’s completion note is up, it becomes a **new object of value** in itself. The tutorial, linked in the completion note, can now be **zapped** by the community. In this way, the tutorial itself becomes a public good that others can support through further zaps.
For example, users who find the tutorial valuable—perhaps because it answers their questions about the cold card—can zap the note directly, offering additional sats as appreciation for the work. The completion note becomes a **second wave of value creation**, turning the tutorial into something that continues to generate sats well after the bounty is claimed.
#### **Lightning Prisms: Rewarding the Original Backers**
Here’s where **Lightning Prisms** come into play. As new zaps come in on the completion note, the system automatically **splits the sats** among the original backers in **proportion to their contributions** to the initial bounty.
Let’s break this down with our example:
- Kanye West originally posted the 10 million sats bounty.
- Peter McCormack and Jack Dorsey added 1 million and 2 million sats, respectively, for a total of 13 million sats.
- When new zaps come in on Matt’s completion note, the **Lightning Prisms** mechanism distributes a **portion of those zaps** back to the original backers.
Here’s how it works:
- Kanye receives a percentage proportional to his 10 million sats contribution (roughly 77% of the original bounty).
- Peter gets a portion based on his 1 million sats contribution (roughly 7.7%).
- Jack receives a percentage based on his 2 million sats (roughly 15.3%).
This means the **original backers** benefit not just from seeing the tutorial completed, but from the ongoing appreciation it generates in the form of additional zaps. The **more valuable** the community finds the tutorial, the more the backers are rewarded. This creates a **positive feedback loop** where high-quality work incentivizes more public engagement and more value flowing back to the people who believed in it from the start.
### 4. Competitive Submissions: A Positive-Sum System
In the **BOOMSCROLL** model, the public nature of commissioning means that even though a bounty is **locked to a specific NPUB**, the system itself remains **open to the community**. This creates an environment where **competitive submissions** can emerge without interfering with the original bounty. The key here is that it's a **positive-sum exercise**—more work, more value, more engagement for everyone.
#### **Parallel to the Original Bounty**
Once **Kanye West** posts the original bounty tied to **Matt O'Dell’s NPUB**, no one else can touch those locked sats except for Matt. They’re his to claim when the work is complete, and the system guarantees that only he can take them. However, because all of this is happening **in the open**, it naturally invites others to engage in parallel ways.
For instance, as Matt O'Dell works on his cold card tutorial, other creators might see the growing interest in the topic and decide they want to **submit their own tutorials**. One such creator could be **BTC Sessions**, another prominent figure in the Bitcoin education space. BTC might not be able to claim the original bounty, but he can create and publish his own tutorial, tied back to the original ask through Nostr’s **public system of notes and NPUBs**.
#### **Public Visibility and Zapping Multiple Submissions**
Because all of this is happening **in public**, the community can see not only Matt O'Dell’s work but also any other submissions that emerge alongside it. Importantly, these other submissions—like BTC Sessions’ tutorial—don’t interfere with the **original bounty**. That 13 million sats are still locked for Matt O'Dell, but the community can choose to support BTC Sessions’ work **in parallel**.
Let’s imagine BTC Sessions posts his own tutorial with a note like:
*"Here’s my take on using the cold card wallet. Appreciate all the amazing Bitcoin educators out there. Zaps appreciated if you find this useful!"*
**#Bitcoin #ColdCard #BTCsessions**
Now, anyone following the original bounty can see BTC’s submission. They might decide BTC’s work is equally valuable, or they might just appreciate having multiple resources on the same topic. The community is free to **zap BTC Sessions’ note** directly, offering him sats for his contribution without touching the original bounty tied to Matt O'Dell.
#### **A Positive-Sum Exercise**
What’s key here is that this process is **positive-sum**. BTC Sessions’ submission doesn’t detract from Matt O'Dell’s work—it enhances the **ecosystem of content** and gives the community more value. It’s not a competition for the bounty in the traditional sense; it’s about who can create the most value for the public, knowing that **multiple creators can thrive** in the same space.
- **More creators** submitting work means the community gets **more resources** and **better content**.
- **More zaps** can flow to each creator based on the merit of their work, without anyone "losing" the original bounty.
- **The backers’ investment in Bitcoin education** sees greater returns, as their original bounty not only motivates Matt O'Dell but also creates **additional engagement and content** from other educators.
#### **Community-Driven Engagement**
Because Nostr is open and transparent, people can follow **all related submissions** in real-time, choosing which works to support. They might decide to **add more sats to Matt’s bounty**, or they might start zapping BTC Sessions directly. The key is that the **community drives the engagement**. No algorithms dictate which work gets more attention—it’s purely about **merit** and what the public values.
This makes **BOOMSCROLL** more than just a tool for commissioning work. It’s a **platform for decentralized collaboration**, where the community can discover, support, and reward quality content without being restricted by a single bounty or creator.
### 5. Endorsements: A Trust-Driven Inflection Point
Let’s paint the picture: **Matt O'Dell** missed the initial bounty posted by **Kanye West** for a cold card tutorial. Maybe he was busy, or maybe the original 10 million sats didn’t seem worth his time. But as the days go by, the bounty grows. **Peter McCormack** zaps another million sats. Then **Jack Dorsey** adds two million more. Suddenly, the total bounty is sitting at 13 million sats, and Matt starts reconsidering. Should he jump in?
This is where **BOOMSCROLL** creates a **dilemma** for the creator. Matt knows that if he decides to take the bounty, it’s all **public**. Everyone on Nostr will see him claim the 13 million sats, and his **reputation** is on the line. If his tutorial is **subpar**, people will know. He can take the sats and run, but the **social risk** looms large.
Alternatively, Matt could just post his own work, even if he’s late to the game. That’s the **second option**: make a public declaration that he’s completed the work, post his tutorial, and claim the sats. But that, too, carries risks. If his work doesn’t match up to the growing bounty or meet community expectations, he knows it will reflect on him.
Then there’s the **third choice**—the one that **BOOMSCROLL** brings into play. **Endorsement**. Instead of taking the sats for himself, Matt can publicly recognize the excellence of someone else’s work. Let’s say **BTC Sessions** submitted a tutorial that Matt genuinely thinks is better than anything he could have produced. **BOOMSCROLL** gives Matt the option to say, “I’m endorsing BTC’s work. He deserves the bounty, not me.”
#### **Signing the Note: The Inflection Point**
Matt posts his **completion note**, but instead of claiming the sats, he endorses BTC Sessions. The note might look something like this:
*"BTC Sessions, your cold card tutorial is top-tier. I’m endorsing your work. The 13 million sats are yours."*
**#Bitcoin #Endorsement #ColdCard**
Once Matt signs this note, the **bounty transfers** entirely to BTC Sessions. This act is public, transparent, and a major **social signal**. Matt could have taken the bounty and dealt with the consequences, but instead, he chose to pass it on, trusting BTC Sessions' work.
#### **The Transition of Matt O'Dell’s Role**
At this point, Matt becomes **another backer** alongside Kanye, Peter, and Jack. Any future zaps directed toward BTC Sessions’ work will be distributed via **Lightning Prisms** back to the original backers, including Matt.
And this is where we keep things open to further development. In theory, **Matt could continue to receive a share** of future zaps proportional to his role as a backer. However, the **exact technical workings** of this need to be gamed out. Should Matt’s involvement end entirely after the endorsement, making the endorsement a pure **social gesture**? Or should Matt remain part of the **reward loop**, receiving a portion of future zaps as a **stakeholder** in BTC Sessions' success?
#### **Let’s Get Real: A Layer of Speculation**
Okay, so here’s where I have to step back a bit. We’re calling this a **white paper**, but I’m not a developer or coder. I’m just putting ideas out there to get torn apart and dissected by people smarter than me. And if there’s any part of this system that deserves close scrutiny, it’s this moment—the **mechanics of what happens after an endorsement**. How do we balance the game theory here? Do we keep Matt involved after the endorsement, or does his role end when he passes on the bounty?
**I’m agnostic on this point.** There’s definitely a way to game this out correctly, and while this is an important aspect, it’s not a **dealbreaker** for the broader system. We’re focusing on **maximizing transparency** and ensuring the system can’t be gamed, while also keeping the core incentive structure intact.
#### **Endorsement as a Social Signal**
In any case, what’s undeniable is that **Matt’s endorsement** sends a **clear message** to the community: **BTC Sessions** produced something of value. Matt’s decision to endorse BTC over claiming the sats himself is an act of **trust** that’s now on full display. The system provides **creators with flexibility** while maintaining the integrity of the bounty. **Social trust** and **reputation** remain at the heart of the BOOMSCROLL system, incentivizing creators and backers alike to focus on quality and merit.
### 7. Open-Source Structure and Revenue Model
This is, without a doubt, the most **speculative** section of the paper, because the truth is, **BOOMSCROLL** might not need a structured revenue model at all. It could be as simple as creating a new **Nostr Improvement Proposal (NIP)**, where the **endorsement mechanism** and **competitive submissions** are just added features that clients choose to implement. If that’s the case, there may be **nothing to sustain** beyond the initial work required to integrate it into the Nostr ecosystem.
But for the sake of exploring all possibilities, let’s look at scenarios where **BOOMSCROLL** might involve a bit more **backend infrastructure** and how it could operate as an **open-source project** that allows for additional services or business models to emerge on top of it.
#### **A Self-Sustaining, Open-Source Stack**
In one scenario, BOOMSCROLL could operate similarly to something like **mempool.space**, which is an **open-source stack** that anyone can implement on their own. The software is freely available, and anyone with the technical ability can set up their own **BOOMSCROLL infrastructure** to run on top of Nostr. This keeps the spirit of **decentralization** and **permissionless use** intact, ensuring that no one is dependent on a central entity to run the system.
However, for users or businesses who prefer not to host the infrastructure themselves, **BOOMSCROLL** could offer additional services, such as **managed hosting** or **custom integrations**. This is where a **business layer** might come into play. By offering a **convenient, managed solution** for people who don’t want to deal with the technical side of hosting, a company could provide value while still keeping the core system open and accessible to everyone.
#### **Optional Transaction Fees for Continued Development**
Another way **BOOMSCROLL** could sustain itself would be through **optional transaction fees** baked into the system. This wouldn’t be a mandatory fee, and anyone who forks the open-source stack could easily **remove** it or configure it to their own needs. But for the **default version** of BOOMSCROLL, there could be a small skim on transactions—perhaps **1% to the company** and **9% to a Bitcoin-focused organization like OpenSats**, which funds open-source development for the broader Bitcoin ecosystem.
The fee structure would be minimal and transparent, ensuring that **90% or more** of the funds go directly to creators. The **10% skim** would ensure the system can **continue evolving** while also supporting the **open-source community** that makes it possible.
Community-Led Development
Of course, it’s entirely possible that BOOMSCROLL could be maintained by the community itself, much like many open-source projects are. Developers might contribute code, run infrastructure, and evolve the system based on user feedback and real-world use cases. This would ensure that BOOMSCROLL remains a true public good, developed by the people who use it.
The beauty of Nostr and Bitcoin is that they both foster permissionless innovation, meaning that anyone can build on top of them without needing approval from a central authority. In the same way, BOOMSCROLL could become a foundational protocol, allowing developers and businesses alike to create their own implementations, whether they involve custom clients, new features, or additional services built around the core functionality.
What the Future Holds
At the end of the day, this section is all about possibilities. BOOMSCROLL could remain a simple, elegant solution that operates purely as a protocol-level improvement within Nostr, or it could evolve into something with more infrastructure behind it. The key is that it remains open-source and flexible, so users and developers can shape it into whatever best serves the community.
### 8. Conclusion: The BOOMSCROLL Vision
At its core, **BOOMSCROLL** is powerful because of its **simplicity**. It’s a system that cuts through the layers of complexity we often associate with traditional models of commissioning, payments, and social engagement. By placing **sats on the table first**, BOOMSCROLL fundamentally changes the dynamics of value creation—it’s a **value-first system**, where trust is built into the interaction from the beginning. There’s no need for credit, intermediaries, or centralized control. The system is **unstoppable**, as it runs purely on **Nostr** and **Bitcoin’s Lightning Network**, with the transparency of each transaction being **publicly verifiable**.
This permissionless and decentralized structure puts the **onus on the creator and the commissioner**. The backer (like Kanye West in our example) publicly locks up sats and sets the conditions for the bounty. The creator (like Matt O'Dell or BTC Sessions) knows the sats are there, waiting to be claimed, but the **social trust** layer ensures that they won’t claim the bounty until they’ve completed the work to their own satisfaction and the community’s standards. It’s a system designed to incentivize **quality**, **accountability**, and **socially-driven merit**.
What makes BOOMSCROLL especially robust is the recursive nature of its layers, which only add to its strength. It’s a system where there’s no credit extended, no promises of future value—everything is upfront, visible, and rooted in the actual work that’s being done. And as endorsements, competitive submissions, and public zaps accumulate, BOOMSCROLL’s **social trust** system grows organically, allowing creators and backers to build **long-term reputations** based on **real value** rather than speculative engagement.
In the future, whether this system evolves into a simple **NIP** or becomes something with infrastructure behind it, BOOMSCROLL will remain a **decentralized, permissionless, and transparent** tool for **public collaboration and value exchange**. It’s a system that aligns perfectly with the ethos of Bitcoin—hard money for hard work—and the open, unstoppable nature of **Nostr**.
In the end, **BOOMSCROLL** is about creating a **trust-first marketplace**, where creators and backers alike can thrive in a system that prioritizes **merit, transparency, and value** above all else. This is a new model for how we commission and reward work, and its simplicity is its greatest strength.
### Epilogue: The Future of Public Accountability in a BOOMSCROLL World
Imagine a world where **BOOMSCROLL** has become ubiquitous, embedded deeply into the social fabric, and known by everyone. The implications are **fascinating** and, in many ways, provocative. It’s no longer just a system for commissioning work or rewarding creators; it’s become a tool for **public accountability**—one that applies **social pressure** in ways we’ve never quite seen before.
Let’s take this to an extreme example: a **public figure**, someone who’s universally reviled or has caused outrage in the public eye. The community, collectively, could commission this person to **“go fuck themselves”**, in a very literal sense. Over time, **sats** accumulate, as people from around the world zap more and more value into the bounty. Maybe it starts as a joke, but with each new zap, the **social pressure grows**. The entire system, because it’s so **public**, turns into a kind of social experiment.
The target of this commission is now faced with a **dilemma**. On one hand, they could just take the money and walk away. There’s no explicit “task” here, except to claim the bounty. But the **public nature** of the bounty changes everything. If the public figure decides to claim the sats, it becomes an **implicit acknowledgment** of the request. In a strange, recursive way, by taking the money, they are **complying** with the very thing the bounty asked of them. They might not literally “go fuck themselves,” but in the public eye, **the act of taking the sats** is itself an acknowledgment that they’ve accepted the social request.
This takes **BOOMSCROLL** beyond just a system for commissioning work and into the realm of **public pressure and accountability**. The **public nature of these transactions** forces people to confront requests and decisions in ways that are **inescapable**. Everything is **out in the open**, and the social implications of either taking or ignoring the bounty carry weight.
#### **Public Figures and Accountability**
Imagine this system applied to a **political figure**. The public might collectively commission them to **clarify a stance** on an issue or to explain why they switched positions on a controversial topic. If enough people care, sats accumulate into the bounty, and the public figure is then faced with a decision: ignore the bounty and risk losing social credibility or claim the sats and publicly address the question. Either way, the **system ensures that the act is seen**—nothing can happen behind closed doors. It’s all on the **open ledger** for everyone to see.
And now, think even further. Imagine someone like **OJ Simpson**—someone who’s been living under public scrutiny for decades. In this hypothetical BOOMSCROLL world, the public could commission him to finally **admit to the murders**, and the sats would start piling up. The public pressure becomes real, and once again, the **nature of the system** forces a kind of reckoning. By taking the money, the individual is **implicitly acknowledging the request**, even if no formal action is taken.
#### **The Social Contract in a BOOMSCROLL World**
This speculative future shows how **BOOMSCROLL** transforms the very concept of **social contracts**. It’s no longer about what’s said in private or what deals are made behind the scenes. In a **BOOMSCROLL world**, everything is done in the open, and the system becomes a **tool for public pressure**, public requests, and **public accountability**. Whether for commissioning art or for pressuring political figures into taking a stance, **the system forces people to respond**—if not to the request itself, then to the growing social pressure attached to it.
The future of **public accountability** may very well look like this: a world where sats accumulate not just as rewards for work, but as **social signals**, pressuring individuals and public figures to address the demands of the community.
*****
Disclaimer and License Notice:
I want to make it clear from the outset that I’m not a developer or coder—this project is the product of my curiosity and exploration, rather than deep technical expertise. The ideas presented here are speculative, and while they might be sound conceptually, I fully expect that others with more technical know-how will find areas to improve, refine, or even overhaul. To encourage this process, I’m releasing BOOMSCROLL under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPL-3.0). This means anyone is free to use, modify, and distribute the work, provided that the same freedoms are preserved for others. My goal is to contribute to the Bitcoin and open-source communities in the spirit of collaboration and innovation, and I welcome anyone who wants to help push this concept forward.
https://m.primal.net/KmXC.png
CPI is NOT inflation! Inflation is the increase in the money supply—period. CPI is just a trick (a cheap one!) used to keep you ignorant of the deception and the real theft happening through money printing.
#scarcity #21million #btc #inflation #cpi
nostr:note1pl85mkxd5jyjag7tzhrv9n3hp3s0euu5qk4w7cmylwjfuzz5fdjs5h3plr
I came to Bitcoin late, but when it clicked, it hit hard. I’m not a developer or coder, just someone obsessed with the intersection of Bitcoin, AI, and freedom tech. A couple of decades ago, I dabbled in web development, back when everything was done by hand. I used Notepad to write raw HTML and CSS, and even developed simple systems using MySQL databases, teaching myself as I went. It wasn’t in-depth, but I wore many hats as a small business manager, including the role of webmaster.
Back then, everything I did was self-taught, done from scratch—an approach that shaped how I think about technology. That was over 20 years ago, though. Fast forward to now: when I needed to build a new website, I thought I’d try WordPress, since it’s the standard these days. But honestly, I hated it. WordPress made the easy things harder and took away the fine-grained control I was used to. It frustrated me.
So, I decided to return to hand-coding—but with a modern twist. Enter ChatGPT. I’m using LLMs to help me build the site from scratch, and it’s a completely different process from two decades ago. I’m still teaching myself, but now with AI as my assistant, I can work through problems faster while maintaining the control I’m used to.
This website is a work in progress—not ready for a grand opening, but taking shape. It feels a bit like that XKCD comic where someone builds a system to pass the salt: sure, it seems like I’m spinning my wheels, but it’ll save time in the long run. Right now, I’m building the system to build the system, using AI to explore AI, and thinking about thinking. It’s recursive, and as I figure things out, a critical mass is finally starting to come together.
This is my proof of work—a place to share ideas, even while they’re still rough around the edges. I believe in open-source collaboration, and I’m excited to contribute to the broader conversation about decentralization, resilience, and how freedom tech—from Bitcoin to AI—can reshape the world.
More than anything, I welcome criticism. I’m not putting this out there to be praised, but to learn. If I’m wrong about something, I want to know, because that’s how I’ll get better. Every rough draft, every idea I’m sharing here, is part of the process—of working things out in public and learning as I go. I’ve always believed in learning by doing, and this project is a reflection of that.
Articles and Links:
1. Thank God for Bitcoin
Bitcoin isn’t just money—it could serve as the foundation for universal ethics. 🌍
https://evolensart.com/blog-thank-god-for-bitcoin.php
2. Invisible Chains
The intersection of Bitcoin and AI is a game-changer. Their combined impact is unpredictable. 🤖
https://evolensart.com/article-invisible-chains.php
3. Law of Bitcoin Valuation
The future value of Bitcoin will always exceed your expectations—even when you take into account the law of Bitcoin valuation. 📈
https://evolensart.com/article-law-of-bitcoin-valuation.php
4. Bitcoin Macro Spiral Clock
This concept reinterprets Bitcoin’s price trajectory through a logarithmic spiral. 🌀
https://evolensart.com/article-bitcoin-macro-spiral-clock.php
Bitcoin Memes:
5. Bitcoin is a Strange Game
Bitcoin is a strange game—the only losing move is not to play. 🎮
https://evolensart.com/btc-memes-strange-game.php
6. 1 BTC = 1 BTC
Forget fiat comparisons. Bitcoin’s value stands on its own. 💰
https://evolensart.com/btc-memes-1-btc.php
7. 21 Million
Fixed supply. Absolute scarcity. The 21 million cap is why Bitcoin stands apart. 🔒
https://evolensart.com/btc-memes-21-million.php
8. Don’t Trust, Verify
Trust is a trap. The Bitcoin ethos is about verifying for yourself. 🔍
https://evolensart.com/btc-memes-dont-trust-verify.php
9. Bitcoin Only
No shitcoins. No distractions. Focus on Bitcoin, the one true decentralized money. 👑
https://evolensart.com/btc-memes-bitcoin-only.php
10. Get Rich Slow
Bitcoin isn’t about quick gains. It’s about saving long-term. 🐢
https://evolensart.com/btc-memes-get-rich-slow.php
11. Not Your Keys, Not Your Bitcoin
Control your keys, control your Bitcoin. If you don’t hold your keys, someone else does. 🔐
https://evolensart.com/btc-memes-not-your-keys.php
12. Not Your Node, Not Your Rules
To have full sovereignty, you need to run your own node. ⚙️
https://evolensart.com/btc-memes-not-your-node.php
13. Shitcoiners Get Rekt
Chasing altcoins? Prepare for ruin. Stick to Bitcoin or get rekt. 💩
https://evolensart.com/btc-memes-shitcoiners-get-rekt.php
14. Stay Humble, Stack Sats
Stay grounded. Keep stacking sats, and let Bitcoin’s long-term power do the work. 💪
https://evolensart.com/btc-memes-stay-humble-stack-sats.php
15. TikTok, Next Block
A meditation on Bitcoin’s resilience. No matter what happens, Bitcoin marches forward, block by block. ⏳
https://evolensart.com/btc-memes-tick-tock-next-block.phphttps://m.primal.net/Kirp.png
The Law of Bitcoin Valuation:
“The future value of Bitcoin will always exceed your expectations, even when you adjust your expectations to account for the Law of Bitcoin Valuation.”
Hofstadter’s Law:
“It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter’s Law.”
I wrote a thing! With LLM help.
Am I full of shit?
https://evolensart.com/article-law-of-bitcoin-valuation.php
The Law of Bitcoin Valuation
**The Law of Bitcoin Valuation:** *The future value of Bitcoin will always exceed your expectations, even when you adjust your expectations to account for the Law of Bitcoin Valuation.*
**Hofstadter’s Law:** *It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter’s Law.*
“It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” —Yogi Berra
At first glance, the Law of Bitcoin Valuation might seem like a clever tautology, a self-referential quip that hints at Bitcoin’s unpredictable nature. But when you pair it with Hofstadter’s Law, a deeper and more nuanced truth emerges—one that makes the Law of Bitcoin Valuation more than just a precept, but a practical reality.
I love the utility of #ChatGPT, but i hate sharing everything with #OpenAI.
But UX trumps all else for me, in some ways. The fact that I can use voice mode and actually SPEAK to the thing (while doing something else!) is amazing.
It’s also nice to have different modalities.
Just as there isn’t a right or wrong way to compose a melody - pluck a guitar, hum it, or use a keyboard/mouse in a DAW - there isn’t a BEST way to interact with an #LLM.
Sometimes I want to be surgical (use keyboard); sometimes I just need to rant and rave (speak!).
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Oh yeah! I’m a happily paying customer.
I love the extra UX and tinker features it has.
But I can’t have a VERBAL CONVERSATION with it (yet?). Being able to speak (especially while doing other things) is a game-changer. I’m the sole breadwinner for a family of five, so my “sit down at the computer” time is practically nil.
This is the one thing keeping me on ChatGPT.
I thought about making a book/film.
The book “Big Bang” by Simon Singh is GREAT.
Shows you not just what we know, but HOW.
Starting with pre-scientific humans making naked eye observations
#introductions
I’m a low-grade polymath, blue-collar autodidact.
I work with my hands, which leaves my ears free to listen to audiobooks and podcasts.
I wasn’t nihilistic per se, but definitely kinda “meh” about the future until I got infected with BTC.
Optimistic about the future we are creating with unstoppable open networks.
“Invisible Chains”
***
“The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding.”
— Louis D. Brandeis
### **Introduction: The Spectrum of Possibilities**
Let’s be honest: the world we’re stepping into looks nothing like the one we’re leaving behind. For the first time in history, we’ve got a couple of technologies on our hands—Bitcoin and Artificial Intelligence (AI)—that aren’t just changing the game; they’re rewriting the rules entirely. If you’re still thinking about these in terms of what came before, you’re already missing the point. These aren’t just shiny new tools; they’re tectonic shifts, and the ground under our feet is still trembling.
Bitcoin, with its promise of decentralized finance, is more than just digital money. It’s a shot across the bow of the entire financial system, a system that has been running on fumes for too long. AI, on the other hand, is like that all-seeing eye we’ve always dreamed of—or feared, depending on your perspective. It’s poised to redefine everything from how we work to how we think. And when these two forces collide? Buckle up, because the ride’s going to get wild.
But before we go any further, let’s get one thing straight: we’re not here to peddle utopian dreams or dystopian nightmares. The future, as the saying goes, is already here—it’s just not evenly distributed. Some of us are already living in the world Bitcoin and AI are creating, while others are still trying to figure out what the hell just happened. That’s the reality we’re dealing with—a mosaic of possibilities, some bright, some dark, but all interconnected.
This isn’t just another tech revolution; it’s a philosophical one. We’re talking about technologies that cut deeper than any policy debate or political squabble. They demand that we reconsider the fundamentals—what it means to be free, to work, to earn a living. These aren’t questions that fit neatly into left or right, conservative or liberal. They’re questions that transcend all that noise. And if we’re going to get this right, we need to start thinking about these things from the ground up.
So, let’s dive in. We’re going to explore the best and worst of what’s possible, map out the mosaic reality we’re already living in, and reflect on what it all means. If you’re looking for easy answers, you’re in the wrong place. But if you’re ready to engage with the big questions—questions that are going to shape the world for generations to come—then let’s get started.
Worst-Case Scenario: A Dystopian Future
As we stand at the precipice of unprecedented technological change, it’s worth contemplating the darker possibilities—the scenarios where things don’t just go wrong, but go horribly wrong. We’re talking about a future where Bitcoin, despite all its revolutionary potential, never fulfills its promise, and where AI, instead of being a tool for empowerment and creativity, becomes a mechanism of control and manipulation on a scale we’ve never seen before.
First, let’s consider the failure of Bitcoin. Imagine a world dominated not by a decentralized, open financial network, but by Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs)—digital cash controlled entirely by governments. In this world, Bitcoin’s potential for financial sovereignty and decentralization is squashed by heavy-handed regulation, sidelining it as a fringe technology while CBDCs become the standard. Every transaction is tracked, every dollar is programmable, and your financial freedom becomes nothing more than an illusion.
This isn’t some distant dystopia; it’s a reality that’s already taking shape. Consider the recent trucker protest in Canada, where individuals who peacefully petitioned their government for redress found their bank accounts frozen, their access to funds cut off. This was a clear and troubling display of how financial control can be wielded as a weapon to stifle dissent and enforce conformity. Now, imagine that on a global scale, with CBDCs giving governments the ultimate tool of financial repression. It’s a world where freedom is sacrificed on the altar of control, where your financial life is no longer your own.
But that’s just one side of the coin. The other side is what happens with AI—a technology so powerful that it could reshape every aspect of our lives. In the worst-case scenario, AI doesn’t become the great equalizer; it becomes the great oppressor. Imagine a world where the immense capabilities of AI are monopolized by a few powerful corporations or government entities. Instead of being tools for creativity, empowerment, and individual freedom, AI systems are turned into instruments of control.
Think about the amount of personal information people already share online, often without a second thought. It’s beyond Big Brother’s wildest dreams. Now, add AI to the mix—AI that can analyze, predict, and manipulate human behavior on a massive scale. In this world, surveillance isn’t just pervasive; it’s subtle, insidious, and incredibly effective. It’s one thing to have news anchors subtly influence public opinion, but it’s a whole different ballgame when AI is incorporated at every level, shaping the narratives, filtering the information you see, and even subtly manipulating your emotions and thoughts.
This dystopian future is one where control isn’t imposed with brute force; it’s achieved through nuanced, almost invisible mechanisms. AI, in the hands of a few powerful actors, could become the ultimate tool of manipulation, nudging entire populations towards conformity, suppressing dissent before it even has a chance to take root. The diversity of thought, the vibrancy of human creativity, and the freedom to chart your own course—all these things could be eroded, replaced by a homogenized reality dictated by those who control the AI.
When you put these threads together—Bitcoin’s potential stifled, AI’s power monopolized—you get a picture of a future where the fundamental promise of technology is turned on its head. Instead of ushering in an era of greater freedom and opportunity, these technologies become the chains that bind us, the tools that enforce a new kind of tyranny.
The most chilling aspect of this dystopian future isn’t just the loss of freedom; it’s the fact that it could happen so quietly, so gradually, that we might not even realize it until it’s too late. We’re already living in a world where digital life offers unprecedented convenience and connectivity, but also unprecedented vulnerability. The amount of data we share—willingly or not—combined with the power of AI to process and exploit that data, creates a scenario where control can be exerted not just overtly, but subtly, in ways that are almost impossible to detect.
This is the real nightmare scenario: a world where Bitcoin fails to fulfill its promise of financial sovereignty, where AI becomes a tool of control rather than empowerment, and where the vast potential of these technologies is harnessed not to liberate us, but to enslave us in ways that are difficult to see and even harder to resist.
If we don’t recognize these dangers now—if we don’t take steps to ensure that these technologies serve humanity rather than control it—we could find ourselves in a world where the future we’ve been promised turns into a future we desperately want to escape.
### **Best-Case Scenario: A Utopian Vision**
Now that we've faced the darkness, let’s turn our gaze to what’s possible if we get this right. Imagine a world where Bitcoin and AI fulfill their promise, not just as tools, but as transformative forces that reshape society for the better. This is the future where the ideals of decentralization and open-source technology aren’t just theoretical—they’re the foundation of a new era of human freedom and innovation.
In this best-case scenario, Bitcoin isn’t just another financial instrument—it’s the backbone of a new, decentralized economy. Gone are the days of centralized control over money, where governments and banks can inflate away your savings or deny you access to the financial system. Instead, we have a global, peer-to-peer network that allows anyone, anywhere, to participate in the economy on equal footing. It’s a world where financial sovereignty isn’t just for the elite; it’s for everyone.
But Bitcoin is just the beginning. When we pair it with AI—particularly open-source AI—we unlock even greater potential. AI becomes a tool not just for the few who can afford proprietary systems, but for anyone with the creativity and drive to use it. It’s a democratization of knowledge and power, where innovation isn’t confined to corporate labs, but happens in garages, basements, and remote villages.
This is a world where energy, once considered a limiting factor, becomes a new kind of currency. Bitcoin’s unique ability to monetize stranded energy sources—whether it’s excess solar power in the desert or untapped hydroelectric potential in a mountain village—creates a virtuous cycle. Energy is turned into money, money is used to build infrastructure, and that infrastructure generates more wealth. It’s a system that incentivizes green energy production and drives sustainable development, all while breaking down the barriers that have kept billions out of the global economy.
And let’s talk about access. In this future, the combination of Bitcoin and open-source AI creates a world of maximal freedom and choice. People aren’t locked into monolithic systems run by megacorporations or governments. Instead, they have a rich tapestry of options—free and open-source solutions existing alongside commercial products, each offering something different. Whether it’s a decentralized financial app built on Bitcoin or an AI tool designed to help farmers in developing countries, the possibilities are endless.
The beauty of this future is its diversity. It’s a world where different people, with different needs and values, can choose the tools and systems that work best for them. It’s a world where technology serves humanity, not the other way around. And it’s all made possible by the principles of decentralization, transparency, and openness that Bitcoin and AI embody.
And here’s the thing: this isn’t about some misguided pursuit of “equity,” that all-too-popular buzzword on the political left. Equality of outcome is a fantasy, a fool’s errand. Why? Because people aren’t clones. We’re different—different in our talents, our ambitions, our values. Forcing everyone into the same mold, pretending we can all have the same outcomes, is not just unrealistic—it’s downright destructive. It ignores the very things that make us human.
What we should be striving for, instead, is equality of opportunity—a world where everyone has the chance to succeed, where the barriers to entry are as low as we can make them, and where innovation and effort are rewarded. But let’s be real: even equality of opportunity is something we can only approach, never fully achieve. It’s an asymptote, a goal to keep reaching for, knowing we’ll never hit it perfectly, but that we must keep trying nonetheless.
This is the promise of Bitcoin and AI: a world where opportunity is as widespread as possible, where diversity of thought and action drives progress, and where individuals have the freedom to chart their own course. It’s a future worth fighting for, and it’s within our grasp if we’re willing to embrace it. Let’s not waste our time chasing impossible dreams of making everyone the same. Let’s focus on what really matters—giving everyone the tools and the freedom to be their best, whatever that looks like for them.
### **Bitcoin as a Check Against Runaway AI: Anchoring the Digital to the Physical**
We’ve already discussed Bitcoin’s unique ability to monetize stranded energy through its proof-of-work consensus mechanism, but let’s dive deeper into what makes Bitcoin truly special—and how it might be our best defense against runaway AI or any other centralizing force.
At its core, Bitcoin is tied to the physical world in a way that few other digital systems are. The proof-of-work mechanism, often misunderstood or criticized, is what anchors Bitcoin to reality. Every Bitcoin mined requires real-world energy, making it a digital asset with a direct link to physical resources. This isn’t just a technical detail; it’s a fundamental feature that gives Bitcoin its resilience and its ability to serve as a check against any entity—AI or otherwise—that might seek to amass too much control.
Now, imagine a world where AI systems become increasingly powerful, potentially threatening to centralize resources and decision-making on an unprecedented scale. Without a robust check, there’s a risk that these systems could outmaneuver human controls, concentrating power and resources in ways that could undermine individual autonomy and freedom. But Bitcoin, with its decentralized and distributed nature, provides a formidable counterbalance to this risk.
Here’s why: ownership and control of Bitcoin are distributed among millions—eventually billions—of individuals and economic actors. Each of these actors holds their Bitcoin behind public/private key cryptography, with self-interest guiding their actions. This widespread distribution means that no single entity, not even a powerful AI, can easily centralize control over the network or the resources tied to it.
In essence, Bitcoin’s architecture ensures that power remains diffuse. Any attempt by a centralizing force—be it a runaway AI or a government—to control the network would be met with resistance from millions of independent actors, all acting in their own self-interest. This isn’t a coordinated effort; it’s the result of the natural push and pull of decentralized systems, where the incentives are aligned to prevent any one actor from gaining too much control.
This distributed ownership and the physical anchoring of Bitcoin make it a practical check against the potential dangers of centralized AI systems. By tying the digital world to the physical one, Bitcoin ensures that no matter how advanced or autonomous AI systems become, they remain grounded in a reality where power is inherently distributed and difficult to consolidate.
Bitcoin isn’t just a digital currency; it’s a safeguard against the concentration of power. It’s a mechanism that ensures that even as AI grows in capabilities, the resources it needs to function remain under the control of a diverse, global network of human actors. This decentralized control serves as a counterweight to any force that might seek to dominate the system, making Bitcoin not just a financial tool, but a critical component in maintaining the balance of power in an increasingly digital world.
As we move forward, this role of Bitcoin as a check against runaway AI and other centralizing forces will only become more important. It’s yet another reason why understanding and nurturing these technologies is essential—not just for economic freedom, but for preserving the very structure of our society in the face of rapid technological change.
### **The Mosaic Reality: A Mixed Global Landscape**
If you’ve been paying attention, it’s clear that Bitcoin and AI aren’t just futuristic concepts—they’re active, transformative forces already reshaping our world. The future, as William Gibson famously put it, is here—it’s just not evenly distributed. And that’s exactly what we’re seeing: a mosaic reality where the impact of these technologies varies dramatically depending on where you are, who you are, and what resources you have at your disposal.
In some parts of the world, Bitcoin is already a lifeline, providing financial stability where traditional systems have failed. Take Venezuela, where hyperinflation has rendered the local currency nearly worthless. Here, Bitcoin isn’t just a speculative asset—it’s a means of survival, a way for people to preserve their wealth and transact in a global economy that would otherwise be closed off to them. In places like these, Bitcoin is already fulfilling its potential as a decentralized, censorship-resistant financial network.
Meanwhile, in more developed economies, Bitcoin is still largely seen as a speculative asset—a digital gold, if you will. While some are using it to hedge against inflation or diversify their portfolios, its true potential as a tool for financial sovereignty and decentralization has yet to be fully realized. Regulatory uncertainty, combined with a lack of understanding, has kept Bitcoin on the fringes of the mainstream financial system, at least for now.
AI, too, is painting a complex picture. In Silicon Valley, AI is driving the next wave of innovation, with startups and tech giants alike racing to build smarter, faster, and more capable systems. These technologies are transforming industries, from healthcare to finance to entertainment, creating new opportunities and new challenges along the way. But while some reap the benefits, others are left behind, either because they lack access to the technology or because they’re caught in the crossfire of rapid change.
And then there’s the rest of the world—places where the promise of Bitcoin and AI is still more theory than reality. In many developing nations, access to these technologies is limited by infrastructure, education, or simply the lack of capital needed to get started. The result is a patchwork of outcomes, where some regions are leaping ahead while others struggle to keep up.
This uneven distribution of technological progress isn’t just a quirk of history—it’s a fundamental challenge we need to address. The mosaic reality we’re living in means that while some are stepping into the future, others are being left behind. And this divide isn’t just about technology; it’s about opportunity, power, and ultimately, freedom.
But here’s the thing: the fact that these technologies are unevenly distributed today doesn’t mean they always will be. The regions that are early adopters of Bitcoin and AI are not just beneficiaries—they’re proof of concept. They demonstrate what’s possible when these technologies are embraced, and they can serve as examples for the rest of the world.
The successes—and failures—of these early adopters will shape the broader narrative of how Bitcoin and AI are integrated into the global landscape. They’ll influence policy, investment, and innovation, creating a ripple effect that will eventually reach those who are currently on the margins. But this will only happen if we recognize the mosaic for what it is—a snapshot of a world in transition, where the future is being written one piece at a time.
This mosaic reality isn’t just a technological issue; it’s a human one. It challenges us to think about how we can ensure that the benefits of Bitcoin and AI are shared as widely as possible, without falling into the traps of centralization or control. It forces us to confront the fact that the future we want—a future of decentralized power, economic freedom, and technological empowerment—isn’t going to build itself. It requires effort, vigilance, and a commitment to making sure that no one is left behind.
As we navigate this complex landscape, we need to keep our eyes on the bigger picture. The mosaic reality of Bitcoin and AI is both a challenge and an opportunity—a chance to build a future that’s as diverse and dynamic as the world we live in. The pieces are already in place; it’s up to us to put them together in a way that benefits everyone.
### **Navigating the Future: Small Course Corrections, Big Consequences**
Let me be upfront about something: I’m not an expert. I’m just a humble layman, watching Bitcoin and AI maybe a little closer than the average person, but without any illusions of deep expertise. I don’t have a PhD in computer science or a background in cryptography. What I do have is a decent ability to put pieces together, to see the writing on the wall, and to understand the stakes. And let me tell you, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
As an American, I’ve grown up in a world where the left-right, conservative-liberal divide has shaped our politics and policies. But here’s the thing—those divides are becoming increasingly irrelevant when it comes to Bitcoin and AI. These technologies are so transformative, so fundamentally disruptive, that clinging to old political identities is like trying to navigate the ocean with a map of the desert. It’s not going to get us where we need to go.
We need to recognize that small course corrections made today—whether in policy, regulation, or even in public perception—will have massive consequences down the line. We’re dealing with forces that are still in their early stages, but they’re growing rapidly. A wrong turn now, no matter how minor it might seem, could snowball into something catastrophic. Conversely, the right small move could set us on a path toward a future that’s more equitable, free, and prosperous for everyone.
Let’s start with Bitcoin. The most important thing the United States could do right now? Leave it the hell alone. Seriously. Just let it exist. Bitcoin is a force of decentralization, a check against the concentration of power, and an opportunity for financial sovereignty on a global scale. The last thing we need is for the government to start messing with it, throwing on layers of regulation that could stifle its potential.
But if we’re talking about doing something proactive—something that would really grease the wheels—it’s this: make Bitcoin-to-dollar transactions non-taxable events. That’s it. One small policy change that could have a huge impact. It would normalize Bitcoin as a currency, not just a speculative asset, and would integrate it more deeply into the economy. It’s a simple move, but one that could make all the difference.
And let’s not forget the missed opportunities. Just recently, President Biden vetoed bipartisan legislation that would have made it easier for banks to custody Bitcoin on their customers’ behalf. This could have been another huge step forward, allowing people to use the infrastructure they’re already comfortable with—letting banks hold Bitcoin just as they hold cash or stocks. Bipartisan support shows that this isn’t about left or right; it’s about common sense. And yet, Biden shut it down. As someone who has been a lifelong liberal, who has voted left my entire life, this was a wake-up call. This year, I’m voting Republican because I think the left is getting it wrong on this issue. They’re missing the forest for the trees, and it’s too important to ignore.
And it’s not just Biden. Elizabeth Warren, someone I used to admire tremendously, has been a vocal critic of Bitcoin. I once believed she was looking out for the little guy, but her stance on Bitcoin has made me rethink everything I respected about her. Either she fundamentally doesn’t understand Bitcoin, or she’s cynically opposed to it for reasons that don’t sit well with me. Neither possibility is comforting, and frankly, I’ve lost all respect for her on this issue. I don’t consider her an ally anymore.
Now, let’s talk about AI. We’re already seeing its utility and necessity across a wide range of industries. Commercial AI is here to stay, and that’s not a bad thing—innovation needs to be driven by competition, by the pursuit of economic goals. But here’s the kicker: we’ve got to make sure that open-source AI alternatives continue to exist. This isn’t just about keeping options on the table; it’s about ensuring that the power of AI remains distributed, accessible, and resistant to monopolization. The best approach? Again, don’t over-regulate. Don’t try to box AI into a corner with heavy-handed policies. Instead, focus on maintaining an environment where open-source projects can thrive alongside commercial ones. Give people the freedom to innovate, to experiment, and to build the future on their own terms.
The bottom line is this: these technologies are too important to get wrong. They’re going to shape the future in ways we can’t fully predict, but we can certainly influence. The decisions we make now—whether it’s how we treat Bitcoin or how we regulate AI—will echo through the decades. If we try to control them too tightly, we risk killing the very innovation that makes them so powerful. If we let them flourish, we open the door to a future of unprecedented freedom and opportunity.
So, let’s be smart about this. Let’s recognize that the old political divides aren’t going to help us here. Let’s focus on what really matters: creating a world where technology serves humanity, not the other way around. Let’s make the small course corrections that could lead to big, positive changes down the road. Because if we don’t, the consequences could be far more than we bargained for.
### **Conclusion: The Stakes and the Path Forward**
As we wrap up, there are a couple of crucial points to emphasize—points that should guide our thinking as we navigate the intersection of Bitcoin and AI.
When it comes to AI, the real danger isn’t the technology itself, whether we’re talking about AI, superintelligent AI, or AGI. The biggest threat is how governments and corporations might use the fear of AI to justify draconian policies. These policies could lead to censorship, pervasive surveillance, and the manipulation of public opinion—an erosion of the freedoms that we hold dear. It’s not the machines we need to fear; it’s the people who might exploit them for control.
Jeff Booth, in his insightful book *The Price of Tomorrow*, makes a compelling case that technology should be a deflationary force. As we get better at doing things, as technology improves, the cost of goods and services should decrease, moving closer to the marginal cost of production. This is how a healthy economy should function—technology making life easier, faster, cheaper, and better for everyone. But we don’t have that right now. We have a broken monetary system based on fiat currency, which inflates and quietly robs the populace.
Bitcoin changes that. In a world where Bitcoin is fully embraced, technology can serve its proper role as a deflationary force, driving down costs and increasing prosperity. This is why a world with AI and no Bitcoin is the worst possible future for us—it’s a future where the benefits of technology are hoarded by a few, while the masses continue to suffer under inflation and economic manipulation. But a world with both AI and Bitcoin? That’s the best possible future—a future where technology drives prosperity for all, not just the few, where economic freedom is paired with technological innovation.
With Bitcoin, the greatest risk is that we fail to embrace it. Bitcoin represents an unprecedented opportunity for financial sovereignty and decentralization—a check against the concentration of power. But if we don’t recognize its potential, if we stifle it with unnecessary regulation or fail to integrate it into our financial systems, we risk missing out on a tool that could empower individuals and safeguard our freedoms in a digital age.
The future is uncertain, but one thing is clear: the decisions we make now will determine whether these technologies become forces for freedom or tools of control. Let’s make sure we get it right.
@TheGuySwann@Jeff Booth
### Introduction: The Law of Bitcoin Valuation
**The Law of Bitcoin Valuation:** *The future value of Bitcoin will always exceed your expectations, even when you adjust your expectations to account for the Law of Bitcoin Valuation.*
**Hofstadter’s Law:** *It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter’s Law.*
“It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” —Yogi Berra
At first glance, the Law of Bitcoin Valuation might seem like a clever tautology, a self-referential quip that hints at Bitcoin’s unpredictable nature. But when you pair it with Hofstadter’s Law, a deeper and more nuanced truth emerges—one that makes the Law of Bitcoin Valuation more than just a precept, but a practical reality.
Think of it like this: in mathematics, when you take a number and square it, it grows significantly. Cube it, and the growth is even more dramatic. Raise it to the fourth power, and the increase is exponential. Now apply that concept to Bitcoin. It’s easy enough to look at a price chart, maybe even on a logarithmic scale, and try to extrapolate the value. But Bitcoin is far more complex than a simple price curve.
Bitcoin isn’t just a line item on a financial chart; it’s a multidimensional phenomenon with layers of utility, influence, and adaptability that go far beyond what’s immediately visible. It touches so many aspects of technology, economics, and society that its true value is not merely a function of its market price. Bitcoin operates with internal feedback loops, flywheels that build and maintain momentum, and a host of reinforcing mechanisms that make its growth more than linear or even exponential—it’s multifaceted and dynamic, ratcheting up in complexity and value over time.
What we’re going to explore in this paper is how Bitcoin’s value proposition extends into these multiple dimensions, compounding in ways that defy traditional methods of valuation. Simply put, Bitcoin’s future value will always outstrip your expectations because it operates on levels that aren’t fully captured by a mere price chart, no matter how sophisticated your analysis.
And here’s where Hofstadter’s Law makes its entrance: the value that Bitcoin promises will manifest, but it will do so on a timeline that tests the patience of even the most ardent believers. This interplay between Bitcoin’s compounded, multidimensional growth and the inevitable delays in its realization is what makes the Law of Bitcoin Valuation so compelling—and so frustratingly accurate.
So, as we dive into this exploration, keep in mind that Bitcoin’s value isn’t just about where the price is headed next week, next year, or even in the next decade. It’s about understanding the profound, multi-layered impact that Bitcoin is having on our world, and why, no matter how high you set your expectations, Bitcoin is likely to exceed them in ways you haven’t yet considered.
If you think you’ve got Bitcoin figured out, think again. The reality is far more complex, challenging, and ultimately, rewarding than you’ve prepared for. The Law of Bitcoin Valuation guarantees it—and Hofstadter’s Law ensures you’ll be waiting longer than you’d like to see it happen.
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Section 1: Hofstadter’s Law and Bitcoin
Hofstadter’s Law, with its wry observation that “it always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter’s Law,” is more than just a clever aphorism—it’s a fundamental truth about complex systems. And if Bitcoin is anything, it’s complex. From its inception, Bitcoin has defied traditional timelines, navigating a landscape fraught with technical challenges, regulatory obstacles, and market volatility. Yet, it’s precisely this tortuous journey that has forged Bitcoin into the resilient, decentralized network we see today.
The brilliance of Bitcoin lies not just in its design but in how it handles adversity. Like any transformative process, Bitcoin’s growth has been neither linear nor predictable. It has faced countless setbacks, from the collapse of exchanges like Mt. Gox to outright bans in major economies like China. Each of these challenges could have spelled the end for a lesser technology. But for Bitcoin, these obstacles have been opportunities—forcing innovations that strengthen the network and reinforce its value.
This is where Hofstadter’s Law meets the Law of Bitcoin Valuation. Every time Bitcoin encounters a delay or a setback, it emerges stronger, often in ways that surpass what even the most optimistic proponents had anticipated. This isn’t just about Bitcoin’s price recovering after a dip; it’s about the network evolving in response to challenges, becoming more secure, more decentralized, and more valuable with each iteration.
The lesson here is that Bitcoin’s value isn’t just about where it stands at any given moment; it’s about the long, unpredictable path it takes to get there. Bitcoin’s progress may be slower than you expect, but when it finally does break through, it does so with a force that leaves previous expectations in the dust. In this way, Hofstadter’s Law doesn’t just apply to Bitcoin’s timeline—it’s integral to understanding why Bitcoin’s future value is consistently underestimated.
To appreciate Bitcoin fully, you need to recognize that its growth is driven by a process that is as much about overcoming adversity as it is about technological innovation. Bitcoin’s recursive nature—where each challenge begets a stronger, more robust network—ensures that its ultimate value will far exceed what any of us can predict. And while it may take longer to get there, the end result will be a value proposition that transcends our current understanding.
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### Section 2: Bitcoin’s Fractal Nature and Substrate Neutrality
Bitcoin isn’t just a digital currency or a piece of software—it’s an entity that embodies the very principles of evolution. Imagine an organism that can adapt to any environment, no matter how hostile or unfamiliar. That’s Bitcoin: it’s a protocol that, much like a living system, finds ways to embed itself into every nook and cranny of our world. And just like a fractal pattern, Bitcoin’s influence replicates itself at different scales—technological, cultural, and philosophical—each reinforcing the others.
At its core, Bitcoin is substrate-neutral. This means it doesn’t care where or how it exists, as long as it does. It can live on your laptop, on a piece of paper, in a hardware wallet, or even as a sequence of words stored in your mind. It’s money, but it’s also software, culture, and philosophy—all rolled into one. This adaptability allows Bitcoin to sink its teeth into various environments, influencing them and being influenced in return, much like an evolving organism that thrives through interaction with its ecosystem.
Consider this: Bitcoin can be transmitted over the internet, via radio waves, or even across a blockchain satellite network. It can be stored physically as a QR code on paper or memorized through a seed phrase. This ability to transcend traditional boundaries, to exist and operate in multiple forms and modalities, is what gives Bitcoin its incredible resilience. It’s everywhere and nowhere, a pervasive force that is as difficult to pin down as it is to suppress.
Bitcoin’s fractal nature is what makes it so powerful. At every level—whether individual transactions, the global financial system, or even broader cultural movements—Bitcoin’s influence is felt. It’s a network that grows stronger with each new participant, each new use case, and each new adaptation to its environment. And because it operates across so many different dimensions, its value isn’t tied to any one factor; it’s a sum greater than its parts.
This cross-modal adaptability is also what enables Bitcoin to resist external pressures. Governments can ban mining or try to regulate exchanges, but Bitcoin just adapts, finds new ways to exist and thrive. It’s this evolutionary robustness that ensures Bitcoin’s long-term survival and growth. The more you try to confine it, the more it slips through your fingers, finding new forms and new ways to assert its presence.
So, when we talk about Bitcoin’s value, it’s not just about price charts or market cap. Bitcoin’s true value lies in its ability to exist across multiple planes of reality—technological, cultural, philosophical—and to influence each one in ways that reinforce and amplify its overall impact. This isn’t just a currency or a protocol; it’s a living system, constantly evolving and expanding its reach, ensuring that its value continues to grow in ways that far exceed our expectations.
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### Section 3: Bitcoin’s Antifragility and Critical Inflection Points
To understand why Bitcoin’s value will always exceed expectations, we need to look at how it behaves under pressure. Nassim Taleb introduces the idea of antifragility—systems that don’t just withstand stress but actually grow stronger because of it. This concept perfectly encapsulates Bitcoin’s journey through a series of critical inflection points, each of which has tested the network’s resilience and, in doing so, has reinforced its long-term value and viability.
Think of antifragility as the opposite of fragility. A fragile system breaks under stress, while a robust one can withstand it. But an antifragile system doesn’t just survive; it uses stress as fuel for growth. That’s Bitcoin. Every time Bitcoin faces a challenge—whether it’s a technological hurdle, a regulatory crackdown, or a market collapse—it doesn’t merely endure. It adapts, evolves, and emerges stronger than before.
One of the most striking examples of Bitcoin’s antifragility is the collapse of Mt. Gox in 2014. At the time, Mt. Gox was the largest Bitcoin exchange in the world, handling the majority of Bitcoin transactions. Its sudden implosion, which resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of Bitcoins, could have easily been the death knell for a nascent and fragile network. But instead of collapsing, the Bitcoin community adapted. The crisis led to innovations in wallet security, the emergence of decentralized exchanges, and a renewed focus on personal custody. The result? A stronger, more resilient Bitcoin ecosystem that is far less reliant on centralized entities.
Another pivotal moment came in 2021 when China, which had long been the epicenter of Bitcoin mining, imposed an outright ban on the practice. Overnight, the Bitcoin network’s hash rate—a measure of its computational power—plummeted by nearly 50%. But what could have been a catastrophic blow instead became a testament to Bitcoin’s decentralized nature. Mining operations quickly relocated to more favorable jurisdictions, and within months, the network’s hash rate not only recovered but reached new highs. This demonstrated that Bitcoin isn’t just resistant to attacks—it’s antifragile. Attempts to stifle it only make it stronger, pushing the network to innovate and diversify.
These inflection points aren’t just historical anecdotes; they are proof of concept for Bitcoin’s antifragility. Each challenge that Bitcoin has faced has been a catalyst for growth, forcing the network to adapt in ways that make it more decentralized, more secure, and ultimately, more valuable. This is why Bitcoin’s value is so difficult to predict—because it’s not static. It’s a living, evolving system that thrives on chaos and uncertainty.
When we talk about the Law of Bitcoin Valuation, this is a key element: Bitcoin’s value isn’t just a function of its current state; it’s the product of its capacity to grow stronger in response to stress. It’s not enough to understand Bitcoin as a stable, predictable asset—because it’s not. It’s antifragile, meaning that its most significant growth often occurs in response to its greatest challenges.
So, as we look forward, we can expect Bitcoin to continue this pattern. Future crises will come—whether they’re technological, regulatory, or market-driven. And each time, Bitcoin will adapt, using the pressure to fuel its evolution and enhance its value in ways that, yet again, will exceed our expectations.
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### Section 4: Bitcoin’s Early Adoption and the Dawn of Cultural Shift
Despite all its advances, Bitcoin is still in its early days. The reality is that most people on the planet haven’t yet grasped what Bitcoin is, let alone the transformative potential it holds. If you were to stop a hundred random people on the street and ask them about Bitcoin, chances are you’d be hard-pressed to find even one who truly understands what it’s all about. But that doesn’t mean the change isn’t happening—it’s just that, as William Gibson once said, “The future is already here—it’s just not very evenly distributed.”
Bitcoin’s adoption cycle is still in its infancy, and while the percentage of people who hold Bitcoin is growing, it remains a fraction of the global population. This gap between the potential of Bitcoin and the current level of understanding and adoption is both a challenge and an opportunity. It’s a challenge because it means Bitcoin’s full impact has yet to be realized on a global scale. But it’s also an opportunity, because it suggests that we’re only just beginning to see the cultural and societal shifts that Bitcoin is capable of driving.
As Bitcoin continues to gain traction, it’s not just financial systems that are being transformed; it’s our very conception of value, autonomy, and power. Bitcoin is gradually shifting the way we think about money—not just as a medium of exchange, but as a store of value that is decentralized, deflationary, and outside the control of any single entity or government. This shift is subtle, but it’s profound, and it’s already beginning to influence how people interact with power structures in the digital age.
Right now, the cultural impact of Bitcoin is still nascent, confined mostly to early adopters, technologists, and those who see beyond the surface of speculative investment. But the seeds of a broader revolution are being planted. As more people begin to understand the implications of a decentralized, permissionless financial system, we’ll see a gradual but unstoppable shift in how societies organize themselves, how governments interact with their citizens, and how individuals think about their own financial sovereignty.
This is the dawn of a new cultural era—one that’s being driven by Bitcoin’s underlying principles of decentralization, transparency, and autonomy. And while it might not be immediately visible to everyone, the ripples of this change are starting to spread. The idea that money doesn’t have to be controlled by governments, that value can be stored and transferred without intermediaries, is radical. And like all radical ideas, it will take time to fully permeate society.
But make no mistake: the future is coming. It’s just not evenly distributed yet.
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### Section 5: Bitcoin as an Exit—The Evolution Beyond Fiat Currency
For most people today, Bitcoin’s value is still measured in terms of dollars, euros, or yen. You look at the price chart and think, “Okay, my Bitcoin is worth this much in fiat currency.” And for now, that’s true. You can swap Bitcoin for dollars at a given rate and use those dollars to buy goods and services. But what happens as that rate climbs higher and higher? What happens when Bitcoin’s value is no longer just a number on a screen but something that fundamentally changes how we think about and use money?
As Bitcoin’s price increases, the dynamics of its interaction with fiat currencies will inevitably change. Right now, if Bitcoin is trading at $50,000, it’s relatively easy to swap between Bitcoin and dollars. There’s liquidity, and plenty of people are willing to make the trade. But what happens when Bitcoin is worth $1 million? Or $10 million? At that point, exchanging Bitcoin for dollars becomes a different proposition entirely—not because the mechanics of the exchange are different, but because the very idea of what those dollars represent is shifting.
As Bitcoin’s value climbs, it’s not just that your dollars might buy less—it’s that fewer people are going to want dollars in the first place. The demand for a currency that loses purchasing power every year will pale in comparison to the demand for an asset that not only holds its value but increases in purchasing power over time. This isn’t just speculation; it’s a reflection of the underlying economic forces at play. As Bitcoin continues to prove itself as a superior store of value, the appeal of holding dollars or other fiat currencies will diminish.
This is where the true shift begins to take shape. At $50,000, Bitcoin is still largely a speculative asset—a way to potentially increase your wealth in terms of fiat currency. But at $10 million, Bitcoin becomes something entirely different. It’s no longer just an investment; it’s an alternative system. It’s an “exit” from the traditional financial structures that have dominated the world for centuries.
At this stage, the idea of trading Bitcoin for fiat becomes less relevant. Why trade something that’s consistently appreciating for something that’s consistently losing value? As more people come to this realization, the role of fiat currencies in the global economy will start to wane. Bitcoin, by contrast, will grow not just as a store of value, but as a medium of exchange and a unit of account—a true currency for a new era.
This shift won’t happen overnight, but it’s already underway. And as it accelerates, we’ll see a new kind of economic freedom emerge—one where individuals are no longer tied to the whims of central banks or government-controlled currencies. Bitcoin offers an exit, a way to opt out of the fiat system and into something more stable, more predictable, and ultimately, more empowering.
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### Transition Section: The Evolution of Technology Adoption—Bitcoin’s Path from Curiosity to Necessity
The trajectory of technological adoption is often predictable: what starts as a curiosity becomes a luxury, then a universal utility, and finally a necessity. This path has been followed by countless innovations throughout history, from electricity to the internet. Bitcoin, as a fundamentally transformative technology, is following the same curve.
In its earliest days, Bitcoin was a curiosity—a novel experiment in decentralized digital currency, understood by few and embraced by even fewer. Early adopters were those with a deep interest in cryptography, economics, or the fringes of the tech world. For these pioneers, Bitcoin was a fascinating idea, something to explore and experiment with, but not yet something with practical, everyday value.
As time went on, Bitcoin began to move into the realm of luxury. It became something that the wealthy or tech-savvy might hold, not necessarily because they needed it, but because they saw its potential as a store of value or as a hedge against traditional financial systems. At this stage, Bitcoin was still not essential—something akin to a high-end gadget or a rare collectible, valuable but not necessary.
But we’re now witnessing Bitcoin’s shift into the next phase: a universal utility. As its adoption grows and its utility becomes clearer, Bitcoin is transitioning from a luxury to something that more and more people find essential for preserving wealth, securing transactions, and protecting their financial sovereignty. This is a crucial turning point in the technology adoption curve, where Bitcoin moves beyond being a choice for the few and starts to become a viable option for the many.
Already, we’re seeing a microcosm of this in the behavior of certain Bitcoin holders. There’s a growing number of people who, regardless of the current exchange rate, simply refuse to trade their Bitcoin for fiat currency. For them, Bitcoin isn’t just an asset; it’s a philosophy, a new form of money that they believe in so deeply that they’d rather hold it than spend it on anything that can be bought with dollars or euros. This mindset is a harbinger of what’s to come as Bitcoin continues to move along the adoption curve.
As Bitcoin shifts into the final phase—becoming a necessity—this trend will only intensify. What was once a curiosity will have become an integral part of daily life, not just for the wealthy or tech-savvy, but for everyone. And when Bitcoin reaches this stage, it won’t just be an option; it will be a requirement for anyone who wants to participate in the economy of the future.
This progression sets the stage for understanding how Bitcoin will integrate with other emerging technologies, like AI, to form the foundation of a new economic ecosystem. As Bitcoin becomes a necessity, its role in the digital economy will expand, driving innovation and creating opportunities that are beyond the reach of today’s fiat-based systems.
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### Section 6.1: The Rise of AI Services and the Need for Instant, Secure Payments
Imagine you’re running an AI startup. Your company provides cloud-based AI services, processing complex data or offering advanced machine learning algorithms on demand. Business is good, and your services are gaining traction. But as with many startups, you’re operating on tight margins. You have costs—significant ones—such as server time on platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS), salaries for your team, and ongoing development expenses. However, you’re making a profit, and things are looking up.
Then one weekend, everything changes. Your service goes viral. Maybe it’s a tweet from a high-profile influencer, or maybe a large corporation decides to test your product at scale. Whatever the cause, by Monday morning, you’ve got a $50,000 AWS bill waiting for you. This is great news on one hand—your service is in demand! But there’s a catch: your customers paid with credit cards, and those payments might take 30 days to fully process. Worse, some of them could be reversed or disputed, and a significant portion might never make it to your account due to chargebacks.
This isn’t just a hypothetical scenario—it’s a reality that many startups face. The lag between providing a service and actually receiving payment can create serious cash flow issues, especially when the costs are immediate, and the revenue is uncertain. In the time it takes for your payments to clear, you’re on the hook for that $50,000 bill. If you don’t have the capital to cover it, your company could be in serious trouble, despite the surge in demand.
Now imagine a different scenario. Instead of relying on traditional payment methods, which are slow, reversible, and fraught with potential disputes, your customers pay with Bitcoin. The moment a transaction is made, it’s final. There are no chargebacks, no delays, and no third-party intermediaries taking a cut or holding up the process. You get paid instantly, securely, and in full, the moment your service is delivered.
With Bitcoin, that $50,000 AWS bill is no longer a threat to your business’s survival. The funds are available immediately, and you can pay your expenses without waiting weeks for your money to clear. This kind of financial security isn’t just a nice-to-have for startups—it’s a necessity for survival in a competitive and fast-moving tech landscape.
As AI services become more prevalent, the need for a payment system that matches the speed and finality of these services is critical. Bitcoin provides that system, enabling startups and businesses to operate without the constant fear of cash flow crises caused by slow or uncertain payments.
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### Section 6.2: Autonomous AI Systems and the Case for Bitcoin
As AI systems become increasingly autonomous, performing tasks that once required direct human oversight, a new question emerges: what kind of currency would an AI system "prefer" to use? While AIs don’t have desires or preferences in the way humans do, they operate within certain constraints and requirements dictated by their human creators. When you consider these constraints, the answer becomes clear—Bitcoin is the most logical choice for an AI to use as a medium of exchange.
Think about it: What is an AI going to do with a bar of gold? It’s heavy, inert, and completely useless in the digital realm where AI operates. A stack of dollar bills is no better—AI systems can’t physically handle cash, and even if they could, those bills would need to be deposited into a bank account, which might require human identification or even a visit to a physical branch. This just doesn’t make sense for a system designed to function independently and efficiently in the digital world.
Similarly, a traditional bank account tied to fiat currency poses problems. Banks operate on a system that’s inherently human-centric, with requirements for identification, manual oversight, and often, geographical constraints. AI systems are designed to work at a speed and scale that far outpaces human processes, making the slow, bureaucratic nature of traditional banking a poor fit for autonomous operations.
Bitcoin, on the other hand, is perfectly suited to the needs of autonomous AI systems. It’s digital, borderless, and doesn’t require human identification or intervention. Transactions are fast, secure, and final—exactly what’s needed for AI systems that might be executing thousands, or even millions, of transactions per second. And because Bitcoin is programmable, it can be integrated directly into the operations of these systems, allowing them to function autonomously and efficiently.
From a practical standpoint, if an AI could "want" something—speaking metaphorically, of course—it would want Bitcoin. Not because it has desires like a human, but because Bitcoin aligns perfectly with the operational needs of AI systems. It’s the only currency that makes sense in a digital world where speed, security, and decentralization are paramount.
But it’s not just about the needs of the AI systems themselves. It’s also about the humans who create and operate these systems. As AI becomes more integrated into our daily lives, people will increasingly delegate certain tasks and responsibilities to these systems. Whether it’s managing finances, optimizing supply chains, or even negotiating contracts, these AI systems will need the ability to transact on their human operators' behalf.
By endowing AI systems with Bitcoin budgets, humans can ensure that these systems have the financial autonomy they need to operate effectively. This doesn’t just streamline processes—it also opens up new possibilities for innovation and efficiency, allowing AI systems to interact with each other and the world in ways that were previously impossible.
In this way, Bitcoin becomes more than just a currency for humans—it becomes the financial infrastructure that enables the next generation of AI systems to function and thrive in a fully digital economy.
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### Section 6.3: Bitcoin as a Practical Check Against Runaway AI
As AI systems advance towards greater autonomy, the concept of runaway artificial intelligence—an AI that could potentially surpass human control—raises significant concerns. While this scenario remains largely speculative, it’s critical to consider how such intelligence might interact with the world’s economic and resource-based systems. Here, Bitcoin plays a unique and crucial role as a check against the potential for runaway AI to gain unchecked control.
Bitcoin’s value is intrinsically tied to the real world. Unlike fiat currencies, which can be created at will, or other digital assets that might be produced without significant cost, Bitcoin’s supply is permanently capped at 21 million. No more Bitcoin can be created beyond this limit, introducing a concept of absolute scarcity that is unprecedented in the realm of currencies.
Currently, we are in the subsidy era, where new Bitcoins are being unlocked over time as miners validate transactions and secure the network. It’s important to note that these Bitcoins aren’t being “created” from nothing—they are part of the pre-determined supply that was established when Bitcoin was first launched. This unlocking process is driven by the proof-of-work mechanism, where miners expend real-world energy and utilize specialized hardware to solve complex cryptographic puzzles. In return, they earn the privilege of adding new blocks to the blockchain, which includes a reward in the form of transaction fees and a diminishing block subsidy until the final Bitcoin is unlocked.
This means that acquiring Bitcoin requires either mining, which involves significant resource expenditure, or obtaining it from someone else who already holds it. You cannot simply print more Bitcoin or generate it without cost—it must be earned through work, either directly or indirectly. This creates a fundamental connection between Bitcoin and the real world, where the currency’s existence is tied to the physical act of energy expenditure.
Now, consider a future where Bitcoin has become the primary global currency, with its distribution secured by robust public-private key cryptography. The world’s resources would be controlled through the distribution of Bitcoin, held securely by millions of individuals and entities. Any runaway AI seeking to dominate the global economy would face a formidable challenge: it would need to gain control over a significant portion of the world’s physical resources to accumulate enough Bitcoin to exert influence.
But the challenge for runaway AI doesn’t stop there. Bitcoin’s decentralized distribution across billions of economic actors, each acting in their own self-interest, creates a natural defense against centralization. Even if a runaway AI attempted to orchestrate a 51% attack, it would require not only computational power but also physical control over the world’s energy sources and hardware infrastructure—a near-impossible feat given the decentralized and global nature of Bitcoin mining.
Moreover, the intrinsic human element in the Bitcoin ecosystem acts as an additional layer of security. With billions of people holding and transacting in Bitcoin, each with their own economic motivations, any attempt by a runaway AI to subvert the system would meet with resistance from a vast network of actors who are collectively incentivized to protect the integrity of the network. This decentralized self-interest acts as a powerful check against any single entity, human or machine, attempting to gain undue control.
In this way, Bitcoin’s design doesn’t just make it a robust currency—it makes it a practical check against any potential runaway AI. The need to expend real-world resources to mine Bitcoin, combined with its finite supply and distributed ownership, creates a barrier that ensures even the most advanced AI remains grounded in a system that is inherently resistant to centralization.
---
**[Recapitulation]**
We’ve taken a journey through the Law of Bitcoin Valuation, a principle that boldly states: “The future value of Bitcoin will always exceed *your* expectations, even when you adjust your expectations to account for the Law of Bitcoin Valuation.” This concept is deeply intertwined with Hofstadter’s Law, which reminds us that “it always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter’s Law.” Together, these laws form a framework for understanding why Bitcoin’s trajectory is so difficult to predict—because it’s operating on a different level, fueled by recursive growth and a broad array of transformative impacts.
We’ve explored how Bitcoin’s value isn’t just about price charts or market speculation. It’s about Bitcoin’s multifaceted nature—its roles as money, software, culture, philosophy, and more. This multi-modal system, with its inherent resilience and adaptability, ensures that Bitcoin is more than just another digital asset; it’s an evolving, decentralized life form that’s continuously adapting and growing stronger over time.
We’ve also examined Bitcoin’s role as a check against runaway artificial intelligence, with its proof-of-work mechanism tying it to the real world, making it incredibly difficult for any single entity—human or machine—to dominate. Bitcoin’s decentralized distribution across billions of economic actors creates a natural, robust defense against any attempts at centralization or subversion.
At this point, however, a question might linger in the minds of some: *Is Bitcoin truly the ultimate solution, or will it be replaced by something else?* Is Bitcoin just the MySpace of digital currency, with a “Facebook” waiting in the wings to take over? This next section provides a clear answer.
---
### Section 7: Why Bitcoin Is the Revolution—Not Just a Phase
To understand why Bitcoin isn’t just another passing trend, we need to dig into its foundational attributes—attributes that make it not just a contender, but the definitive solution in the realm of digital currencies. Bitcoin isn’t the MySpace of digital money; it’s the eukaryotic revolution in the world of finance. Here’s why.
**1. Proof-of-Work: The Immutable Bedrock**
Bitcoin’s proof-of-work mechanism is more than just a way to secure transactions; it’s what ties Bitcoin to the real world. Unlike other consensus mechanisms like proof-of-stake, proof-of-work requires actual physical resources—energy and hardware. This makes Bitcoin intrinsically resistant to manipulation. You can’t just print more Bitcoin, and you can’t fake the energy expenditure required to mine it. This grounding in physical reality ensures that Bitcoin remains a robust, immutable system, resistant to centralization and corruption.
**2. First-Mover Advantage and Network Effects**
Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency to achieve widespread adoption, and this first-mover advantage has established it as the gold standard. With millions of users, miners, and nodes worldwide, Bitcoin’s network effect is unmatched. The more people use and secure the network, the stronger it becomes. This creates a self-reinforcing loop where Bitcoin’s value and security increase as more people adopt it. This isn’t something that can easily be replicated by a new cryptocurrency; it’s the result of years of development, adoption, and trust-building.
**3. Absolute Scarcity and Decentralization**
Bitcoin’s supply is capped at 21 million, and this absolute scarcity is a feature, not a bug. Unlike fiat currencies, which can be printed indefinitely, Bitcoin’s fixed supply ensures that it will remain a deflationary asset. As demand for Bitcoin grows, its value is poised to increase. But more importantly, this scarcity is combined with a decentralized structure. No single entity controls Bitcoin, and this decentralization is key to its resilience. It’s not just the most secure and scarce digital asset—it’s the one that’s least likely to be co-opted by any central authority.
**4. The Eukaryotic Revolution in Finance**
Much like the eukaryotic revolution in biology, which gave rise to complex life forms by incorporating simpler organisms, Bitcoin represents a paradigm shift in finance. It’s not just a new kind of money; it’s an entirely new way of thinking about value, trust, and autonomy. Other cryptocurrencies might come and go, but they will either be absorbed into Bitcoin’s ecosystem or rendered irrelevant by its superior architecture and network effects. Just as eukaryotic cells became the foundation for all complex life, Bitcoin will become—or perhaps already has become—the foundation for a new, decentralized financial system.
**5. The Noise of Alternatives**
It’s tempting to think that some new cryptocurrency or blockchain project might replace Bitcoin, just as Facebook replaced MySpace. But this analogy misunderstands what Bitcoin is. Bitcoin isn’t a social network that can be easily out-innovated. It’s a fundamental breakthrough in how we understand and secure digital value. Alternatives may offer improvements in niche areas, but they lack the robustness, security, and network effects that make Bitcoin unparalleled. In essence, everything else is just noise—interesting experiments that will either complement Bitcoin or fade away.
---
### Final Recap and the Laws Revisited
We began this journey with two deceptively simple but profoundly insightful laws. First, the **Law of Bitcoin Valuation**: “The future value of Bitcoin will always exceed *your* expectations, even when you adjust your expectations to account for the Law of Bitcoin Valuation.” Second, **Hofstadter’s Law**: “It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter’s Law.” These two principles are more than just clever observations; they provide a framework for understanding the incredible, and often underestimated, potential of Bitcoin.
As we’ve explored, Bitcoin is not merely a digital asset or a speculative investment. It is a multi-faceted, decentralized system that touches on technology, philosophy, economics, and beyond. From its proof-of-work mechanism that grounds it in physical reality to its absolute scarcity that ensures its deflationary nature, Bitcoin is designed to be resilient, secure, and fundamentally different from anything that has come before.
Bitcoin’s evolution has been marked by recursive growth and the unexpected ways in which it integrates into various aspects of life. Whether it's serving as a check against runaway artificial intelligence, offering a robust and decentralized monetary system, or simply evolving as a cultural and technological phenomenon, Bitcoin consistently surpasses expectations.
Yet, what’s crucial to understand is that this journey isn’t about some abstract or collective expectation—it’s about *your* expectations. The Law of Bitcoin Valuation is personal. It tells you that no matter how well you think you understand Bitcoin, it will surprise you. Whether you’re a skeptic who doubts its longevity or a believer who dreams of its potential, Bitcoin will exceed what you think is possible.
Hofstadter’s Law complements this by reminding us that while Bitcoin will outperform your expectations, it will also do so on its own timeline, often taking longer than you’d like. This interplay between these two laws—your expectations being exceeded and the timeline being longer than anticipated—creates a tension that’s essential to understanding Bitcoin’s unique place in the world.
In essence, Bitcoin is not just another technological innovation; it’s a revolutionary force that’s reshaping our understanding of value, trust, and autonomy. It’s easy to look at Bitcoin’s price chart and think you’ve grasped its worth, but that’s just scratching the surface. Bitcoin’s true value lies in its ability to constantly adapt, grow, and integrate into new systems in ways that are both unexpected and profound.
As we’ve seen, from its role as a currency for AI to its function as a safeguard against centralization, Bitcoin is much more than a passing phase. It’s the bedrock of a new, decentralized financial system that is here to stay, and it will continue to surprise and exceed expectations for years to come.
---
### The Footnote: Practical Wisdom
In the face of Bitcoin’s complexity and the vast potential it holds, there’s a piece of practical advice that has become a mantra within the Bitcoin community: *Stay humble and stack sats.* It’s a simple yet profound meme that encapsulates the essence of the journey we’ve discussed.
The traditional financial adage is “don’t invest more than you can afford to lose.” But in the world of Bitcoin, we think about it differently: it’s not about investing—it’s about *saving* in a new kind of system. When you choose to hold Bitcoin, you’re opting out of the old system and stepping into a new one. And while the potential rewards are immense, the wisdom of that old adage still applies: don’t rush in too fast.
Bitcoin isn’t just a speculative asset—it’s a tool for financial sovereignty. And with sovereignty comes responsibility. It’s crucial to ensure that what you save is *secure*—not just from external threats, but from your own potential mistakes. A small amount of Bitcoin, secured properly, is far more valuable than a large amount that you end up losing because you didn’t take the time to understand how to protect it.
This is why the advice to *stay humble and stack sats* is so powerful. It reminds us to approach Bitcoin with a mindset of patience and diligence. Accumulate small amounts consistently, and take the time to learn how to secure your holdings. Use hardware wallets, understand private keys, and make sure that your Bitcoin is safe—especially from yourself. There’s no rush. The journey of Bitcoin is long, and its value will continue to grow, exceeding your expectations.
In this way, the mantra “stay humble and stack sats” is more than just a meme; it’s a foundational principle for engaging with Bitcoin responsibly. You don’t need to make a big splash to benefit from Bitcoin’s growth. Slow and steady wins the race. By gradually accumulating and securing your Bitcoin, you’re positioning yourself to benefit from its long-term potential without taking unnecessary risks.
So, as we conclude this exploration, remember this: Bitcoin’s value will continue to exceed your expectations, but only if you approach it with humility and care. Stack sats, secure them wisely, and let Bitcoin do the rest. The journey may take longer than you expect, but the destination will be worth it.
BASED Party Platform:
Bitcoin Advocates for Sane and Effective Democracy
Introduction:
The BASED Party is a coalition of Americans who believe in the principles of financial independence, common sense governance, and the preservation of individual freedoms. We advocate for policies that empower citizens, respect the rule of law, and ensure that democracy remains a true reflection of the people’s will. Our platform is built on six core pillars: Financial Freedom, Restoring Sanity, Effective Democracy, Law and Order, National Sovereignty, and Fiscal Responsibility.
1. Financial Freedom:
We believe in the transformative power of Bitcoin as a path to financial sovereignty for every citizen. The traditional financial system often fails the average American, while Bitcoin offers a secure, decentralized alternative.
• Support for Bitcoin: We advocate for policies that recognize and protect the right to own, use, and transact in Bitcoin, including the right to run a Bitcoin node.
• Simplified Bitcoin Transactions: We support streamlining regulations to make Bitcoin transactions simpler and easier. Specifically, we advocate for the removal of burdensome tax obligations on Bitcoin-to-dollar transactions, ensuring that peer-to-peer transactions between Bitcoin and dollars are not classified as taxable events. This would significantly enhance the utility of Bitcoin as digital cash.
2. Restoring Sanity to Public Policy:
The BASED Party stands for a return to common sense in governance. We reject polarizing ideologies and prioritize practical solutions over ideological purity.
• Respect for Tradition: We value cultural and national traditions that foster unity and pride.
• Balanced Policies: Governance should be driven by what works, not by narrow political agendas.
• Free Speech: We protect free speech, opposing cancel culture and the silencing of dissenting voices.
3. Effective Democracy:
True democracy respects the voice of the people and holds power accountable. We aim to revitalize our democratic institutions to make them more transparent and representative.
• Election Integrity: We support secure voting systems and transparent election processes to ensure every vote counts.
• Ranked Choice Voting: We advocate for Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) to ensure fairer, more representative elections.
• Term Limits: We support term limits for Congress to prevent the monopolization of power by career politicians.
4. Law and Order:
A safe and orderly society is essential to a thriving nation. The BASED Party believes in upholding the rule of law and ensuring that our communities are protected from crime and violence.
• Support for Law Enforcement: We support law enforcement officers with the resources and training they need, while also advocating for fair and just criminal justice reform.
• Community Safety: We support proactive measures to address the root causes of crime and provide opportunities for at-risk individuals.
5. National Sovereignty and Energy Independence:
The BASED Party believes in protecting America’s borders, economy, and energy independence to ensure the prosperity and security of its citizens.
• Border Security and American Jobs: We support strong borders and policies that protect American jobs from unfair foreign competition.
• Nuclear Power: We unequivocally support nuclear energy as the most effective solution for achieving carbon neutrality and ensuring energy independence.
• Environmental Stewardship: We advocate for nuclear power’s role in reducing greenhouse gases and advancing towards a carbon-neutral future.
6. FreedomTech and Protection of Rights:
The BASED Party supports the development and proliferation of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and “FreedomTech”—tools that enhance personal sovereignty, privacy, and computational freedom.
• Protection of Rights: We stand firmly for the protection of individual rights, including free speech, self-defense, privacy, and digital rights. We oppose any government actions that infringe upon these fundamental freedoms.
• Support for FreedomTech: We advocate for the development and use of tools that empower individuals and oppose restrictions on personal energy use and computation.
• AI as a Tool for Empowerment: We believe AI has immense potential as a tool for individual empowerment, creativity, education, and development. However, the greatest danger posed by AI—or even potential AGI—does not stem from the technology itself, but from how governments and corporations might exploit fear of these technologies. Under the guise of regulation, they may seek to stifle competition, protect their economic interests, censor dissent, or manipulate public opinion. Therefore, while we support commercial innovation in AI, it is crucial that open-source alternatives exist and flourish. These alternatives serve as a necessary check against overreach, ensuring AI remains a force for personal and collective freedom.
7. Fiscal Responsibility:
The BASED Party is committed to reducing government bloat and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely. Responsible fiscal management is key to a prosperous future.
• Ongoing Spending Reductions: We propose reducing government spending by at least 1% each year indefinitely.
• Balanced Budgets: We advocate for immediately implementing balanced budgets and maintaining this discipline indefinitely.
• Regulatory and Legislative Reduction: For every new law or regulation proposed, two existing ones must be removed to trim down the regulatory state.
Conclusion:
The BASED Party stands for a future where America is strong, free, and united. We believe in a government that serves the people, respects individual freedoms, and upholds the principles of democracy. Join us in this fight for a better America—one that is based on the values that make our nation great.
Here's a structured agenda for the BASED Party administration, detailing concrete steps and goals for Day One, the First 100 Days, the First Year, and the First Term:
---
### **BASED Party Administration Agenda**
---
**1) Day One:**
**Executive Orders:**
- **Bitcoin and Financial Freedom:**
- Issue an executive order to exempt peer-to-peer Bitcoin-to-dollar transactions from being classified as taxable events.
- Mandate the creation of a task force to identify and streamline regulations that hinder the adoption and use of Bitcoin.
- **Law and Order:**
- Issue an executive order to reinforce support for law enforcement, prioritizing federal grants for police training programs focused on community engagement and de-escalation techniques.
- Initiate a review of federal criminal justice policies to identify areas where reforms can promote fairness and equity.
- **Energy Independence:**
- Issue an executive order to fast-track the approval process for new nuclear power plants and small modular reactors (SMRs).
**Cabinet Selections:**
- Nominate a Cabinet that reflects the BASED Party's commitment to financial freedom, technological innovation, law and order, and national sovereignty.
- **Secretary of the Treasury:** A pro-Bitcoin advocate committed to financial innovation and economic stability.
- **Attorney General:** A law-and-order leader who supports criminal justice reform while upholding the rule of law.
- **Secretary of Energy:** A strong advocate for nuclear energy and environmental sustainability.
- **Secretary of Homeland Security:** An individual committed to securing borders while implementing fair and rational immigration policies.
- **Secretary of Commerce:** A pro-business leader with a focus on promoting innovation, particularly in AI and FreedomTech.
**Legislative Initiatives:**
- **Bitcoin and Digital Assets:** Propose legislation to enshrine the rights to own, use, and transact in Bitcoin, and to ensure that Bitcoin-to-dollar transactions are not taxable events.
- **Nuclear Energy Expansion:** Propose a bill to allocate federal funds for the development of advanced nuclear technologies, including the construction of new nuclear power plants.
---
**2) First 100 Days:**
**Legislative Goals:**
- **Election Integrity:** Introduce a comprehensive Election Integrity Act, which includes measures for secure voting systems, voter ID laws, and transparent election processes.
- **Ranked Choice Voting:** Propose legislation to implement Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) nationwide, ensuring fairer and more representative elections.
- **Term Limits:** Push for a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on members of Congress.
**Policy Implementation:**
- **Bitcoin Education:** Launch a nationwide financial literacy campaign focused on Bitcoin and the benefits of decentralized finance.
- **Criminal Justice Reform:** Work with Congress to pass criminal justice reform legislation that addresses systemic issues while strengthening community safety.
- **Environmental Policy:** Begin the process of modernizing existing nuclear facilities and integrating nuclear energy into the national energy grid.
**Cabinet Actions:**
- **Treasury Department:** Begin developing a regulatory framework that supports Bitcoin and other digital assets, ensuring that innovation is not stifled by outdated laws.
- **Department of Energy:** Start awarding grants and contracts for the construction of next-generation nuclear power plants and SMRs.
- **Department of Homeland Security:** Implement stronger border security measures while initiating reforms to streamline legal immigration processes.
**Executive Orders:**
- **Regulatory Reduction:** Issue an executive order requiring that for every new federal regulation, two existing regulations must be eliminated. Begin an immediate review of all current regulations to identify those that can be removed.
- **Fiscal Responsibility:** Implement a federal hiring freeze to reduce government bloat and begin a review of federal programs for potential spending cuts.
---
**3) First Year:**
**Major Goals:**
- **Balanced Budget:** Work with Congress to pass a budget that achieves fiscal balance by cutting unnecessary spending, with a commitment to reducing government expenditures by at least 1% each year.
- **Nuclear Energy Leadership:** Position the United States as a global leader in nuclear energy by completing the approval of multiple new nuclear power plants and setting the groundwork for a carbon-neutral energy future.
- **FreedomTech Development:** Support the development and adoption of FreedomTech by funding open-source projects and establishing protections against censorship and surveillance.
**Legislative Achievements:**
- **Criminal Justice and Police Reform:** Enact comprehensive criminal justice reform that balances law enforcement needs with civil liberties and fairness.
- **Energy Independence Act:** Pass the Energy Independence Act, which includes provisions for expanding nuclear energy, reducing reliance on foreign energy, and incentivizing private sector innovation in energy technologies.
**Regulatory Framework:**
- **Bitcoin and Digital Assets:** Finalize and implement a regulatory framework that makes the U.S. the most Bitcoin-friendly country in the world, attracting innovation and investment in the digital assets space.
- **Environmental Stewardship:** Implement policies to promote the development of nuclear energy as a cornerstone of environmental policy, including funding for research into next-generation reactors and waste management solutions.
---
**4) First Term:**
**Strategic Objectives:**
- **Global Financial Leadership:** Establish the United States as a leader in the global digital economy, with Bitcoin and decentralized finance at the forefront of our financial system.
- **Energy Independence:** Achieve significant milestones in making the U.S. energy-independent through a massive expansion of nuclear power and other sustainable energy sources.
- **Restoring Constitutional Governance:** Reinforce the principles of constitutional governance by ensuring that the federal government operates within its means and respects the rights of states and individuals.
- **Election and Political Reform:** Successfully implement Ranked Choice Voting nationwide, establish term limits for Congress, and secure the integrity of future elections.
**Long-Term Policy Goals:**
- **Digital Rights and FreedomTech:** Ensure that the U.S. remains a bastion of digital rights by protecting privacy, supporting open-source software, and fostering an environment where FreedomTech can thrive without undue government interference.
- **Balanced Budgets:** Achieve sustained fiscal discipline by maintaining balanced budgets and continuing to reduce government spending year over year.
- **Regulatory Reduction:** Have a measurable impact on reducing the regulatory burden on American businesses and citizens, with a focus on fostering innovation, particularly in emerging technologies like AI and Bitcoin.
**Legacy:**
- **A New Era of American Innovation:** Leave behind a legacy of innovation, freedom, and prosperity by championing the transformative potential of Bitcoin, nuclear energy, and FreedomTech, while ensuring that the principles of democracy, sanity, and effective governance guide every decision.
I need go-to Orange pilling material in Spanish!
New coworker, from Cuba. Doesn’t like communists ha ha ha.
I am capable of googling, hoping to hear from somebody with first-hand experience who is bilingual lol
**Criticism 1:**
“AI cannot make art because AI does not have a brain and brains are literally magical."
- **Rebuttal:** If you believe the brain is magical beyond the physical laws of the universe, then we fundamentally disagree. Human creativity, whether brilliant or banal, emerges from the same physical processes that govern all matter, including the technology we create. Good day to you.
**Criticism 2:**
"That's not art. You are not an artist, and you should feel bad."
- **Rebuttal:** Stop being such a pretentious snob. Art is a human universal, an expression inherent to our species, regardless of the medium or method. Celebrating skill and professional accomplishments in art is wonderful, but remember, we are all evolved apes making our mark on the world, whether we're flipping burgers, welding, or using software to create.
**Criticism 3:**
"Okay, fine, it's art, but it's shitty art (and you should feel bad)."
- **Rebuttal:** The quality of the art doesn't determine whether it's art. From my toddler's SpaghettiO sauce doodles to the Sistine Chapel, all expressions are valid forms of art. Get off your high horse, you snob.
**Criticism 4:**
"Okay, fine, but you're cheating because you're not physically manipulating a medium (and you should feel bad)."
- **Rebuttal:** To argue that art must involve physical manipulation of a medium is to ignore the vast array of legitimate creative processes that don't. Whether it's conducting an orchestra, using digital tools like Photoshop, animating films like Toy Story, or composing music entirely on a computer, all these practices are undeniably forms of art. If you think otherwise, you might want to reconsider your definition after a moment of reflection, you walnut.
**Criticism 5:**
"Okay, fine, you don't have to interact physically, but there's no skill in what you do (and you should feel bad)."
- **Rebuttal:** The reality, from my personal experience, contradicts this. I'm transparent about using the same tools that anyone can access for less money, yet people choose to pay me $50 for a set of four images. Clearly, there's a recognized skill in how I use the tool to achieve desired results, you walnut.
**Criticism 6:**
"Fine, it takes some skill, but it's just work. You're just a hired gun. You're just a systems administrator (and you should feel bad)."
- **Rebuttal:** To dismiss it as mere 'work' and not 'true artistry' because it involves a machine seems to circle back to our initial discussions about what constitutes art and the source of creativity. Does the involvement of technology in the creative process diminish the emotional and artistic value of the output? If we've come to accept that there is skill involved and that these skills contribute to the final artwork, why do we devalue it simply because part of the process is mechanized? Reflect on how far we've come in our understanding of art's boundaries and who gets to define them… https://image.nostr.build/3e08bfdae8bd015317259070da53bbb19b0b53b7c20e25363fe6beb969a9e5a7.jpg
PART 3 OF X
A. Continuity
Chapter 3: Competence
In this exploration of the continuum of human tools and artifacts, we extend the concept of mechanical competence to include the broader spectrum of "physical competence." This encompasses all entities within the physical universe, from organisms to artifacts, showcasing the diversity of competences, both with and without comprehension.
Physical Competence: The Broadest Spectrum
Physical competence represents the capacity of any entity within the physical universe to interact with its environment effectively. This includes the innate behaviors of animals, the growth patterns of plants, and the mechanical operations of human-created devices. Each of these entities, whether organic or synthetic, demonstrates competencies that enable survival, reproduction, or functionality within their respective ecosystems.
Human beings, with their cognitive abilities, exhibit a high level of comprehension, which allows for the creation of tools that extend these competencies. However, the broader category of physical competence includes many forms of life and technology that operate effectively without what we would recognize as comprehension. For example, a cicada's life cycle, driven by genetic programming and environmental cues, exhibits a form of biological competence without our understanding of cognitive awareness.
Exploring Comprehension Across the Spectrum
While humans possess a clear sense of comprehension, the cognitive states of other animals, such as dogs or insects, remain a subject of scientific inquiry and philosophical debate. This uncertainty prompts us to consider the various levels of comprehension that might exist in nature. Just as we cannot definitively claim understanding in these creatures, we also recognize that our most advanced technologies, like calculators and AI programs such as ChatGPT, operate on principles of mechanical competence without human-like comprehension.
These technologies, designed to perform specific functions, do so with efficiency and reliability, mirroring the programmed behaviors seen in many biological organisms. Thus, mechanical competence in technology parallels biological competences in nature, both shaped by evolutionary or design processes to fulfill particular roles effectively.
Mechanical and Physical Competence as Extensions of Evolutionary Processes
Viewing mechanical competence as a subset of physical competence allows us to appreciate the seamless integration of human inventions into the natural world. Just as the web spun by a spider is an expression of its biological competence, so too is a colander an expression of human mechanical competence. Both are solutions to environmental challenges—whether catching prey or draining pasta—and both are fruits of evolutionary or innovative processes.
Reflecting on the Continuity and Diversity of Competence
As we reflect on the continuity across these competencies, we see a unifying principle: all are adaptations to the challenges posed by the environment, whether through natural evolution or human ingenuity. This perspective encourages a deeper appreciation of the diverse ways in which the world around us functions, highlighting the interconnectedness of all physical and mechanical competences.
Up Next in Chapter 4: "Communication" - We will delve into the development of communication from primitive systems to complex digital networks, further exploring how these systems demonstrate both mechanical and physical competences in transmitting information across various mediums.
https://m.primal.net/HyqB.jpg
PART 2 OF X
A. Continuity
Chapter 2: Cousins
In exploring the interconnectedness of life on Earth, Richard Dawkins' concept of the extended phenotype illuminates the intricate web that connects biological evolution to human technological and artistic creation. This chapter further refines this understanding by examining how even the simplest tools like colanders represent an early form of mechanical competence, akin to what we now term artificial intelligence.
The Extended Phenotype and Mechanical Competence
Every technology developed by humans—whether it's a stone axe, a colander, or advanced computer algorithms—can be viewed as an extension of our genetic heritage. These tools embody the concept of the extended phenotype, where human ingenuity extends beyond the physical self to influence the environment. By recognizing this, we can appreciate that a colander is not merely a kitchen tool but a rudimentary form of artificial intelligence, designed to offload cognitive or physical labor, thereby enabling humans to engage in more complex tasks.
This perspective challenges us to redefine our view of what constitutes artificial intelligence. By adopting the term "mechanical competence," we acknowledge that all tools, from the simplest to the most complex, are part of a continuum of human invention aimed at enhancing our interaction with the world. This shift from seeing AI as a separate, almost mystical entity to understanding it as a point on the continuum of human tool-making demystifies AI and aligns it with our evolutionary journey.
Debunking Artistic Elitism and Embracing Universal Creativity
The act of creation, whether in forming a colander or coding an algorithm, is a fundamental human trait, pervasive across all cultures and epochs. It transcends the arbitrary divisions between art, technology, and science. Just as a spider spins a web or a beaver builds a dam, humans create tools and artworks as natural expressions of their biological and cognitive capabilities.
Recognizing that creating art is not an elite activity but a universal human behavior helps break down the barriers often erected by those who view artistic creation as a rarified realm. Each human-made object, no matter how functional or mundane, carries an aesthetic dimension, reinforcing the idea that art and utility are often intertwined.
Synthesis of Human Endeavors Through Mechanical Competence
As we conclude this chapter, the synthesis of technology, art, and science becomes apparent. The introduction of the concept of mechanical competence helps us see that these distinctions are more about social and political contexts than about fundamental differences in the nature of these activities. By viewing all human creations—whether a colander, a painting, or a software program—as fruits of the Tree of Life, we embrace a holistic view of human ingenuity.
This realization not only deepens our appreciation for the diversity of human creativity but also underscores the continuity that links us with the rest of the natural world. It fosters a greater respect for how deeply interconnected our lives are with the tools we create and use, highlighting the seamless blend of biology and technology in every human endeavor.
Up Next in Chapter 3: "Competence" - We will explore the concept of 'competence without comprehension' in both natural systems and AI, highlighting how this notion extends our understanding of mechanical competence in human evolution and tool use. https://image.nostr.build/18a4ac01c1c3348f66e1969efc23ddedc3da96aa23c5ee5becb94017459ef690.jpg
PART 1 of X
Book treatment: "'C' Is For Competence"
A. Continuity
Chapter 1: Cosmos
"Yes, we have a soul, but it's made of lots of tiny robots." - Daniel Dennett
In the grand cosmic narrative, every tool crafted by human hands and every thought sparked within the human mind unfolds under the same celestial canopy of physical laws. Whether it is the brain itself—a marvel of natural selection, pruning the tree of possibility in the vast forest of biological design space—or the simplest tool, like the wheel, all are bound by the finite nature of matter, energy, space, and time. This fundamental continuity connects the realm of the stars with the artifacts and thoughts of human endeavor.
Let us consider this continuity not just as a series of scientific truths, but as a poetic reflection on our place in the universe. Each tool, from the flint to the smartphone, from the abacus to the supercomputer, is a testament to our quest to extend our reach beyond our grasp, to manipulate our world and understand the cosmos. These tools are the external manifestations of our internal cognitive faculties, both evolved and designed to navigate and reshape our environment.
Imagine, if you will, a simple map of all possible inventions—each point a potential tool or idea. Human creativity, driven by both necessity and curiosity, moves along this map in an exploratory dance, guided by the physical realities of our world. The laws of thermodynamics, of quantum mechanics, of gravity—they set the rhythm for this dance. Understanding these laws doesn't constrain our creativity; rather, it channels it. It tells us how to move effectively, ensuring that our steps align with the rhythms of reality.
And what of our brains, these curious engines of thought composed of uncountable connections and signals? Here, too, we see a kind of tool, evolved over millennia to think, dream, and create. If we consider that we have a soul and it's made of lots of tiny robots, each neuron, each synaptic connection, is one of these robots, each playing its part according to electrochemical laws. Our minds are ensembles of these robots, exploring the design space of ideas—another map, not of geography, but of concepts.
As we move forward, remember this continuity: everything is connected under the same laws of physics, whether it is the orbit of planets or the flow of information through a neural network. Understanding this helps demystify the tools we create and the art we produce, placing them within the broader tapestry of the universe’s unfolding story.
Up Next in Chapter 2: "Cousins" - exploring the evolutionary parallels between biological organisms and technological advancements, reinforcing the natural progression of AI as an integral part of this ongoing narrative. https://image.nostr.build/a8f6ab858d792722ae5020c04bcc07fdcbc6fde378e55a6056dc7742275dd088.jpg
In the vast expanse of a laboratory, a solitary Petri dish sits, its surface barely touched by the microscopic inhabitants within. A single bacterium, seemingly insignificant in its solitary existence, marks the beginning of an extraordinary journey. As time unfurls, the population within the dish undergoes a remarkable transformation, doubling in size every fleeting four hours. Yet, for much of the experiment’s duration, the dish remains deceptively empty, a quiet canvas awaiting its masterpiece.
In a mere fraction of the experiment’s entirety, a pivotal moment arrives. In the blink of an eye, the Petri dish appears to explode with life, its once vacant surface now teeming with a bustling population of bacteria. It’s a moment of revelation, a sudden realization of the explosive growth that had been quietly unfolding, unbeknownst to the observer.
In a parallel universe, far removed from the confines of the laboratory, another phenomenon is underway—one that mirrors the dynamics of the bacterial explosion, but in reverse. In the realm of Bitcoin mining, an issuance schedule unfolds, dictating the gradual diminishment of rewards over time. With each halving cycle, the rate of new Bitcoin creation dwindles, asymptotically approaching zero.
Yet, despite the inevitability of this scarcity, the realization has yet to fully set in for many. The photons have hit the eyeballs, but the brain has yet to process the implications of what has already transpired. In both the laboratory and the realm of Bitcoin, the explosion has already occurred, yet the profound implications of this transformation have yet to be fully grasped.
Bitcoin, the digital currency that has captivated the world’s attention, operates on a meticulously designed issuance schedule. From its inception, Bitcoin’s creator envisioned a system where new coins would be gradually introduced into circulation, mirroring the dynamics of precious metals like gold.
At the heart of this system lies the concept of halving cycles, where the reward for mining new blocks is halved approximately every four years. This deliberate reduction in issuance serves as a mechanism to ensure the scarcity of Bitcoin over time, akin to the diminishing returns of a finite resource.
As each halving cycle unfolds, the rate of new Bitcoin creation diminishes, approaching an asymptote of zero issuance. This phenomenon is akin to watching the Petri dish of bacterial growth in reverse, where the explosive expansion gives way to a gradual dwindling of resources.
Despite the mathematical certainty of Bitcoin’s issuance schedule, the broader perceptions surrounding its scarcity often fail to align with reality. While many have heard of Bitcoin, few truly grasp the extent of its scarcity and the implications for the future of finance and society.
The realization of Bitcoin’s absolute scarcity has yet to fully set in for the masses. It’s a paradigm shift unlike any other—a fundamental reshaping of our understanding of value and scarcity. And as the world grapples with this newfound reality, the implications are profound and far-reaching.
As Bitcoin’s price commands headlines and market attention, it’s essential to distinguish between its price and its true value proposition. While the price of Bitcoin represents the real-time signal of market sentiment and investor behavior, its true value proposition transcends mere fiat currency equivalents.
At the heart of Bitcoin’s value proposition lies the meme: “1 BTC equals 1 BTC.” This simple yet profound statement encapsulates the essence of Bitcoin’s value as a store of wealth. For those who understand this principle, the goal is not to maximize fiat currency gains but to accumulate more Satoshis—a unit of Bitcoin—over time.
Despite Bitcoin’s explosive growth and widespread adoption, more than 90% of the total supply is already in circulation, distributed among private keys and held by a diverse array of individuals and entities. On-chain data provides insight into the behavior of Bitcoin holders, revealing that over 70% of the supply has remained dormant for over a year.
Within this subset of Bitcoin holders lies a subculture of believers—those who have embraced Bitcoin’s true value proposition with unwavering conviction. For them, Bitcoin is not merely a speculative asset to be traded for fiat currency at opportune moments. Instead, it represents a one-way exit from the fiat monetary system—a hedge against inflation and an insurance policy against the erosion of purchasing power.
Despite the significance of this minority of Bitcoin holders, their steadfast commitment to hodling their Bitcoin is often overlooked or underestimated by mainstream narratives. Yet, it is this intransigent minority that forms the bedrock of Bitcoin’s resilience and permanence—a testament to the enduring power of decentralized, peer-to-peer digital currency.
As the broader market grapples with the implications of Bitcoin’s scarcity and its role in reshaping the future of finance, it’s essential to recognize the distinction between its price and its true value proposition. While the former may fluctuate wildly in response to short-term market dynamics, the latter remains immutable—an immutable beacon of hope in an uncertain world.
While it’s tempting to equate the dollar price of Bitcoin with its purchasing power, this simplistic view fails to capture the true essence of Bitcoin’s value proposition. Yes, Bitcoin can be exchanged for fiat currency on various platforms, but its value extends far beyond mere dollar equivalencies.
Central to understanding Bitcoin’s true value proposition is recognizing the distinction between money’s fungibility and Bitcoin’s ethos. While money, including Bitcoin, is indeed fungible in its ability to be exchanged for goods and services, the underlying philosophy of Bitcoin transcends mere monetary transactions.
For the intransigent minority of Bitcoin holders, exchanging their Bitcoin for fiat currency is not the end goal. Instead, Bitcoin represents an ethos—a philosophy—a peaceful revolution against a broken, corrupt, and dishonest monetary system. It’s an opt-out mechanism—a one-way exit from a system that perpetuates inequality and injustice.
Bitcoin is more than just a store of value, medium of exchange, or unit of account. It’s a movement—a movement that seeks to divert capital from net takers to net producers, to empower individuals to take control of their financial sovereignty and future.
In this light, valuing Bitcoin into the future requires a shift in perspective. Rather than assuming an eternal exchange rate between Bitcoin and fiat currencies, we must recognize the potential for Bitcoin to become the predominant medium of exchange in a new paradigm—one based on sound money principles and individual sovereignty.
For blue-collar workers and individuals seeking financial security, the path forward is clear: work, contribute to society, live within your means, and save your excess in Bitcoin. It’s a simple yet powerful ethos—a rabbit hole that extends far beyond mere dollar prices and monetary transactions.
As Bitcoin continues to challenge the status quo and reshape the future of finance, its true value proposition will become increasingly evident. It’s not just about the dollars and cents—it’s about the principles and values that Bitcoin represents—a beacon of hope in a world fraught with uncertainty and injustice.
The meme “you don’t change Bitcoin, Bitcoin changes you” encapsulates the profound transformation that occurs when individuals interact with Bitcoin. This sentiment rings especially true in the context of recent developments, such as the introduction of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
Bitcoin, as a decentralized and immutable protocol, remains unchanged by external forces. It is indifferent to the whims of ETFs or the machinations of regulators. Instead, it exerts its influence on the external environment, reshaping the landscape in its image.
The introduction of ETFs is not a victory for Bitcoin; rather, it is a recognition of Bitcoin’s inevitable ascent. After years of resistance and attempts to stifle its growth, the external environment has come to realize that Bitcoin cannot be stopped. Instead, it must be accommodated and integrated into the existing financial infrastructure.
In this sense, Bitcoin is akin to a benign invasive species, altering the environment in which it thrives. Much like the eukaryotic revolution that transformed the early history of life on Earth, Bitcoin’s proliferation introduces new dynamics and selection pressures, paving the way for a more robust and resilient financial ecosystem.
The externality of Bitcoin extends beyond mere financial transactions; it encompasses honesty, sound money principles, and lower time preferences. These benign growths permeate society like a maximally fractal mycelium, embedding themselves in the hearts, minds, and souls of individuals.
As Bitcoin continues to entrench itself in our society, it will reshape the choices available to us, guiding humanity towards a future characterized by greater transparency, accountability, and integrity. It’s a transformative journey—one that promises to redefine the very fabric of our existence.
In the laboratory of life, where ideas collide and paradigms shift, Bitcoin stands as a beacon of hope—a testament to the power of decentralization, resilience, and human ingenuity. Through the lens of the bacterial explosion in reverse, we have glimpsed the transformative journey of Bitcoin, from humble beginnings to a global phenomenon.
As we reflect on Bitcoin’s journey, it’s essential to recognize the disparity between perception and reality regarding its scarcity and value proposition. While many may fixate on the dollar price of Bitcoin, its true value extends far beyond mere monetary equivalencies. Bitcoin represents an ethos—a philosophy—a peaceful revolution against a broken and corrupt monetary system.
In the face of unprecedented challenges and resistance, Bitcoin remains steadfast and unyielding. It is a force of nature—a benign invasive species—reshaping the environment in which it thrives. With each passing day, Bitcoin entrenches itself deeper into the fabric of society, guiding humanity towards a future characterized by transparency, accountability, and integrity.
As we stand on the precipice of a new era, let us embrace the transformative power of Bitcoin and the values it embodies. Let us heed the call to action and join the ranks of those who have embraced Bitcoin’s ethos—a journey that promises to redefine the very essence of what it means to be human.
In the end, Bitcoin is more than just a digital currency; it is a symbol of hope—a beacon of light in a world shrouded in darkness. And as we navigate the uncertain waters of the future, let us remember that the true value of Bitcoin lies not in its dollar price, but in the ideals and principles it represents—a testament to the enduring spirit of human innovation and resilience.
Practical Takeaways for Newcomers to Bitcoin
0. Rule Number Zero: Don’t Trust, Verify
• Before diving into Bitcoin, it’s crucial to adopt a mindset of skepticism and critical thinking. Verify information independently and don’t rely solely on trust.
1. Rule Number One: Bitcoin Only
• When selecting an exchange to buy Bitcoin, prioritize platforms that exclusively offer Bitcoin trading. Avoid exchanges that dilute their focus by offering a plethora of other cryptocurrencies, as this may indicate a misunderstanding of Bitcoin’s unique value proposition.
2. Not Your Keys, Not Your Coins
• Understand the importance of controlling your private keys when holding Bitcoin. Choose exchanges that allow you to withdraw your Bitcoin to your own private wallet, ensuring full control and ownership of your coins.
3. Not Your Keys, Not Your Coins
SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!!!
4. Accumulating Bitcoin: A Three-Step Approach
• Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA): Regularly invest a fixed amount of money into Bitcoin over time, regardless of price fluctuations. This strategy helps mitigate the impact of market volatility.
• Buy the Fuckin Dip (BTFD): Take advantage of price dips to increase your Bitcoin holdings. Buying during periods of market downturns can yield favorable long-term results.
• HODL: Embrace the ethos of holding onto your Bitcoin for the long term. Avoid succumbing to short-term market fluctuations and maintain a strong conviction in Bitcoin’s value proposition as a store of wealth. Adopt the “don’t save more than you can afford to ‘lose’” mentality, with a subtle shift: it is precisely because every satoshi is FOREVER. Making predictions are hard, especially about the future. On the one hand: the rational desire to accumulate as many sats as possible. On the other: if an unforeseen emergency or life change requires you to “dip in” to your BTC savings to cover expenses, you might be forced to sell at a (fiat-denominated) “loss”. Bitcoin security includes security yourself.
By adhering to these principles and following a disciplined approach to accumulating Bitcoin, newcomers can navigate the world of cryptocurrency with confidence and resilience. Remember, the journey to financial sovereignty begins with a single Satoshi.
Further Exploration: Navigating the Bitcoin Rabbit Hole
1. Bitcoin: An Open-Source, Permissionless Protocol
• Bitcoin offers individuals the freedom to explore and experiment within its ecosystem. As an open-source, permissionless protocol, virtually anything is possible. However, with this freedom comes the responsibility to exercise caution and prudence in one’s actions.
2. Great Power, Great Responsibility
• With the ability to control and safeguard their own wealth, Bitcoin users are entrusted with a significant level of power. This power also entails a corresponding level of responsibility. Unlike traditional financial systems, there are no bailouts or safety nets in the world of Bitcoin. Users must take proactive measures to secure their funds and protect their financial sovereignty.
3. Building Trust in a Trustless System
• While Bitcoin operates on principles of trustlessness, establishing trust among individuals remains essential, especially when it comes to managing one’s Bitcoin holdings. Finding trusted friends or family members who are knowledgeable about Bitcoin can provide invaluable support and guidance. Additionally, adhering to the previously mentioned heuristics, such as utilizing Bitcoin-only exchanges and prioritizing self-custody, can serve as effective safeguards against scams and fraudulent schemes.
4. Gradual Progression: From Novice to Expert
• Navigating the complexities of Bitcoin security can be overwhelming, especially for newcomers. It’s essential to approach the journey with a mindset of gradual progression. Starting with basic security measures, such as single-signature air-gapped hardware wallets, provides a solid foundation for beginners. As users become more comfortable and experienced, they can explore more advanced techniques, such as geographically distributed multisignature setups. The key is to proceed at a pace that feels comfortable and manageable, prioritizing security and peace of mind.
By embracing the principles of responsibility and gradual progression, individuals can embark on a journey of exploration and discovery within the Bitcoin ecosystem. While the rabbit hole may seem daunting at first, it offers endless opportunities for growth, learning, and empowerment.
Bitcoin: Inevitable and Transcendent
Bitcoin’s existence is as inevitable as the laws of mathematics and the principles of cryptography. Its borderless, ethereal nature ensures its persistence, as it transcends physical boundaries and exists solely as information—a pure idea that cannot be extinguished.
As long as there are individuals who desire the continued existence of Bitcoin, it will endure. Its simple yet robust game plan—producing a new block every 10 minutes, maintaining a capped supply, and ensuring ownership distribution through public and private key cryptography—ensures its resilience.
Unlike other cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin’s success is over-determined, stemming from its immaculate conception, proof-of-work mechanism, network effects, Lindy effects, and first-mover advantage. These factors create a virtuous cycle wherein increased adoption leads to greater utility and value, further reinforcing Bitcoin’s dominance.
While one can study the technical intricacies of Bitcoin—the mining process, transaction signing, supply schedule—there are truths about its essence that transcend mere technical understanding. Much like Gödel’s incompleteness theorem, there are depths of truth within Bitcoin that elude full comprehension.
Even as we descend towards an event horizon of truth, delving deeper into the mysteries of Bitcoin, we simultaneously spiral upwards and outwards across the cosmos. Bitcoin serves as a catalyst for human advancement, propelling us up the Kardashev scale towards a future defined by sovereignty, freedom, and abundance.
In the grand tapestry of existence, Bitcoin stands as a beacon of hope—a testament to the boundless potential of human innovation and the enduring quest for truth and enlightenment.
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I want to start a podcast.
Yes, another fucking bitcoin podcast. (h/t @walker)
I think there is a unique and interesting synthesis that comes from a triple lens of:
1) Evolution
2) Artificial Intelligence
3) Bitcoin
I am a blue-collar autodidact, with a deep interest in cosmology, physics, evolution, intelligence (natural and artificial), and the philosophy of the mind. Biggest influence: Daniel Dennett.
To start with, I would probably focus on the sort of “bitcoin 101” series, especially given the influx of noobs we’re probably going to see over the next year or two.
But I’m also working on several book projects that overlap these topics and various ways.
PLENTY of opportunities to make essays/videos/podcasts about a given topic that would function as a book chapter, or vice versa.
I did not have any formal qualifications, but i think:
All three of these fields (evolution, AI, bitcoin) are layered, subtle, and interconnected enough, that there may be a niche for the “informed everyman” to communicate the nuances and interconnections of the topics with ACTUAL experts, and provide value for a general audience.
Here is a kind of introductory essay.
I would be thrilled, humbled, and honored if I could get any honest feedback on the ideas, writing, delivery, etc.
The video is shit, you can just listen to the audio lolol
https://youtu.be/sW92lQ4fSVMhttps://m.primal.net/HnJg.jpg
“Why are you bullish?”
My answer? I’m all in on LASER-EYED-NATALISM. The very thought of Bitcoiners multiplying, creating a new generation of hodlers, gets me beyond excited. It’s not just about the price going up; it’s about our ranks swelling, the timechain strengthening with each new set of laser eyes that comes blinking into the world.
We’re talking about a future where baby showers double as Bitcoin wallet setup parties, where “first words” aren’t just mama or dada, but Satoshi. Where we don’t just pass down heirlooms, but seed phrases. This isn’t just being bullish on Bitcoin; it’s being bullish on a whole new world order.
Every time a Bitcoiner decides to expand their family, it’s like a direct deposit into the future of our movement. More than just adding to our numbers, it’s about embedding the essence of decentralization and financial sovereignty into the very fabric of the next generation.
So, why am I bullish? Because every new mini-maximalist born is a testament to the enduring power and appeal of Bitcoin. It’s the ultimate long play, ensuring not just the survival, but the thriving of our values and our vision.
Laser-eyed natalism isn’t just a strategy; it’s a revolution. And thinking about the unstoppable wave of savvy, principled Bitcoiners coming up through the ranks? Yeah, that’s what gets me excited. Let’s make the future not just brighter, but laser-bright.
https://m.primal.net/Hlmx.png
Bitcoin represents not just a technological revolution but a philosophical puzzle. This digital currency, with its promise of decentralization and financial sovereignty, challenges our traditional understanding of money, value, and trust. To unravel this puzzle, we turn to the insights of two prominent thinkers: Daniel Dennett, a philosopher and cognitive scientist renowned for his work on consciousness and evolution, and Richard Dawkins, a biologist and author who introduced the concept of the selfish gene and the power of memes in shaping culture.
Dennett’s exploration of complex systems through his framework of stances—physical, design, and intentional—provides a robust tool for analyzing Bitcoin’s multifaceted nature. Meanwhile, Dawkins’ ideas on the selfish gene and the extended phenotype offer a biological perspective on how systems evolve and interact with their environment, which can be intriguingly applied to the digital ecosystem of Bitcoin.
As we embark on this exploration, our goal is not merely to dissect Bitcoin through these philosophical lenses but to synthesize a broader understanding of its impact on society and its potential to shape the future of humanity’s technological and societal evolution. This article aims to weave together the rich tapestry of ideas from Dennett and Dawkins, offering a multifaceted perspective on Bitcoin as a digital organism that is evolving in tandem with humanity.
Unpacking Philosophical Frameworks: Dennett’s Three Stances, Applied to Bitcoin
The insights of Daniel Dennett, particularly his framework of physical, design, and intentional stances, offer a nuanced lens through which to analyze Bitcoin’s multifaceted nature.
The Physical Stance Toward Bitcoin:
This perspective delves into Bitcoin’s material basis—the cryptographic algorithms safeguarding its security, the global array of computers (miners) upholding the timechain, and the significant energy utilized by its proof-of-work consensus mechanism. This stance grounds Bitcoin in reality, highlighting its reliance on physical resources and computational power despite its digital form.
The Design Stance Toward Bitcoin:
Observing Bitcoin from the design stance illuminates the architecture and objectives as envisioned by Satoshi Nakamoto. It emphasizes the timechain’s functionality in enabling a decentralized digital currency, addressing the double-spending problem, and removing financial intermediaries. Additionally, the protocol’s economic incentives, like mining rewards and a predetermined supply limit, are scrutinized for their role in securing the network and maintaining the currency’s value.
The Intentional Stance Toward Bitcoin:
Adopting the intentional stance involves ascribing goals and beliefs to the Bitcoin network as if it were an intentional agent. This heuristic aids in understanding the collaborative actions of the Bitcoin ecosystem—comprising miners, developers, and users—united by a common belief in decentralization and a collective effort to sustain Bitcoin’s utility and worth. The stance is also useful for interpreting market responses to Bitcoin, reflective of the community’s collective intentions and beliefs.
Dawkins’ Concept of the Selfish Gene and Bitcoin
Applying Richard Dawkins’ selfish gene theory to Bitcoin, we can view the digital currency as a system of replicators—bits of information on the timechain vying for survival within the digital ecosystem. Similar to biological genes, Bitcoin seeks propagation within its network, ensuring its persistence and resilience against threats.
The Extended Phenotype and Bitcoin
Dawkins’ extended phenotype concept, which posits that genes can influence the environment outside the organism, offers an intriguing parallel to Bitcoin. Bitcoin can be seen as exerting a wide-ranging influence, shaping user behavior, development strategies, and even regulatory responses. Its impact extends to fostering new financial innovations, driving changes in legal standards, and nurturing a global community committed to its proliferation and evolution.
Bitcoin stands as a paradigmatic example of a hybrid system, where the deliberate design by its creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, intersects with the spontaneous, decentralized dynamics of its user community. This blend of top-down design and bottom-up emergence is crucial to understanding Bitcoin’s resilience, adaptability, and innovation.
Top-down Design Elements in Bitcoin:
At its core, Bitcoin was meticulously crafted with a set of protocols and rules intended to solve specific problems associated with digital currencies, such as preventing double-spending without the need for a central authority. The timechain, a decentralized ledger of all transactions, along with the hard cap on Bitcoin supply and the proof-of-work mechanism, are all examples of deliberate design choices made to create a secure, decentralized currency.
Bottom-up Dynamics of Bitcoin:
Equally vital to Bitcoin’s success are the bottom-up dynamics that have emerged from the actions of its vast network of users, developers, and miners. These stakeholders contribute to the evolution of Bitcoin by proposing improvements, participating in consensus decision-making, and ensuring the network’s security and scalability through mining. This decentralized model allows Bitcoin to adapt and evolve in response to challenges and opportunities, much like a living organism responds to its environment.
The Interaction Between Design and Emergence:
The interplay between Bitcoin’s design elements and its emergent properties underscores its hybrid nature. While the foundational design provides stability and security, the decentralized, emergent behaviors of its community drive innovation and adaptability. This synergy has allowed Bitcoin to thrive despite regulatory pressures, technological challenges, and fluctuating market dynamics.
Bitcoin’s Adaptability and Evolution:
The hybrid system that is Bitcoin is characterized by an ongoing process of adaptation and evolution. As it becomes more integrated into global financial systems and as new technologies emerge, Bitcoin continues to evolve, driven by both its foundational design principles and the innovative contributions of its community. This adaptability is a testament to the strength of combining top-down design with bottom-up emergence, ensuring Bitcoin’s relevance and utility in an ever-changing world.
Tracing the evolutionary path of Bitcoin offers a compelling narrative that mirrors the biological evolution of life on Earth. From the inception of the genesis block to the developments up until 2024, Bitcoin’s journey can be segmented into distinct evolutionary phases, each marking a significant leap in its integration and impact on global systems.
The Abiogenesis of Bitcoin (2009-2024):
This initial phase of Bitcoin’s existence mirrors the abiogenesis of life, where inorganic matter transitioned into living organisms. Bitcoin’s early years were characterized by experimentation, ideation, and the establishment of its foundational protocol—the timechain. This period laid the groundwork for Bitcoin’s emergence as a decentralized digital currency, setting the stage for its revolutionary impact on financial systems worldwide.
The Eukaryotic Revolution of Bitcoin:
Marking the current phase of Bitcoin’s evolution, including but not limited to the advent of Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) and the integration of the NOSTR protocol signal a transformative era. ETFs bring Bitcoin into the mainstream financial markets, broadening its accessibility and acceptance. Simultaneously, NOSTR—an open-source, decentralized, censorship-resistant communication protocol with Bitcoin payments fundamentally integrated—exemplifies Bitcoin’s expanding influence beyond finance into communication and data exchange. These developments, coupled with Bitcoin’s growing integration with financial services and energy markets through mining, signify the eukaryotic revolution where Bitcoin begins to ‘eat’ into every aspect of the global economy, paving the way for a more honest, fair, and efficient system.
Hyperbitcoinization as the Prerequisite for Bitcoin Astronomy: Hyperbitcoinization, envisioned as the moment Bitcoin becomes the dominant global currency, is not the end goal but a critical milestone. It represents the transition from Bitcoin’s integration into existing systems to its role as the foundational layer of a new global economy. This stage sets the conditions necessary for the next evolutionary leap—Bitcoin astronomy.
The Cambrian Explosion of Bitcoin:
Looking ahead, Bitcoin astronomy is speculated to be the “Cambrian explosion” phase of Bitcoin. This era anticipates a rapid diversification and proliferation of Bitcoin’s applications and influence, extending beyond economic transactions to shape communication, energy distribution, and even governance structures. This phase signifies the maturation of Bitcoin as a versatile and indispensable tool for advancing human civilization, potentially driving humanity up the Kardashev scale.
Bitcoin’s potential impact on humanity’s ascent on the Kardashev scale involves delving into the conceptual framework known as Bitcoin astronomy, as developed by Dhruv Bansal. This framework outlines three laws that articulate the relationship between Bitcoin, the constraints of physics, and the evolution of civilization across cosmic scales. These laws intersect intriguingly with Daniel Dennett’s philosophical concepts, particularly the notions of forced moves and good tricks in evolutionary processes.
The First Law of Bitcoin Astronomy: The Law of Hash Horizons
The law of hash horizons addresses the limitations imposed by the speed of light on the operation of a proof-of-work timechain, like Bitcoin. The takeaway is that while humans merit a proof-of-work timechain for its security and decentralization benefits, the practicalities of mining on Mars—or any other distant location—highlight the need for local timechains. This need stems from the delay in communication across vast distances, making participation in Earth’s Bitcoin mining network untenable for Martian colonies.
The Second Law of Bitcoin Astronomy: The Hash Exclusion Principle
This law outlines how the structure and distribution of timechains are determined by the scale at which they operate. Larger scales necessitate longer block times, increased difficulty, and higher energy consumption, reflecting a progression toward lower time preferences. This hierarchical structure suggests that civilizations advance by creating more complex and energy-intensive timechains: Type 0 civilizations develop Type 1 timechains, which in turn, pave the way for Type 1 civilizations to create Type 2 timechains, and so forth.
The Third Law of Bitcoin Astronomy: The Universality of timechains
The universality of timechains posits that the concept of a proof-of-work timechain represents a convergent evolutionary process likely to be discovered by any socio-economic species across the cosmos. Drawing parallels to Dennett’s terminology, the adoption of proof-of-work timechains can be seen as a “forced move”—an inevitable step for civilizations that engage in economic activities and require a reliable medium of exchange and value storage. In the search for universal languages, math and physics stand out as constants; for socio-economic species, the addition of proof-of-work timechains to this repertoire could facilitate interstellar communication and trade.
In the context of Bitcoin’s evolutionary trajectory and its role in ascending the Kardashev scale, a reevaluation of Bitcoin maximalism is both necessary and timely. This perspective isn’t rooted in mere preference or exclusivity; it’s an acknowledgment of Bitcoin’s unparalleled robustness, its foundational properties, and its potential to serve as a Schelling point for future socioeconomic systems across the cosmos.
Bitcoin’s Evolutionary Edge
Bitcoin distinguishes itself through several key properties: decentralization, security, and a fixed supply, all underpinned by the proof-of-work consensus mechanism. These characteristics aren’t just advantageous; they’re essential for a digital currency aspiring to global and interstellar relevance. As the universe “tries out everything,” systems that are truly resilient and adaptive stand the test of time. Bitcoin, with its blend of cryptographic security and economic incentives, showcases these properties.
The Limitations of Alternatives
https://m.primal.net/HlUE.png In contrast, alternative digital currencies, particularly those relying on proof-of-stake mechanisms, lack several of Bitcoin’s evolutionary advantages. Proof-of-stake, while innovative and offering certain benefits, does not provide the same level of security and decentralized consensus as proof-of-work. This distinction is crucial when considering the long-term viability and universality of a digital currency. Systems like Dogecoin, despite their popularity and utility in certain contexts, do not embody the same foundational principles that make Bitcoin a likely Schelling point for socioeconomic species across the universe.
Bitcoin as a Meme Complex and a Schelling Point
Daniel Dennett’s exploration of memes further illuminates Bitcoin’s role as not just a currency but a meme complex—a set of ideas that replicate, evolve, and spread across cultures. Bitcoin’s meme complex is powerful, encapsulating concepts of financial freedom, sovereignty, and resistance against inflation. These ideas resonate deeply within and across communities, driving adoption and integration into various facets of human activity. As a Schelling point, Bitcoin emerges as a common ground, a convergent solution for the challenges of establishing a universal, decentralized monetary system.
The Convergence on Proof-of-Work
The convergence on a proof-of-work timechain by any socio-economic species, as suggested by the universality of timechains, underscores the natural selection of systems that balance energy expenditure with security and decentralization. This evolutionary process favors systems like Bitcoin that can withstand the existential threats of centralization and security breaches, making it a prime candidate for interstellar socioeconomic interactions.
Conclusion: The Philosophical Journey into Bitcoin’s Future
This exploration of Bitcoin maximalism, reframed through the lenses of evolutionary biology, philosophical insights, and the potential for cosmic civilization, emphasizes Bitcoin’s unique position. Rather than pie-in-the-sky dreaming, the analysis grounded in the principles of natural selection, game theory, and memetics presents a compelling case for Bitcoin’s role in the future of human society and beyond. It invites us to consider Bitcoin not merely as a technological or financial innovation but as a pivotal element in the ongoing evolution of socio-economic systems across the universe.
H/t Stefan Livera
NumberGoUp: A Call for Laser-Eyed Natalism
Gather ‘round, hodlers, for a tale of true bullish strategy, where “pumping your bags” isn’t just about your portfolio. In the grand ledger of life, we’re turning our sights from the traditional LFG (#LFG) to the more… primal LGF (#LGF). That’s right, if we’re serious about wanting those numbers to soar, it’s time to focus on our most organic mining rigs – ourselves.
The formula is as elegant as the timechain itself: more Bitcoiners equals unmatched demand. With the supply forever capped, our best shot at personal mining doesn’t require ASICs but, ahem, natural hardware.
Picture the future: two distinct camps. On one side, the soy boys, forever hesitating over their next investment, their resolve as thin as their oat milk. On the flip side, we stand, the laser-eyed vanguard, our portfolios and principles as robust as our approach to life. Fast forward a few blocks, and it’s clear who’s dominating the hash rate – the offspring of those who bet not just on Bitcoin but on its principles.
We embody low time preference, not merely delaying gratification but crafting a future so radiant our laser eyes might just blink. Our children will inherit a world where ‘fiat’ is as antiquated as fax machines, understanding the true value of 21 million.
So, here’s our call to action: LGF. If we’re to secure the future Satoshi laid out for us, it’s time for some hands-on work. Every date night now has the potential to contribute another guardian to the timechain.
This isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a generational investment. Each mini-maximalist we welcome isn’t just adding to our ranks; they’re ensuring the timechain’s flame burns eternal. We’re not merely evangelizing; we’re coding the future into the DNA of the next generation.
NumberGoUp transcends being a mere meme – it’s a mission. It’s a battle cry and a bedtime whisper all in one. Facing an uncertain future, one truth remains: Bitcoiners aren’t just coming; we’re multiplying.
So, to my fellow maximalists, as we chart this epic bull run of existence, let’s not just speculate about the next pump. Let’s ensure the next generation is ready to hodl, mine, and secure the timechain.
LFG becomes LGF. For the network, for the future, for NumberGoUp. Let’s not just increase our holdings; let’s expand our legacy. For in the ultimate ledger of life, the truest form of proof of work is the family we raise and the principles we instill in them.
For the timechain, for Satoshi, for the future: let’s multiply, Bitcoiners. The future’s waiting on us.
LET’S. GO. FUCK.
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I want to set one thing straight – I’m not here as an expert or scholar. I don’t have a wall of degrees or a string of accolades.
What I do have is a deep-seated curiosity, and a path I’ve been treading for decades, through the wilderness of ideas – from the origins of the universe to the nuances of artificial intelligence and the philosophical puzzles of our existence.
My journey hasn’t been in ivory towers, but in the real world, where I work with my hands, leaving my ears free to fill my mind with audiobooks and podcasts. It’s been a journey of connecting dots across different realms – the science of the brain, the philosophy of the mind, the evolutionary forces shaping our world, and the transformative power of technologies like Bitcoin and AI.
What brings us together on this channel is not my expertise, but a shared journey of discovery. It’s about asking questions, challenging assumptions, and maybe, just maybe, uncovering some truths along the way. So, if you’re interested in any of these topics – and if the connections I draw seem enticing, but not immediately obvious - you’re in the right place. Let’s embark on this journey together.”
And who knows? By piecing together these puzzles, we might just find some answers to the big questions of our time.
At the heart of this journey lies a tapestry of themes, each distinct yet deeply interconnected. It’s a web of ideas where each thread enriches the others, offering us a broader view of our world and ourselves.
Think of it as a journey through different landscapes. Starting with something familiar, yet mysterious - “the mind” – not just any mind, but the human mind. What makes us tick? Is the “mind” a thing? Or is it a verb? Is the mind IN the brain? Is “the mind” “what the brain 'does'”? How does this astonishing organ, conjure up thoughts, emotions, and consciousness? The science of the brain meets the philosophy of the mind.
But to understand the mind, we must appreciate its origins. Here, evolution plays its part, sculpting life over eons. This natural algorithm, this relentless selector, shapes everything from the smallest bacteria to the human intellect.
Daniel Dennett called Darwin's theory of evolution a “Universal Acid”:
“it eats through just about every traditional concept, and leaves in its wake a revolutionized world-view, with most of the old landmarks still recognizable, but transformed in fundamental ways. “
Evolution is a natural process, but it can also be understood as an “algorithm”, with it's metaphorical fingers in a lot of metaphorical pies.... Even topics as seemingly unrelated as artificial intelligence and Bitcoin. AI, as a tool and a phenomenon, helps us probe the mysteries of human cognition. It’s a mirror reflecting our own minds, yet it also opens doors to uncharted intellectual territories. And Bitcoin – it’s not just a currency or a trend. It’s a protocol, an ethos, a philosophy. It embodies a new way of thinking about value, autonomy, the meanings of “ownership”, “privacy”, “rights”, and “responsibilities”, in a beautifully engineered system that merges the real and the virtual. with threads running the length of the cosmos – connecting abstract math to physical computer networks to the loftiest goals of individual humans, whole societies, and even beyond our planet and species: YES! we will have to connect a lot of dots to get there, but if you have the patience and the curiosity – I'd like to show you how adopting Bitcoin - here and now - is the single most likely thing to drive us up the Kardashev scale.
These themes, they intertwine, creating a narrative that’s greater than its parts. From the logic of computers to the fluidity of human thought, from the cold precision of code to the warmth of human aspiration. This channel is about exploring these intersections, finding the hidden links that unite seemingly disparate worlds.
So, whether you’re fascinated by the potential of AI, curious about the philosophies guiding our existence, or intrigued by the impact of Bitcoin, you’ll find something here that resonates. Let’s peel back the layers and discover the wonders that lie at these crossroads.
Stay tuned, as we unravel the mysteries, challenge our preconceptions, and embark on an intellectual adventure like no other.
In my journey as a digital artist, AI has been more than just a tool. It’s been a faithful assistant, an extension of my own creativity. With AI, I’ve pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in art, transforming mere ideas into vivid digital realities.”
But AI’s role doesn’t end there. Through platforms like ChatGPT (especially my own custom GPTs!), I’ve streamlined complex workflows, from customer interactions to generating unique prompts for my art. These AI tools serve as “mind prostheses”, enhancing my mental abilities, effectively allowing me to think deeper, faster, and more creatively.
I've experienced firsthand how these tools can extend cognitive reach. It's exhilarating!
But AI's journey is only beginning. As it evolves, so too does our understanding of the mind. What new secrets will we unlock about our own nature as we push AI to new frontiers?
This channel isn't just about showcasing AI's capabilities. It's about exploring the deeper connection between artificial and human intelligence, and how this relationship is reshaping our understanding of what it means to think, to create, to be.
We will explore how Bitcoin transcends the boundaries between the digital and the physical worlds. At its core lies a “proof-of-work algorithm”, a fundamental aspect that sets it apart from other digital currencies. It's not just software; it's a bridge that connects tangible energy and resources to the realm of digital value.
The proof-of-work algorithm is Bitcoin's heartbeat, making it unique in the landscape of cryptocurrencies. It represents “unforgeable costliness”, a necessity for a reliable and robust monetary system. While some view Bitcoin's energy use as a point of contention, it's crucial to understand its purpose and efficiency. Bitcoin's energy expenditure is not a wasteful act; it's the price paid for security, decentralization, and trust in a digital world. Make no mistake: Bitcoin's energy use is a feature, not a bug. Physical assets require physical defense, potentially at the cost of human lives. In the shift from physical to digital asset protection, the ethical and practical costs are measured in electricity and computational power rather than human risk.
As we explore Bitcoin on this channel, we focus on its remarkable ability to meld the physical with the virtual. We'll delve into why Bitcoin, and Bitcoin alone, embodies the principles that make a digital currency truly revolutionary – decentralization, “permissionless-ness”, and “trustless-ness”.
Human history is a story of continuous evolution, not just biologically, but technologically and socially. From the invention of the wheel to the creation of Bitcoin and AI, each step forward has reshaped our society in profound ways. Every step forward gives us a new perspective on the world, our place within it, and what possibilities the future holds.
As we stand at the cusp of another major shift, brought about by AI and Bitcoin, we're not just witnessing a change in tools, but a transformation in how we interact, transact, and understand the world, each other, and our selves.
These aren't mere advancements; they're catalysts for a new era. An era where the decentralized nature of Bitcoin and the intelligence of AI converge, creating a more connected, efficient, and equitable society.
In upcoming videos, we'll explore these changes in detail. We'll look at the societal implications of AI and Bitcoin, their challenges, and their potential to drive humanity towards a more prosperous future.
AI isn't just a technological marvel; it's a mirror reflecting our own minds. As we delve deeper into AI's capabilities, we're unraveling mysteries of human cognition and psychology.
By attempting to replicate human-like intelligence, AI has become a powerful tool in understanding our own brains. It's a journey that goes beyond circuits and code, touching the very essence of consciousness and self-awareness.
This exploration isn't just academic. It's profoundly personal, as it helps us better comprehend our thoughts, motivations, and the nature of intelligence itself.
We'll dive into how AI is helping us map the labyrinth of the human mind, and how this understanding might shape our future interactions with both machines and each other.
In the natural world, evolution crafts species through the survival of the fittest. In the realm of AI, we mimic this process to develop algorithms that adapt and learn.
This parallel isn't coincidental. It reflects and reveals profound insights into how intelligence - whether organic or artificial, narrow or broad - evolves and adapts.
Our exploration will delve into the fascinating intersection of evolutionary biology and AI. We'll see how understanding one sheds light on the other, offering a unique perspective on the nature of intelligence itself. The human brain, a marvel of nature, and the mind, its elusive product, together form the very core of our existence, yet remain shrouded in mystery.
By attempting to replicate some of the functionality, of some aspects human intelligence, AI inadvertently becomes a tool for exploring the mysteries of our own minds. It's a journey into the depths of cognition and consciousness."
Evolution isn't just a biological process; it's the very blueprint of progress. It's the development of ideas, technologies, and even social structures.
Just as species evolve to adapt to their environments, our ideas and creations evolve through the pressures of society and necessity. This process shapes our world and our future.
Understanding evolution gives us a window into the forces that shape not just the natural world but our societies and technologies. It's a lens through which we can view progress and change.
Exploring the science of the brain leads us into the profound mysteries of human consciousness. But it's not just biology; it's a philosophical journey too."
What does it mean to think, to be aware? These questions bridge the gap between hard science and philosophy, leading us to ponder the nature of our very existence.
As we delve into the realms of AI and machine learning, these questions become even more pertinent. Understanding the mind isn't just about biology; it's about the essence of being.
Let's address a common misconception: Artificial General Intelligence, or AGI, often misunderstood as a singular, all-encompassing entity.
The truth is, what we perceive as AGI will be an ensemble of narrow AIs, each proficient in its domain. Together, they create a mosaic that resembles general intelligence.
This idea echoes the structure of the human mind. There's no central 'command center'; rather, it's a decentralized network of specialized functions.
Understanding this helps us appreciate AI not as a threat to replace us but as a collection of tools enhancing our capabilities. There won't be one “all powerful” AI, but entire swarms of relatively “dumb AI”, more numerous than the people with whom they interact and serve. As we advance, AI will increasingly interact more directly with the digital economy. Bitcoin's properties make it a universal medium of exchange - perfectly suited for human-to-human, human-to-machine, and machine-to-machine.
Our journey through evolution, the philosophy of mind, the science of the brain, and the realms of AI and Bitcoin, culminates in this vision – a future where technology amplifies our human potential, where freedom and flourishing are maximized.
This is just the beginning. Join me as we explore, question, and discover.
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