Nostr Web Client

Nostr is the Church of Bitcoin. And as a bitcoin unbeliever, I'd like to probe the understandings and beliefs of those who are really into bitcoin.

These false dichotomy questions are meant to spur discussion, of course I don't think anyone can simply choose one over the other, but I wonder what people are thinking.

Which of the following is true:

1. If government went away, the people would be free of the oppression of taxes, all interactions would be voluntary, and anarcho-capitalism can finally bring in a utopia.

2. if government went away, the infrastructure would erode (roads, the internet, power distribution, sewage, etc) and people would be living in fear of violent gangs that would have bloody and terrible battles for power.

Which of the following is true:

1. Bitcoin will grow to the point of being the world currency, at which point government won't have any reliable way to collect taxes and government will shrink away.

2. Bitcoin won't get much larger than it already is today because if it gets much bigger governments will shut it down, seeing it as an existential threat.

I could ask more but I think you get the point.

My belief is that small governments are good and necessary things, and governments will not allow themselves to lose revenue in any significant amount, so bitcoin can't grow much larger unless it embraces KYC (which the Church of Bitcoin clearly doesn't). And therefore IMHO there is no bitcoin endgame other than where we currently are. I believe we are living in an abnormal period of laxity.

I"m about to run off and I won't see the replies to this for hours, so don't expect me to participate in the discussion right away.

BTW: I am libertarian, I believe in free markets, I like power in the hands of the people, I hate the fact that governments are necessary, and I love free speech. But also I think I'm pragmatic and realistic.

Emperor Kuzco 10mo ago

I believe that none of the options are true and that government begins at personal security while you are away from home so your wife doesn't get killed and your dog not raped.

If you trust someone enough to do a job for you, you are probably in the process of forming a company (employer) or a government (civil service). Creating a security detail amongst neighbors is creating a militia. Businesses and government will probably always be present no matter what utopia people believe they live in.

My point is that the government is suppose to be small and by The People, for The People.

Now for the monetary system, I believe it too needs to be formed by The People, for The People and not some third party private corporation dictating the scam of massive taxes.

Credit and blips in a banks computer can be easily taken away whereas Bitcoin is much more difficult. Bitcoin has a sort of sudo transparency on the network because all transaction are transparent but the wallets don't really have names on them. Keep in mind that anything else on a network will display curtain characteristics (shit can't think of the word I'm looking for).

Anywho, Bitcoin does appear to solve many problems in our current monetary system but like many solutions it comes with it's own set of problem.

I believe that Bitcoin is for everyone including businesses and governments. I believe we will not truly understand Bitcoin until the HODLers begin moving and using Bitcoin in a fluid manner. I believe we are still in a collection phase.

NOTE: I'm just a retard.

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Discussion

Mike Dilger ☑️ 10mo ago

I agree bitcoin is a far better system. I want that system to replace the money printing, and the copy-your-credit-card-number bullshit. But if it stands in opposition to government funding it is doomed. So I just wonder how to strike a balance that works.

From the top down, the world is anarchic. But most of us live in bohemeth nation states. I'd prefer to have a small and highly engaged community that self defends, but I think the larger structures of power do not like such things (Texas may be the exception).