It does have an effect on our ability to run nodes. We used to be able to use cheap raspberry pie to run nodes, they no longer work because of the spam on the network bloating the utxo set. Now we must purchase more expensive node hardware to run it.

Next up blow open the op_return data carrier limit.. And we will have to purchase even stronger node hardware or become obselete. Bitcoin essentially becomes impossible to verify and defend by the plebs. We leave node running to corpprations and miners who care only about short term profits. Byebye to the 21millions cap eventually, and we're back to the fiat system, bitcoin is dead.