So you're saying Bitcoin allows people to vote with their feet, so to speak, and removes government's coercive power.
I've thought a lot about government and political philosophy lately. Patrick Deneen's book "Why Liberalism Failed" pilled me (not sure what color lol), and I've been trying to work out what might be a just replacement for classical liberalism. So far I think the answer will involve trust, strong community, and subsidiarity.
I do not believe Bitcoin removes governments coercive power. Is there proof that the world’s most resourced nemesis could not destroy the blockchain? I do believe a growing group of likeminded thinkers sharing trust, community, and subsidiarity might be a foe to that institution, but whether they will become powerful enough to subsume the coercive powers of government itself remains to be seen.
#liberty #libertarian #asknostr
Related to that, it seems to me the biggest weakness of Bitcoin is that it is not a tangible asset. Bitcoins exists purely in digital space, which is removed from the physical reality in which we daily live and move. It appears to be a good digital solution for a digital world, but I'm not sure it's the end-all and be-all.
Decentralizing the Internet makes it harder to control, but that doesn't stop a jack-booted thug from knocking on your physical door.
#asknostr #bitcoin
There's a tangential question here about what sort of reality the digital space actually possesses, but that's a different discussion for a different time
This question is actually at the core of what Bitcoin had to solve
Bitcoin's greatest strength is that it's not physical! It makes it impossible (or very difficult) to steal except for the $5 wrench attack (probably up to $20 due to inflation 😂).
I agree that strong community is a huge part of the solution. But trust is earned and a system that is easily corrupted is not to be trusted (ever).
I think liberalism failed because the US Constitution and other documents designed to restrain government power have no teeth. At some point, the system has become overly abusive and the people in charge have no consequences for becoming tyrannical. I think public hanging of any politician or bureaucrat who proposes a law or edict that violates the clear limitations on the government is one such solution. The threat of violence by THE PEOPLE should be clearly articulated by the founding documents! This is how the US was founded... self-defense against tyranny.
Deneen's argument is that liberalism is based on radical individualism. When you pursue that to it's end, you sever yourself from all historical and social support structures, and as a result you end up depending on a totalizing state to provide for your needs.
I appreciate the friendly community and the value for value economy being built on Nostr, it seems like the start of building a system of trust between individuals that isn't mediated by government.
