Lottery is a lottery.
I don’t see how any of this is magical thinking.
If you value adding hash to the network then it’s worth it.
Discussion
If you're solo mining and never mine a block, are you really adding anything to the network?
Only indirectly because you are learning about mining. Unless you’re attached to a pool then the hash evaporates. Still, the knowledge is worthwhile.
If all the large minors evaporated the network would be secured by the node runners and the solo minors would take the hash.
The point I see is that the Bitcoin network will live on and organically spread.
The more it’s spread out the healthier the network becomes imo
nah man, solutions are solutions, one CAN have one just one is UNLIKELY to get one
but as we have amply seen, some HAVE got one, so it's post facto, in other words, yes, you are helping the network be more secure, even if it's equal to taking a piss one time under a tree at a community orange grove
yes, you are adding hash power, even if it's a piss
it's magical thinking to take seriously the idea that you are in any way likely to win a block mining solo with one of the smallest miners currently deployed on the network
but it can happen, and it's not magical thinking to just run one for the lulz
that's the main product of solo mining: lulz
it does help secure the network though, about 0.00000001% more security