consensus? why?
Discussion
You could still ReplyGuy your way around using random keys and a variety of low powered devices or cloud micro services, even with a proof of work challenge. Consensus is also needed (of which machine learning could be one part of, message scoring, community reports, etc.) and would help mitigate the rest of the issue.
consensus is antithetical to the value proposition of nostr. consensus requires relays know of one another to be useful. the value of dumb relays it he ability to stand up a relay and post notes to it without any consensus requirements. Unless I am misunderstood ding you, this is akin to throwing the baby out with the bathwater. web of trust is the way forward, not trustlessness, social graphs are not finance.
sorry, bad autocorrect. misunderstanding*