Seriously, Let's Not Pay People To Maintain Bitcoin.
Think about why most of us got involved in the first place. It wasn't for a paycheck, but because we saw something fundamentally broken with the current system, and Bitcoin offered a way out - a way to take control and avoid reliance on banks and governments. That's the revolutionary idea, and it needs to be driven by passion.
I keep picturing this scenario: You're trying to explain Bitcoin to a friend, getting them set up with a wallet, showing them how to actually own their money. Are you expecting a fee for that? No way! You're doing it because you believe in it. You want others to benefit from it.
But what if you're getting $10,000 a month from BlackRock to "educate" people about Bitcoin? Things get messy fast. You get a nice place, start a family that depends on you, and suddenly you're worrying about keeping that money coming. Your incentives change.
Now BlackRock casually suggests pushing their ETF instead of explaining self custody? Are you going to risk your livelihood by telling them to GFY? I know many of us would do exactly that because we have principles. But, the sad fact is, most people don't.
Consider this: Someone with principles would immediately tell BlackRock they can pay them, but they won't never compromise on how they teach Bitcoin. BlackRock knows this, which is why they wouldn't offer you a bribe in the first place. Instead, they'll find the weak individuals willing to trade their integrity for a paycheck.
This alone should make us question anyone with external funding currently working on Bitcoin Core.
Moreover, Bitcoin isn't a constantly breaking machine that requires a team of full time mechanics. We don't need to keep adding features just for the sake of it. Many changes in recent years feel like forced attempts by individuals to justify their existence and feed their egos. There are not serving Bitcoin, but serving themselves.
What we should be doing is letting Bitcoin slowly ossify. Let's focus on making it rock-solid, secure, and ensure that non monetary transaction have a hard time on our chain of hope.
Yes quantum computers might become a real threat, thus people we will work on that. They'll work on it because they have to, because their Bitcoin is at stake. They won't need to be paid. And once that is fixed, and new issues emerge, people will do only what's absolutely necessary to keep Bitcoin up to date. They won't sit around accepting bribes or constantly seeking changes to satisfy their sponsors. That's unacceptable.
The revolution won't be funded by Wall Street. It'll be built by the people who believe in it, who understand it, and who are willing to defend it - not for a bribe/paycheck, but for a better future.
