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Yeah, the beginning is already a great example of just reading into something what you want to read:
Bitcoin is for enemies. They say this. Seriously. Look it up.
It's an article for a specific audience. I feel bad for the little attention I paid to it. Even though I guess we should be aware of how bitcoin is portrayed by our "enemies."
Propagandists be propagating.
At least his bio is funny:
Ex-tech exec, now a reluctant Cassandra. Deeply unfashionable. Penning dispatches from democracy's peril at notesfromthecircus.com. 2+2=4, even when power insists otherwise.
And it reminded me why I don't describe myself in my bio or here. I’ve read so many bios I can’t take seriously that I feel like, no matter what I write in my own bio, other people will feel the same about it.
I’m probably overthinking it, but that is definitely me.
I remember Jack D saying on Nostr in the early days that the bigger the bio, the less trustworthy the npub, or something along those lines
Funny because Brock worked for Jack D. Actually was in charge of adding Bitcoin purchasing to Cash App IIRC.
If only the reverse were true lol
Interesting
you aren't overthinking. I've always liked your about page.
bios are hard. The temptation to be self-important is real.
Thank you, my insecurity appreciates you.
Now I think we’re both overthinking haha
If you think I misunderstand that it is a rhetorical flourish to a dry game theory in the protocol, then let me disabuse you of that notion. And then I will go one step further and suggest to you and everyone reading that therein lies the point. One you have not gotten. -- MIke Brock
The game theory (of incentivized hash chains with eventual consistency, aka chained proof-of-work) is indeed the enabler of "Bitcoin is for enemies", but this is not rhetorical: it is a design principle before anything else, one that results in permissionless participation.
Of course Bitcoin is for friends in your usage. There is a very strong tendency in some very loud Bitcoin circles to turn every catchy little thing into hyperbole. The enemies thing in reality doesn't have anything to do with your interactions using Bitcoin; it's just the safeguard that you and your friends can do what you want, because so can your enemies.
Bottom line, "Bitcoin is for enemies" means "No gatekeepers". If you want to argue for gatekeepers in Bitcoin, then yeah, you'll have a really hard time, at least in my circles. Or if you want to argue that there in fact are gatekeepers in Bitcoin right now, just point them out, and we can have a super fun time to undermine them. Let's go.
Merry Christmas, Mike.
He completely misses the meaning of "Bitcoin is for enemies", but that makes sense if you're neck-deep in politics. He should have read #1254359!