If Satoshi Returned
1565 sats \ 7 comments \ @kepford 19 Sep 2023 bitcoin
I often hear bitcoiners say if Satoshi returned he would be powerless to change bitcoin. That people would not defer to him. Of course I understand that Satoshi doesn't have special power technically and would just be another node on the network. Another developer who could fork bitcoin. I think bitcoiners overstate the case a bit here. Satoshi would have influence over people because most humans are easily influenced by reputation and personality. Here's my case. Even though Satoshi is missing people defer to his position or at least what they claim his position would be. Well, Satoshi meant this.. or that. What would Satoshi do? Think about how much influence Michael Saylor has. Matt Odell? Many others. I'm not saying if Satoshi came back and started shilling blockchain we'd all sell our bitcoin. I'm just saying he would have some influence. We don't need to overstate the case.
What do you think?
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862 sats \ 0 replies \ @jgbtc 19 Sep 2023
If he ever returns, I will assume he has been compromised and is working as an agent of the government.
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511 sats \ 0 replies \ @k00b 19 Sep 2023
You see this kind of dissonance in other communities. "Yes, such and such is always lurking and has their strong opinions, but there's nothing stopping you from doing xyz." ... as if their accumulated influence has no meaningful impact.
Influence is super powerful so it matters a lot when influencers are corrupt or egotistical or unwilling to admit they're wrong and often they're all three.
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19 sats \ 0 replies \ @DarthCoin 19 Sep 2023
We don't need to overstate the case.
Agreed. Good point.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @lightwalker 20 Sep 2023
If he would ever reappear, he would defy the very role of decentralization. There would be some, who would divert back from "don't trust, verify"
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford OP 19 Sep 2023
I should add that is he did return and hadn't lost his stash he'd have huge insentives to support the network.
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @Ge 19 Sep 2023
If he did return I think the protocol would be in trouble now ud have a head to cut off and if he started schilling etc could see alot of people abandon the network as a whole and just go about their lives probably take the sovereign route acquire some land and live peacefully not much would change just cut bitcoin out n go back to bartering and maybe some metals
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford OP 20 Sep 2023
The protocol would only be in trouble if the code was changed in negative way, node operators allowed him to sway them, or followed a fork. I think it wouldn't matter but there is none zero chance it would go poorly.
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