Thought I had this morning:
Bitcoin is such a powerful technology and has so much potential for good that it gives many people a profound sense of meaning just to be involved in it.
I’m a believer in the idea that humans have a “God-shaped hole” inside of them, and in an increasingly secular society, they’ll naturally find alternatives to fill that hole. For some, this happens to be Bitcoin. They treat it like a secular religion. Look deeply and you’ll see parallels everywhere.
It’s a great thing that people are so passionate about Bitcoin and that it gives them meaning. But this dynamic also brings out some of the worst human tendencies that rise up with competing belief systems.
Ingroup/outgroup dynamics, social punishment for defectors, intolerance of opposing viewpoints…and perhaps most often— purity tests.
I’ve been seeing it on Twitter the last few days with Bruce Fenton going after
@jack.
I think it’s important to remember to have humility. You don’t get to judge who is or isn’t allowed to contribute to Bitcoin, and they don’t owe you any explanations. If you think you can gatekeep Bitcoin in any way, prepare to be humbled.
