The problem with bitcoin is not with the technology itself, but with people. Because the problem lies with people, "government" in particular, there IS no remedy. So long as people kowtow to the tyrants and choose corruption over honor, we humans will cotinue to have the sort of chicanery from which we now suffer daily and in ever growing measure.
Bitcoin is weak NOT because of bitcoin's inherent design, but because the entire class of such solutions cannot sail beyond the metes and bounds of human corruption.
That said, if ALL governance could be reliably put into the hands of an AI, and assuming said AI was sufficient in its knowledge, intent, and all other relevant capacities, AND it acted perfectly pursuant to proper human freedom, keeping its silicon nose out of your business, specifically your financial and other transactions in this case, then bitcoin would be strong... and irrelevant. The whole purpose of BC is to circumvent tyranny, but it cannot because it operates in a context that is controlled by tyrants who have the defacto power to alter the rules to suit their whim.The network is the lifeblood of what I will here call the "bitcoin class". And who controls the network? Themme. Therefore, if and when Theye see fit to hamstring bitcoin transactions, it is as good as done. It is possible that certain policy and technological changes would be required, but make no mistake about it that those changes are readily made. I know this because I was up to my eyeballs in network engineering for long years with the telecoms, and have forgotten more about this sort of thing than most people will ever know.
This situation is what we shall characterize as the house having the deck stacked in its favor. The AI solution, were it practicable, might remove the relevant issues from human hands, thereby placing them beyond the reach of human corruption, once again obviating BC, though it might still prove convenient as a way of processing transactions, even if the security would be no longer necessary as a part of bitcoin persé. The security would likely be better placed under the direct auspices of the AI. But the privacy/freedom/rights issue would be rendered moot, all else equal.
Well, we don't have an AI that can do this, nor would I ever trust one to have my naughty bits in its hands, so we're back to all-too-fallible humans. Until human beings pop their heads from their backsides and decide they are going to be better men and women, nothing is going to change, save that we continue on the merry stride down the death spiral. I wish things were better than this, but they are not. WE are the problem, and only WE are the solution. We've foisted all this nonsense upon ourselves by allowing a tiny minority of well-motivated and well-heeled jerks steal away our liberties, the truth of which openly reveals our individual corruptions. I maintain that we should begin with mass civil disobedience while simultaneously endeavoring to educate ourselves on the basics of Proper Human Relations, all the while screwing up our courage for the fights that such choices must perforce invite. We must be ready and willing to kill and possibly be killed for the sake of those liberties. This is what the 3% were all about. They were afraid as are we, but they fought anyway. That is called courage and I will never forget those men and women for the good they did in the face of overwhelming odds and the 97% who sat on their fat asses, fenceposts firmly inserted.
Looking to tech such as the bitcoin class is folly of the first order. It is a nice-to-have solution that, in the face of bettered humanity, approaches irrelevance. We are the seat of all human troubles, save those few extraordinary accidents of men and nature that occasionally wreak havoc... tsunamis, building fires, and the like.
We're in the shape we're in because we don't want to do what is required to improve our predicament. We want "freedom" (what we envision it to be, which is weak tea in the case of most people), but are unwilling to do that which is necessary to get it and keep it, the latter being the more difficult task.
Well, we don't have an AI that can do this, nor would I ever trust one to have my naughty bits in its hands, so we're back to all-too-fallible humans. Until human beings pop their heads from their backsides and decide they are going to be better men and women, nothing is going to change, save that we continue on the merry stride down the death spiral. I wish things were better than this, but they are not. WE are the problem, and only WE are the solution. We've foisted all this nonsense upon ourselves by allowing a tiny minority of well-motivated and well-heeled jerks steal away our liberties, the truth of which openly reveals our individual corruptions. I maintain that we should begin with mass civil disobedience while simultaneously endeavoring to educate ourselves on the basics of Proper Human Relations, all the while screwing up our courage for the fights that such choices must perforce invite. We must be ready and willing to kill and possibly be killed for the sake of those liberties. This is what the 3% were all about. They were afraid as are we, but they fought anyway. That is called courage and I will never forget those men and women for the good they did in the face of overwhelming odds and the 97% who sat on their fat asses, fenceposts firmly inserted.
Looking to tech such as the bitcoin class is folly of the first order. It is a nice-to-have solution that, in the face of bettered humanity, approaches irrelevance. We are the seat of all human troubles, save those few extraordinary accidents of men and nature that occasionally wreak havoc... tsunamis, building fires, and the like.
We're in the shape we're in because we don't want to do what is required to improve our predicament. We want "freedom" (what we envision it to be, which is weak tea in the case of most people), but are unwilling to do that which is necessary to get it and keep it, the latter being the more difficult task.
Without an alteration in our attitudes toward that of utter, and dare I say potentially VIOLENT intolerance for trespass of any form, in any degree, at any time, for any reason, we remain in a state of screwèdness.
The bitcoin class solutions are just more shiny objects dangled before men's eyes to distract them from the deeper and more important issues tat invariably revolve around and depend upon a better class of human being as the norm. Thus far, precious few of us want to become that better class, and so here we are, flailing our arms wildly as we proclaim this new technology, or that, as the new wave of human salvation. It is all a very sick and sad joke that causes us to dishonor ourselves, our children, our posterity, and everything that is good between men.
Until we decide to change, you can wave all the trinkets you like before the world. It will render us little improvement, if any, and the varlets will always find ways around those obstacles.
Until next time, please accept my best wishes.
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