Bitcoin and the Bitcoin protocol are based on the simple idea of creating a better financial system than legacy economic systems. Bitcoiners have a saying that states, “came for the money, stayed for the idea” Bitcoin could be analogous to today’s One Ring (from Lord of the Rings). The Bitcoin protocol proposes incentives to participate, and it creates resources that help the Bitcoiners’ secret society grow. The more the network grows, the more resources are available to continue executing the Bitcoin ideas.
What makes society a secret one?
Historically, secret societies have existed as myths, stories, or legends. Humanity has always been obsessed with stories about groups of people using their time, resources, and sometimes powers to control civilizations and the whole world. History has many stories regarding Illuminati, Templars, Mormons, etc. Modern culture creates new interpretations in the form of movies and books filled with mystics and powers that either scare or excite us.
But what makes society a secret one? According to Wikipedia, a secret society is an organization whose actions, membership, and functioning are concealed. The term generally excludes covert groups (e.g., an intelligence agency, guerilla warfare insurgency). These groups hide their activities, yet they have a public presence.
When defining society, it is necessary to define its key elements. Generally, each society, including the secret ones has the following elements:
- Purpose, goal, or idea
- Leader
- Members of the society
- Agenda and plan defined by the society’s leadership and providing orders or instructions to the society’s members
- Resources used by the society to achieve goals as a result of planned actions execution.
But secret societies have one important ingredient that distinguishes them from all other groups. This is secrecy from people who are not members of society. It ensures that no other societies or groups interrupt the process of reaching the goal. Let’s not forget those secret societies could be good or evil, depending on the goals and ideals that unite their members.
Despite the influence of the film industry, not all secret societies carry bad intentions.
What are the weak points of secret societies 1.0?
3 main weak points are associated with secret societies, including dependence on a leader, communication issues, and dependence on resources.
- Having a leader is a weak point because leaders may not perform well. Moreover, if the leader is identified by other groups, then the society will no longer be a secret one and may stop working on achieving their goals.
- Members of the society should receive orders or instructions to start acting on achieving the defined goals. Communication between leaders and members or between members could be intercepted, lost, or changed. Also, members should meet somewhere and should know each other to execute orders or instructions.
- Resources are needed for society to function. Most societies should have resources in the form of money, power, and time to operate. In any group, regardless of whether or not the society is a secret one, everything needs resources or energy, which are usually limited.
Digital Age Illuminati 2.0
As we’ve discussed the characteristics and pitfalls of secret societies, the question is if any possible solutions can help improve their functioning. And the answer is yes. Bitcoin can become the secret sauce that can benefit society.
Bitcoiners have a saying that states, “came for the money, stayed for the idea.” The bitcoin protocol is based on a simple idea of creating a financial system that is better than legacy economic systems, which work on the principle of “privatize the gains and socialize the losses.”
We observe that starting from the 1970s, people operate their lives at 5-20%+ (inflation) loss every year depending on which economy they are living in – developed or developing. Now, for the first time in modern history, people have many financial systems to choose from or at least the possibility to evaluate them.
Because the Bitcoin protocol proposes incentives to participate, it creates resources that help the Bitcoiners’ secret society to grow, develop, and operate. The more the network grows, the more resources are available to continue executing the Bitcoin ideas. If a person owns Bitcoin, eventually, they start to use their own time and resources to promote this idea as a better way to organize the society.
One protocol to rule them all
Such a protocol could be analogous to the One Ring (from Lord of the Rings) of today.
Bitcoin protocol in the foundation has a solution for Byzantine Generals problem, which helps organize people in a completely new way. Members of the blockchain network, such as Bitcoin, don’t need to know each other to interact.
As Churchill said, “the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried.” Then – “Cryptocurrency may be the worst form of money except for all the others that have been tried” – Taylor Pearson (@TaylorP)
Please read the full article “Why Is Bitcoin Valuable?” here
First time in history, people can interact with each other, for instance, pay for the services provided or exchange currency, without a trusted third party (like a bank, for example).
Unlike many of the existing societies, the Bitcoin society doesn’t need a leader as people there are already united by the idea. Bitcoin and blockchain were introduced by a person or group of people known as Satoshi Nakomoto. Bitcoin was publicly launched in 2009, and then Satoshi Nakomoto went dark in 2011. As a result, Bitcoin doesn’t have a leader and don’t need one because of the idea of decentralization, which distributes power from centralized entities to the people on the edges.
Bitcoin’s protocol consensus is the law, and only an absolute majority can make improvements to the protocol, so no single person can change its rules. The development of the protocol is driven by the community, which is better than any centralized governance system.
The king is superior to the pawn, but cannot follow the move if he is surrounded. This is the strength of community.
“First Rule of business, protect your investment.” – Etiquette of Banker 1775
What makes Bitcoin an even more exciting society is its simultaneous secrecy and openness. Bitcoiners are everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
One can never tell if the person owns Bitcoin. Still, they can be sure that the person will consciously or unconsciously protect the protocol and evangelize the idea of Bitcoin as an alternative to the flows of the existing financial system. Look at the US Senators or Government officials in your country: how many of them own Bitcoin? You don’t know. No one knows, but trust me, there are. And once they get into the Bitcoin idea, they will use their power, time, and resources to promote it and protect it as much as possible. And that’s what’s happening on all levels of modern society and in all countries. Slowly but surely.
Bitcoin’s “secret ingredient” for a perfect secret society
Blockchain can be compared to a secret service: everything works, but no one can see it.
The most fascinating thing about Bitcoin as a secret society, besides everything described above, is how the great idea of a better future for humanity unites people. Despite the tension and never-ending disputes about Bitcoin versus other blockchain projects on Twitter, Bitcoin clearly shows that people can work together, leaving behind their political views, cultural differences, race, religion, or wealth inequality. At least, they can accept that people may have different opinions and, in general, all people are different.
This is what humanity has been missing for so long – the more significant idea. You can take two random Bitcoiners and they will break bread and have a good chat together, despite all the differences. It happens because any blockchain project’s success is good for the industry and humanity.
However, while Bitcoin has no effect on your political views, lifestyle or religion, one thing it does change once and for all is the desire for a better future (Elon Mask is also doing a great job with SpaceX and the Mars mission as an example of a Greater idea). After all, once you’ve learned the ins and outs of blockchain, no one wants to go back. And therein lies the power of the “Bitcoin – the king of the Secret Society 2.0”.
If you want to know more about the significance of Blockchain technology and Bitcoin for modern society, please check the following video with Naval Ravikant (founder of AngelList).
Disclaimer 1: Bitcoiner here is the person who shares the idea of a new and better approach to organizing money and society using blockchain technology.
Disclaimer 2: This is not financial advice in any sense.
Disclaimer 3: The author is a Bitcoin hodler.
