Bitcoin Is Full of Surprises
Bitcoin has been embraced by many individuals with strong right-leaning views on freedom, property rights, and self-sovereignty. Among left-leaning progressives, Bitcoin is often quickly dismissed as irrelevant or a major source of carbon emissions. Bitcoin seems, however, to be full of surprises. A...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-05-01
|
| Series: | Challenges |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/14/2/27 |
| _version_ | 1797595561717661696 |
|---|---|
| author | Murray A. Rudd |
| author_facet | Murray A. Rudd |
| author_sort | Murray A. Rudd |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Bitcoin has been embraced by many individuals with strong right-leaning views on freedom, property rights, and self-sovereignty. Among left-leaning progressives, Bitcoin is often quickly dismissed as irrelevant or a major source of carbon emissions. Bitcoin seems, however, to be full of surprises. A rapidly advancing body of anecdotal evidence suggests that its adoption may affect causes important to progressives, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, accelerating electrification of economies, alleviating poverty, and supporting human rights for people living under political repression, even though scientific confirmation is lagging. In this paper, I highlight how a Pragmatist perspective can be applied to Bitcoin, a technological and financial innovation that may well reshape how humans perceive and use money, preserve wealth, and structure governance. I first cover Bitcoin’s technological and financial fundamentals and some core concepts of Pragmatism, before outlining how Bitcoin might surprise progressives. Pragmatism offers a philosophical and political grounding for left-leaning “progressive Bitcoiners” who prioritize environmental and social well-being and view inclusive deliberative democracy as the preferred form of governance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:39:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e3f0e6da6ac14e079bf0eac0e0e5fd2b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2078-1547 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:39:17Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Challenges |
| spelling | doaj.art-e3f0e6da6ac14e079bf0eac0e0e5fd2b2023-11-18T09:44:55ZengMDPI AGChallenges2078-15472023-05-011422710.3390/challe14020027Bitcoin Is Full of SurprisesMurray A. Rudd0Satoshi Action Education, Portland, OR 97214, USABitcoin has been embraced by many individuals with strong right-leaning views on freedom, property rights, and self-sovereignty. Among left-leaning progressives, Bitcoin is often quickly dismissed as irrelevant or a major source of carbon emissions. Bitcoin seems, however, to be full of surprises. A rapidly advancing body of anecdotal evidence suggests that its adoption may affect causes important to progressives, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, accelerating electrification of economies, alleviating poverty, and supporting human rights for people living under political repression, even though scientific confirmation is lagging. In this paper, I highlight how a Pragmatist perspective can be applied to Bitcoin, a technological and financial innovation that may well reshape how humans perceive and use money, preserve wealth, and structure governance. I first cover Bitcoin’s technological and financial fundamentals and some core concepts of Pragmatism, before outlining how Bitcoin might surprise progressives. Pragmatism offers a philosophical and political grounding for left-leaning “progressive Bitcoiners” who prioritize environmental and social well-being and view inclusive deliberative democracy as the preferred form of governance.https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/14/2/27Bitcoindeliberative democracynarrativesPragmatismpublic policy |
| spellingShingle | Murray A. Rudd Bitcoin Is Full of Surprises Challenges Bitcoin deliberative democracy narratives Pragmatism public policy |
| title | Bitcoin Is Full of Surprises |
| title_full | Bitcoin Is Full of Surprises |
| title_fullStr | Bitcoin Is Full of Surprises |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bitcoin Is Full of Surprises |
| title_short | Bitcoin Is Full of Surprises |
| title_sort | bitcoin is full of surprises |
| topic | Bitcoin deliberative democracy narratives Pragmatism public policy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/14/2/27 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT murrayarudd bitcoinisfullofsurprises |