Hi Mochilles,

I have to be honest as well. I haven't read much here that comports with what your first sentence suggests. I don't see anyone here really talking about some sort of Utopian existence where "crypto runs the world." Instead, I see a great deal of conversation about how crypto can serve the world by meeting certain needs that are currently left unfulfilled by existing monetary schemes. Is there idealism here? Of course. There are few people willing to invest this level of time or effort into any enterprise that fails to inspire at least a certain level of idealism. However, there is a marked difference between being reasonably idealistic and succumbing to a Pollyannish worldview. I see little of the latter.

The main disconnect I see in your post is the emphasis on just the technology, and I can understand that. The technology is a common focus for many who are interested in crypto. Still, that techno-centric emphasis often misses the mark when it comes to the long-term importance of the technology itself. Yes, technological innovations are critical, but is it not equally critical that those innovations actually serve a purpose? While DNotes is presently playing its cards close to the vest where specific technology plans are concerned, that does not mean that discussions about how the currency can potentially benefit people are in any way a "circlejerk" (I do have to give you credit for using colorful, though somewhat cringe-worthy, imagery).

Finally, I have to take issue with the use of the words "imaginary future" since the context in which you used them presumes that none of what is envisioned is actually realistic. What people like Alan Yong envision is not an imaginary future that cannot come to pass. It is instead an imagined future, and one that is eminently attainable. However, technology alone will not miraculously get us to that future, any more than the invention of the automobile automatically increased the mobility of human beings. To provide its intended benefits, technology must first be accepted and used.

What is easy to miss is that DNotes is currently and quite publicly focused on the people side of the human-tech connection. That doesn't mean that the technology is irrelevant or even just an afterthought. It is merely a reflection of the founders' unrelenting focus on how this technology can benefit people, and the steps needed to bring those potential benefits to fruition. The technology is but part of the story - and where mass acceptance and adoption are concerned, probably the least important part of the tale. As impressive as the technology that powers the internet might be, I think our appreciation of its value would be more than a little diminished were just a small portion of the population using it.

None of that is to suggest, however, that your concerns about the technology are unimportant. Those are all legitimate questions for anyone who is focused entirely on the technical aspects of crypto - though they could probably have been framed in a somewhat less condescending manner. Still, it is important to remember that the conversation you see here tends to revolve around long-term goals and potential precisely because the people involved in the conversation are interested in DNOTES' long-term vision, and in the real benefits that such a vision can provide for the world once it is fully achieved.

Good questions, though.