Sunday’s Schizophrenization #0

Every Sunday morning, Sunday’s Schizophrenization.

Every Sunday morning, a touch of Schizophrenization

SCHIZOHIGHLIGHTS

Semiotic flashes: moments from social networks and personal considerations about stuff.

Bitcoin's a bit schizophrenic right now. It started as freedom money for cypherpunks to smash the central banking cartel. Now it's digital gold for governments and institutions powered by an army of greed-blinded prosperity gospel worshipers, still pretending to be freedom money.

It needs to pick a lane. Can't be both. Which one is Bitcoin to you?

by Joel Valenzuela

Bitcoin seems schizophrenic at the moment. It began as "freedom money" and has now morphed into "digital gold" for governments and financial institutions, as one user noted on X.

Indeed, this evolution is undeniable. What was born in the obscure recesses of the web, envisioned by anonymous hooded figures, is now a shining beacon for middle-aged men in suits dominating financial boardrooms. Bitcoin even became a topic of discussion during U.S. presidential debates.

Does this mean Bitcoin has betrayed its original ethos? For some—nostalgic cypherpunks—the answer is yes. For others, it doesn’t matter, as long as the dollar value keeps climbing. And still, others believe Bitcoin can simultaneously walk two parallel paths: freedom money for cypherpunks and digital gold for institutions & governments.

To me, all three statements are true. Bitcoin today is different from what it was yesterday, and tomorrow it will be something else entirely. Transforming—or better, evolving based on feedback—is inherent to cybernetic systems, and Bitcoin exemplifies this brilliantly. Its evolution, unpredictable as it may be, is inextricably tied to the evolution of Capital. Like humanity, Capital evolves alongside technology—or perhaps it’s technology that evolves alongside Capital and humans—flowing along the path of least resistance, like a river carving valleys under the pull of gravity.

In my view, Bitcoin today is a simulacrum: a simulation living for itself, made of images, symbols, and narratives. It exists in the world, thanks to its connection with global markets (i.e., part of humanity’s hive mind), yet remains separate from the world. It is a living organism; a biological-artificial node composed of people, finance, and technology, now existing for itself and its own self-reproduction.

Who can say where all this will lead? The path is uncharted. One thing is certain: Bitcoin's whitepaper is now just nostalgic scripture for orthodox dreamers. The narrative is ever-evolving.

ECHOES

Timeless reflections: philosophical, esoteric, and historical wisdoms that resonate into the present and beyond.

Three is the mystery, come from the great one

"Three is the mystery, come from the great one. Hear, and light on thee will dawn. In the primeval, dwell three unities. Other than these, none can exist. These are the equilibrium, source of creation: one God, one Truth, one Point of Freedom. Three come forth from the three of the balance: all life, all good, all power. Three are the qualities of God in his Light-home: Infinite power, Infinite Wisdom, Infinite Love."

— The Emerald Tablets of Thoth

RETROWAVE

Visions from the past: excerpts and visions from cypherpunk mailing lists and the writings of the Cybernetics Culture Research Unit. From 1992 to 2003.

A Trial Balloon to Ban Encryption?

Newsgroups: sci.crypt
Path: netcom.com!tcmay
From: tcmay@netcom.com (Timothy C. May)
Subject: A Trial Balloon to Ban Encryption?
Message-ID: <1992Oct26.180813.7002@netcom.com>
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services(408 241-9760 guest) 
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1992 18:08:13 GMT

Is there a trial balloon being floated to effectively ban encryption?

Noted an influential crypto advisor Dorothy Denning has apparently floated the idea of _public key registration_ in a paper or talk at the 15th Computer Security Conference in Baltimore, held recently. Discussion of this is in comp.risks ("RISKS"), so far, but certainly belongs in this group.

I posted a summary of this position to a private mailing list devoted to crypto issues and got a huge response of concerned folks. I don't understand why this is not a hot topic on sci.crypt, so I'll post something right now.

Here's my understanding of her proposal:

* Anyone using public key cryptography would be required to register the private key with the appropriate authorities, for example, the Justice Department.

* To head off the obvious concerns about the government routinely reading e-mail, financial dealings, etc., this registered key would be stored at an independent agency after first being encrypted with the _public key_ of Justice. (That is, the independent key storage agency would have an unusable key, so _they_ couldn't use it themselves.)

* To obtain a usable form of the private key, Justice would have to get a valid court order, go to the independent storage agency, present the order, pick up the key, open it with their own _private key_, and proceed to open mail, read communications, etc.

This is ostensibly the procedure now used for wiretaps.

But the effect on encryption would be chilling:

• Would greatly complicate the rapid changing of keys

• Would probably be a way to get "unlicensed" crypto programs off the market (e.g., don't think about using PGP 2.0, as the key registration authorities would either insist on another algorithm, or would send the "registration application" to, for example, RSA Data Security for legal action)

• Would undoubtedly require a "fee" (like a driver's license)

• Would interfere with the use of digital pseudonyms, anonymous nets (a la Chaum's "DC Net" proposal, which some of us are exploring now), and digital money

• Would establish the precedent that private communications are not legal, that copies of all private communications must be placed in escrow with the government

Registering keys is no different than, for example, requiring a permit for every public utterance or for registering typewriters, modems, computers, fax machines, and copiers. Or banning the use of sealed envelopes for mail. In Phil Zimmerman's great words, it would be like requiring all mail to be sent on postcards.

My suspicion, which Prof. Denning will presumably comment on if she's reading this, is that the government folks have come to understand the profound implications of modern crypto and are looking for approaches to head off the coming sea changes. Granted, there are serious national security threats in using modern crypto methods, but there are in any of the new technologies, such as those listed above.

Besides, does anyone think all keys will be registered? Hiding bits is a relatively easy thing to do. This key registration proposal is more odious than the "backdoors in telecom equipment" proposal discussed here recently.

Can we remain silent as our liberties are taken away? I think it was John Gilmore who said: "If encryption is outlawed, only outlaws will have encryption."

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DIGITAL GRIMOIRE

Digital security tactics: OpSec, Cybersec, OSINT, and AI tools to dominate the Digital Age.

Situational Awareness and Public Wi-Fi

It is always inadvisable to use public Wi-Fi, even for simple online browsing. But if you must, follow these easy step to avoid surveillance and hacking risks:

1. Ensure your OS and software are up-to-date

2. Disable automatic connections to unknown open networks

3. Avoid accessing sensitive services (e.g., social accounts, wallets) unless using a VPN

4. Opt for public Wi-Fi networks that cannot easily correlate to your activities

5. Choose locations without surveillance cameras

6. Pay in cash to avoid linking your session to your identity

Always remember that behind a public network there’s always a network admin that can spy on you.

SYMBOLS

Memes: visual symbols that decode the schizophrenia of the Digital Age.

SUBNET

Emerging voices: articles and contents handpicked by me to inspire and connect.

Surviving digital danger. As we've seen, the crypto space has evolved from digital dust-ups to real-world rampages. An interesting article that talks about the risks: “Your keys, your coins, your funeral. Are you ready to play Russian roulette with your digital fortune, or will you be the one to break the chain of crypto casualties?”

Artificial Blasphemy. A Swiss church has started using a hologram of Jesus Christ in its confessionals, brought to life and speaking with the faithful through generative artificial intelligence. Heresy? Blasphemy? Perhaps. Or perhaps this too is evolution. If Christ is within us, AI is outside of us, yet it represents us. Could there be a union between these two opposing poles Regardless, the faithful report being thrilled with the advice received from the hologram. The priests, however, warn: Don't share personal data with Jesus...

Return next week for another schizotechnic rendezvous.