SOB: A Brief Look at Bitcoin Maximalism
CoinDesk Podcast Network
CoinDesk
4.8 • 689 Ratings
🗓️ 13 February 2022
⏱️ 29 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
On this episode of Speaking of Bitcoin, join hosts Adam B. Levine, Andreas M. Antonopoulos, Stephanie Murphy and Jonathan Mohan for a discussion about the origins and evolution of Bitcoin maximalism.
This episode is sponsored by Nexo.io.
Bitcoin maximalists – the self-described pro-Bitcoin, anti-altcoin faithful – have been around for longer than most modern crypto projects. The term was coined by Vitalik Buterin prior to Ethereum's release. Buterin intended the term to be a direct criticism of individuals with an unwavering view that Bitcoin was the only true option for cryptographic token usecases.
In this episode as we explore the phenomenons' motivation and roots, we also draw from Speaking of Bitcoin's extensive library. It features the very first recorded explanation of why there should only be one cryptocurrency and why should be bitcoin as explained by Hashcash inventor and bitcoin developer Adam Back . That clip is excerpted from episode 33 (December 2013) before Adam became personally involved. It's a fascinating journey and one you won't want to miss.
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Credits
Today’s show featured Andreas M. Antonopoulos, Jonathan Mohan, Stephanie Murphy and Adam B. Levine, with editing by Adam B. Levine and music by Gurtybeats.com. Our episode art was created by Adam B. Levine/pixelmind.ai
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This episode of Speaking of Bitcoin on the Coin Desk Podcast Network is brought to you by nexo.io, |
| 0:06.2 | Ku-coin, and Defi Horace. |
| 0:08.6 | There used to be a time where you used to just say, I'm a bitcoiner in 2011 or 2012, |
| 0:14.5 | and it didn't matter who you met. |
| 0:17.0 | If they also said, I'm a bitcoiner, you could go out for dinner until three in the morning and have an amazing day. |
| 0:26.6 | Bitcoin maximalism. |
| 0:28.2 | It sounds a little ominous, but really it's just a way to think about the original cryptocurrency and how it fits into the big picture of what's become known as the crypto sector. |
| 0:36.3 | To some, it's said as an insult, while others |
| 0:38.6 | build it into their identity, proudly proclaiming the belief. On today's episode, we're going to |
| 0:43.1 | discuss the idea of Bitcoin maximalism and whether it's a cultural quirk that will fade with time, |
| 0:47.9 | or perhaps the way of the future. But before that, introductions. My name is Adam B. Levine, and this is speaking of Bitcoin. Today, as always, I'm joined by the other hosts of the show, Andreas M. Antonopoulos. |
| 0:58.1 | Hello. |
| 0:58.8 | Stephanie Murphy. |
| 0:59.7 | Hi. |
| 1:00.3 | And Jonathan Mohan. |
| 1:01.9 | Hey, hey. |
| 1:02.9 | So, folks, I think we all have a lot of thoughts about this. |
| 1:05.7 | It's a very interesting topic, something we haven't talked about actually in a really long time. But before we get into that, |
| 1:15.5 | Andreas, can you kind of help us define that a little bit better than I just did? How would you sort of characterize Bitcoin maximalism? I think it's useful to look at the history of this term, |
| 1:21.7 | because it was actually coined by Vitalik Beterne and used directly to criticize people who had that few. |
| 1:30.7 | Vitalik, who is the founder of Ethereum? |
| 1:33.1 | Yes. |
... |
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