Bitcoin’s Wall’d Garden with Eric Wall - WBD644

Eric Wall is a researcher and investor, and in this interview, we
discuss how Eric became a notable critical voice within the HEX
community, his ongoing fight with prominent Bitcoin maximalists,
and Taproot Wizards.


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What Bitcoin stands for and should be is a debate that has been
raging since 2009. Bitcoin’s unique characteristics have drawn
many people into its gravity. The realisation that its immaculate
conception may never be replicated has resulted in many of those
same people guarding Bitcoin’s development with uncompromising
zeal.


The result has been the rise of Bitcoin Maximalism. Maximalist
ideology can be a fuzzy concept: there are no clearly agreed
rules or principles; there have been various iterations with
different priorities over time. However, it is clearly
characterised by conservatism over the development of the
protocol, and intolerance for those with differing attitudes.


Nevertheless, that is not to say that Bitcoin development can
forever remain in stasis. There are and have been pressures
requiring upgrades both to the base layer, and in the development
of additional layers. This means there is always a creative
tension on what changes are required, and how quickly these need
to be implemented.


Further, as Bitcoin has no leader, it has engendered an ecosystem
where advocates organically emerge, who can gain traction and
have an outsized influence on the community. This creates further
tensions as Bitcoin’s purpose is being proselytized using
competing and sometimes muddied beliefs.


Thus, it is important that Bitcoiners enable an open dialogue
where all ideas are questioned, scrutinized and tested. And such
debates should be open to all Bitcoiners, without fear or favour
to any powerful interests. Is the question therefore how
intolerant we should be of those with differing views? And, can
we live without trolling, or is this a necessary defensive tool?