I just wrote up a whole essay about this great movie scene, my extended thoughts on this post, and bitcoin hipsterism at large. However, it was rambly and I'm not sure if anyone would have gotten anything out of it. That said, I'd love to share this clip with y'all as I think it may prove an interesting thought/discussion piece for those contemplating bitcoin hipsterism, either as an increasingly disillusioned practitioner or as an annoyed external observer.
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Like the hippies, there's definitely a feeling of energy and camaraderie among Bitcoiners that we're "on the right side of history", or whatever, and the element of passive resistance, suspicion of government power, and wanting to opt out of mainstream society.
But I think the similarities end there. I don't think hippies would have latched on to key bitcoin themes like hard money and individualistic notions of property rights.
To me, the significance of this clip doesn’t have anything to do with ideology. The significant thing is the “coming of age” type aspect of disillusionment. It’s that idea of being part of a movement…and then that movement ending. What do you do then? Was it all just a dream? It’s the moment that separates the hipsters from the true believers.
Good analysis, it does evoke that feeling.
More sensible and rational edition of the hippies
Granted, hippies didn’t have the same technological tools
Hippies wanted peace, love and a life without ties of capitalism. Already the bitcoiners… Well, they want to decentralize money, protect private property and make a financial system run without depending on politicians. If hippies wanted to escape to alternative communities, Bitcoiners want to redesign the economy so that no one has to "escape" at all.
And this is the big balcony: while the hippie movement was more about rejecting the system without a concrete plane, bitcoiners are building something new. Not only do they say "this is wrong," but they also have an alternative that can really work. That is, are they rebels? Yes. But rebels with a script and powerful technology in hand.
In the end, you can say that bitcoiners are 2.0 hippies - but instead of flowers and festivals, they have WhitePapers and digital wallets. 🌍💰
Yeah, I’m with you on the ideological (or lack thereof) parallels. I just thick were reaching that “high water mark” of the movement and a lot of people are about to get disillusioned and quit. Check out my response to @SimpleStacker above.
I love it! …albeit ironic coming from a profile named after Galt. ;)
True, the use of the name "Gall" is purposeful. He is almost a secret code, a mental snap, a bait for the onlookers. When someone releases this question, they are not expecting a direct answer. He is poking the "dormant", those who have not yet questioned the system, who have not yet realized that the game of life can be much more about merit, reason and freedom than to follow the flow.