Are Bitcoin Ordinals a waste of space?

in HODL3 months ago (edited)

Bitcoin, Freedom and Ordinals

  • The controversey as I understand it, is that some people feel Ordinals are a waste of space.
  • Some people feel Bitcoin is a serious blockchain, only about transactions, not other uses.
  • People who feel any other use of Bitcoin are wasteful, will often be heard to say this:
    Bitcoin is a serious endeavor right, and these things are just silly...
  • I have seen those opinions and this is my reply.

  • But first, I must admit I had a good laugh when I heard the description of Bitcoin ordinals or Bitcoin Runes being a waste of space.
  • That is such a cryptocentric way to describe something.
  • In cryptocurrency blockchain terms, a block is a space, filled with records of transactions, the so called real business of the blockchain. Any other use of this space, which is looked down on, is considered a waste of space.
  • It's funny because it's like your conversing with a Frenchmen in English and you stop speaking English, to insult them in French, you make a point ofdevaluing them in French.
  • As here they don't just say it's wasteful, they say it's a waste of Space, as in Block Space, which is the most valuable commodity in cryptocurrency. So they have stopped speaking in plain English, to insult you in Crypto Language. Block chain, Block Time and Block Space are Crypto terms, so this statement Waste of Space is a Crypto Insult of pretty high magnitude.
  • I digress a Bit... LOL...Sorry...Pun intended ..I couldn't resist...

  • Back to Ordinals, Runes and Inscriptions... so many name, so lttle time...
  • I understand their feelings that Bitcoin is a "Serious" enterprise, which they feel should only be used for serious business. Which in their opinion is not inscriptions or similar other uses, which also happen to consume Block Space supply, and potentially raise demand and cost.
  • However a core tenet of Bitcoin is Freedom of transaction.
  • You can send Bitcoin to anyone, anywhere, anytime without asking for permission.
  • The payment is the message, and the message is the payment.
  • But the message can also be just a message, so the message can also be an inscription or an ordinal or a rune.
  • In my opinion, freedom of expression is just that, freedom of expression.
  • It must also extend to thoughts and ideas we may not like or we may think of as a waste of block space because that's called Freedom of Transaction. If you can pay the fee for Blockspace, you own the Block Space

  • Second, who decides it is a waste?
  • If they purchase the blockspace, it is their's to use, to convey a message, which may be an ordinal.
  • If I drive a Honda, and consider a BMW wasteful, people can listen to, and respect my decision, but also drive BMW. - And, as importantly, I too should respect their decision to drive a BMW, because it is an expression of their freedom to chose, so I feel I should respect that choice.

  • I say this fully understanding these are my thoughts, and I respect the right of others to feel differently, and express those different thoughts.

  • Third, and lastly, I would not support any efforts to restrict the freedoms of others to send ordinals, inscriptions or runes.
  • That is one of the beauties of Bitcoin, we can decide, whom we support, and if enough of us want to change the software we can create a blockchain which can fork off on it's own. And become a new chain.
  • This is how Bitcoin Cash was born.

  • And it's existence, separate and different from Bitcoin, is a beautiful tribute to Bitcoin working perfectly as it should work.

  • So as they say in American Urban Culture; Keep on, keeping on, as in continuing to make these items.
  • But more importantly I wish to say; your expression of freedom, reflects the blockchain's core value of freedom. So, we all are free, because you are free.

  • So next time you see someone feeling anxious about ordinals, please reassure them, that

...it's all good, in the neighborhood, all people on Bitcoin, want to be free

  • Smile

@shortsegments

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This is a interesting post because it doesn't address the technical aspects of ORdinals at all, it addresses the social media and blockchain affects of them, which is really what people want to talk about anyway.

The what, when and why are not needed, but the HOw DID it make you feel is the big question on peoples minds.

I was prepared to see an attack on ordinals as a waste of space and bitcoin.
But you reminded us to be the best versions of ourselves, not the petty, jealous versions we sometimes devolve into.

You remind us that this whole movement, as in in French, raison d'etre literally "reason for being," is about freedom, and we should it embrace it.

Bravo and well done.

I agree that some people felt that Ordinals were driving up transaction fees on the bitcoin blockchain with ordinals. thus costing them money.

Yes, this was definately an issue, which made them angry.

i think it made them angry.

Yes, definitely, angry.

I am glad you enjoyed the post, and the particular angle I chose to write it.
Any other thoughts on making the community more useful?

Yes, I purposely stayed away from the technical stuff and chose to explore the emotional side of the issue.
Somewhat more fun to explore emotions

I see your point, and it suggests hypocrisy is alive and well.

Exactly, I understand their anger over higher prices for transactions, but use of the blockchain is always a good thing, and supply and demand are always in play.

Yep. Sometimes it helps if others suttlily point it out

I liked the emotions of the post. We can explore the technology ourselves, but it's nice to think about the emotions behind the feelings.

I was trying for the emotion angle and how it effects our sense of reason