Bitcoin is difficult to grasp. As with most people, you may come across it a few times in the span of several years till you finally decide you want to understand it. Then starts a humbling process during which you learn that Bitcoin is “a different beast”. That understanding it from the principals which you thought were universally true may not work. That Bitcoin provides a new framework – a Paradigm – to look at the world. That Bitcoin, slowly but surely, is replacing your present framework with this new framework of the world.
Learning about Bitcoin can be, at times, rather overwhelming. This happens to all of us. Understanding Bitcoin requires some level of openness to new ideas. It requires reflection on things that seem so obvious you didn’t bother thinking about. It requires an understanding that Bitcoin does not fit into the present framework of the world.
People think in boxes. If you hear something new, you will put it in a box. Bitcoin does not fit into any of the existing boxes. As a consequence, Bitcoin ends up in the incorrect box. The box of “ponzi scheme”. The box of “bad for the environment”. The box of “money used by criminals”. And, my personal favorite, the box of “solution looking for a problem”. At best, Bitcoin lands in the box of “interesting, will look at it later”. Bitcoin can sit idle with a person in such a box for many years.
During this time, people do not progress in their understanding of Bitcoin. Even the best article, video, argument, conversation with a friend…..it will not assist in a better understanding of Bitcoin because it cannot land in the correct box.
The reason there is no matching “Bitcoin box” in the legacy framework is that Bitcoin is a framework by itself. Bitcoin is a Paradigm.
Paradigm
Broadly, the word Paradigm has two meanings.
Paradigm as Perfect Example. Bitcoin The Paradigm will focus on the practical use of Bitcoin as Perfect Example of Money. Bitcoin The Paradigm will take you by the hand on your journey to learn about Bitcoin as Money.
Paradigm as Framework to understand the world. Bitcoin The Paradigm will use Bitcoin as Framework to look at the world. Because Bitcoin is more than Money. Bitcoin is a Paradigm. Bitcoin as Paradigm.