Cryptocurrencies are Science Fiction!
cryptocurrency·@denmarkguy·
0.000 HBDCryptocurrencies are Science Fiction!
<html> <p>Mrs. Denmarkguy and I have lots of weird conversations out on our back porch. You see, she's a smoker who hates the smell of smoke, so she only smokes <em>outside</em>-- as a result of which we take "smoke breaks" together, about 6-7 times a day. </p> <p> <div class="pull-left"> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/fb5464bd43.jpg" alt="FallLeaves" /><br /> <em>Lacy ornamental maple in fall</em></p> </div> </p> <p>Unlike many couples <em>(or so it seems)</em> we actually really <em>like</em> each other and spend hours in conversation, every day. It's part of our daily routine, since we enjoy the relative "luxury" of both being self-employed, and working from home much of the time.</p> <p>Mrs. Denmarkguy knows that I am now blogging on Steemit, and we've both been trying to learn more about the whole cryptocurrency thing... of which we are actually <em>both</em> pretty ignorant.</p> <p>So over this morning's coffee we're briefly talking about Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies and the general process of taking new concepts from the realm of <em>"weird invention"</em> only a few people care about to general acceptance by the general population, and the <em>many years</em> it can take for a concept to gain traction.</p> <h2><em>Bitcoin = Science Fiction "Credits"</em></h2> <p>She looks at me sincerely and says <em>"Bitcoins are really not anything new. Science fiction has already been preparing the world for cryptocurrencies for decades. Think about all those sci-fi movies and shows we've been watching since the 60's and 70's where heroes and villains book passage on spaceships using these unseen 'credits' to pay for the fare. This is the exact same thing, brought to life."</em></p> <p>Of course, this is probably not a new thought... but it <em>did </em>get me to pause and think about the way science fiction writers often turn out to be the "<em>non-technological visionaries</em>" of the future. They<em> "see"</em> or <em>"imagine"</em> things in their mind's eye and write them into stories and movie scripts <em>long before</em> the supporting technology actually exists... and years later, variations of those same things become part of our daily lives.</p> <p> <div class="pull-right"> <p><img src="https://i.imgsafe.org/fb5452ca5a.jpg" alt="Forsythia" /><br /> <em>Forsythia in bloom, in our yard, right now</em></p> </div> </p> <h2><em>Think about it...</em></h2> <p>What is a microwave oven but a variation of the sci-fi movie <em>"put some wrapped cubes in a box, press a button, and a steaming hot meal comes out?"</em></p> <p>What is a smartphone with add-on apps but a version of the Star Trek<em> "tricorder?"</em></p> <p>What is an industrial laser or a laser targeting system but a variation on old science fiction <em>"ray guns?"</em></p> <p>And so, what are Bitcoins but a later interpretation of these never seen <em>"Credits"</em> used to book passage on a starship?</p> <h2><em>Imagine THIS:</em></h2> <p>Kinda made me sit and ponder whether the enigmatic<em> "Satoshi Nakamoto"</em> was catching up with a favorite sci-fi show, watched someone transfer "credits" to get a meal and started thinking <em>"How would that actually have to WORK, to become a reality here in our world?"</em></p> <p>And next thing you know, Bitcoin came into existence.</p> <p>This is, of course, all <em>pure speculation</em>... any resemblance to reality is purely coincidental! But it's still fun to think about. </p> <p>What do <em>YOU</em> think? Are (some?) science fiction writers "visionaries" who dream up things for our lives, before we have the technology or resources to create the reality? Are cryptocurrencies just the "real world" manifestation of the science fiction "credits" we've seen on TV for decades? Can you think of other examples where science fiction "led" technological advancements? Leave a comment and start the discussion!</p> <p><em>This post was in part inspired by @stephenkendal's recent explorations of the blockhain merely being a variation of old database technology.</em></p> <p><em>(As usual, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise creadited. This post is original content created expressly for Steemit)</em></p> </html>
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