As expected, the general reaction to the anecdote was shock and dismay. How disrespectful! How offensive! How blasphemous! That's right I used the B word. I imagine that some people felt that the developer should be burned at the stake.Roger: If Satoshi were here and he advocated a bigger block size, what would you do?
Developer of Core: Fuck Satoshi!
But, let's step back and consider what was said.
First, I was surprised that Roger, a staunch and outspoken voluntaryist, would actually stoop to an Appeal to Authority. That seems to conflict with what he advocates. Does Roger believe that Satoshi should be in charge of Bitcoin if they/she/he were around? Would Roger follow Satoshi blindly or expect others to follow Satoshi blindly? Does Roger assume that he knows what Satoshi thinks about Bitcoin? In short, What-Would-Satoshi-Do is not something that I would expect from Roger.
Second, I feel that "Fuck Satoshi!" is an appropriate, though crude, response to Roger's question. In my opinion, the disrespect contained in the response is not directed at Satoshi; rather, it is directed at Roger's incarnation and idolatry of Satoshi. These are some reasons why I agree with the developer's response:
- One cannot presume to know how Satoshi feels about the current state of Bitcoin. Regardless, Satoshi's opinion is irrelevant.
- One cannot presume to know Satoshi's "vision". Regardless, Satoshi's "vision" is irrelevant.
- One cannot presume that their interpretation of Satoshi's scripture is shared by everyone. Regardless, his scripture is irrelevant.
- By design, nobody is in charge of Bitcoin, not even Satoshi.
The world of Bitcoin is the result of work done by hundreds of people, and the contribution by Satoshi grows smaller every day. I hope that doesn't bother you.