This week we’ll witness a milestone for Bitcoin. This milestone is not some technical update or substantial change in the market. What it is, is a test of the ‘wet-ware’. It’s a test to see if the software and hardware of Bitcoin will be joined by the people of the Bitcoin community in defending the truth about Bitcoin.

Unlike code, people are fickle and tend to have a flexibility when it comes to boundaries and rules that software and hardware does not. We are capable of acting in contradictory ways, often guided by our own interests. Cooperation has been a glue of sorts that has regulated and guided our societies towards progress and enrichment. This interplay between self-interest and co-operation is always in flux. At various points in history, we have pulled towards one or the other. What is important though is that they both add value.

Self-interest, at its best, has taught us that personal responsibility and self-esteem are valuable. Where we are real with ourselves about both our own needs and intrinsic value we invite connection and dialogue.

Cooperation at its best has taught us that personal preferences can actually be leveraged in the form of specialisation. When we dedicate time and energy to something that creates value not just for ourselves but for others the net benefit is often greater than the sum of our individual contributions.

So what does this have to do with the current legal battles?

We believe these cases represent an opportunity for the Bitcoin community to harness both self-interest and cooperation in the name of integrity! Integrity that says, ‘the truth about Bitcoin matters’.

Without going into the weeds, Hodlonaut has on numerous occasions demonstrated a dedication to Bitcoin and the community it ultimately benefits. Integrity has guided his decision to take a stand that has a high likelihood of being personally costly. Integrity has also rallied many people from a variety of professions and levels of influence to contribute to and express support for the defence campaign.

The various legal cases Hodlonaut and others are caught up in are extremely heavy burdens to bear however they provide us all an opportunity to shoulder the load together.

Why?

• Because we know why Bitcoin matters.
• We know what it means for each of us individually.
• We know what it means for our societies and culture.

We have a rare opportunity to act both in our own self-interest as well as cooperatively by following the example of Hodlonaut and several other Bitcoin-core developers by making a stand for integrity. Where we do, we elevate the ‘wet-ware’ of Bitcoin towards the lofty heights already reached by its software and hardware.

At AmberApp we are doing our small part by donating to and supporting this defence fund* and we commend it to you wholeheartedly.

*AmberApp has provided financial support to the general defence fund and not any one case in particular.