trust > love (why we need trustless systems)
I've been thinking a lot about trust for over a year now, and after much contemplation and reflection, I've come to the conclusion that I believe in trust more than anything else, even love. People often think that love is universal and the most important element in relationships, but I feel like trust is the main culprit disguised as love. It is trust that forms the foundation upon which love is built. Trust has both created and crumbled great civilizations throughout history. It is the sole reason we all exist in a cohesive society. Trust is the bedrock of all relationships, especially in the financial world, where trust is paramount. However, establishing trust or proving oneself trustworthy is a complex and intricate process. Trusting another human being is far more complicated than we often realize. We've experienced trust in various ways, and that's why we have created institutions to manage it. But these institutions are run by... people?! Well, we all know what happened in 2008. The financial crisis of 2008 highlighted the flaws in human-managed systems of trust, the banks.
We inherently need something to trust, yet we often find ourselves refraining from doing so because of the complexities involved. That's why I think trustless systems, whether they be P2P distributed systems, blockchain technology, or Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs), are essential for the future of the internet. These technologies offer a new paradigm of trust. Blockchains, for example, provide a decentralized way to manage asset ownership without relying on a central authority, while ZKPs allow one to prove something without revealing any information about the statement itself. You see, trust minimisation is Bitcoin's main value. From Bitcoin to Zero Knowledge Proofs, the maxim stands true: trustless systems end up creating a culture of trust and trustworthiness because trust can only end where verification begins.
In the modern era, we live in a world where trust can be coded into algorithms and protocols. It can be computed to be true or false with mathematical certainty, enforced by powerful cryptographic encryptions that cement this trust. This shift towards trustless systems signifies a monumental change in how we perceive and establish trust, paving the way for a more secure and reliable future and that’s why I’m excited to build a trustless future for the internet.