"If you have this disconnect between Core devs that value one thing and the users that value something else, something's got to give at some point, right? Either you get developers that are more in line with the users or a lot of the other users kind of end up leaving and so on.
So this is not a trivial concern and it's a big attack
surface and we've seen it in these communities where a lot of this political stuff enters and then next thing you know it gets completely sort of subsumed by that movement, by institutional capture, if you will.
And that's not just true in open source software, it's true in every nonprofit organization and so on.
This is a big problem."
~ Jimmy Song

Jimmy Song joins me for a deep dive into one of the most heated topics in Bitcoin today - the debate around Bitcoin Core, the OP_RETURN controversy, and the growing cultural divide within Bitcoin development. We explore whether Bitcoin’s technical decisions have become political moves, and what “verify, don’t trust” really means when trust itself starts eroding.

We talk about Bitcoin’s identity crisis between innovation and ossification - should Bitcoin keep evolving with new toys, or hold the line and protect what already works? We cover everything from Taproot’s legacy to mining decentralization, censorship, left–right polarization in the dev community, and the spirit of cypherpunk independence.

Most importantly, Jimmy challenges us to think for ourselves - to stop being clones of whoever we agree with, and to test every assumption against reality. Because Bitcoin’s strength has never been in consensus for its own sake, but in the willingness to ask hard questions.

Check out our awesome sponsors!

Ledn: Need fiat but don’t want to sell your Bitcoin? Ledn offers secure, Bitcoin-backed loans with no credit checks, flexible repayment, and fast turnaround—often within 24 hours. With $10B+ in loans across 100+ countries and transparent Proof of Reserves, Ledn is a trusted option for unlocking liquidity without giving up your Bitcoin. (Link: https://learn.ledn.io/audible)
HRF: The Human Rights Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies. Subscribe to HRF's Financial Freedom Newsletter today. (Link: https://mailchi.mp/hrf.org/financial-freedom-newsletter)
OFF: The Oslo Freedom Forum is a global human rights event by the Human Rights Foundation (HRF), uniting voices from activism, journalism, tech, and beyond. Through powerful stories and collaboration, OFF advances freedom and human potential worldwide. Join us next June. (Link: https://oslofreedomforum.com/)
Pubky: Pubky is building the next web, a decentralized system designed to put control back in your hands. Escape censorship, algorithmic manipulation, and walled gardens by owning your identity and data. Explore the Pubky web and become the algorithm today. Don't forget to find me on my Pubky ID here: pk:5d7thwzkxx5mz6gk1f19wfyykr6nrwzaxri3io7ahejg1z74qngo. (Link: https://pubky.org)
Chroma: Chroma is dedicated to advancing human performance and well-being through cutting-edge light therapy devices and performance eyewear. Their mission is to enhance physical and mental health, unlocking peak human health, cognitive function, and physical performance. Get 10% off your order with the code BITCOINAUDIBLE. (Link: https://getchroma.co/?ref=BitcoinAudible)

Guest Links

Jimmy Song on X (Link: https://x.com/jimmysong)
Jimmy Song on Nostr (Link: https://tinyurl.com/543m6xm8)

Host Links

Chat_148 - It Doesn’t Pass the Smell Test with Jimmy Song

Bitcoin Audible

Will new node implementations improve alignment?

The AI-powered Podcast Player