Hearn Error

There is a theory that a state cannot ban popular things.

This implies that high transaction throughput allows effective defense against attacks and coercion. This in turn implies that Bitcoin can be secured by accepting the centralizing force of very high transaction throughput.

The theory is invalid, as it is based on empirical observation yet rests on a factual error. It is evident that states actually prefer to ban popular things. The following is a short list of commonly-banned popular things:

• Drugs
• Gambling
• Prostitution
• Religion
• Speech
• Assembly
• Trade
• Migration
• Weapons
• Labor
• Books
• Money

This error may arise from failure to accept the Axiom of Resistance while continuing to work in Bitcoin. This is likely to produce cognitive dissonance. The subsequent search for relief may lead one here. However the error eventually becomes undeniable, which may lead to a rage-quit.