Facing the Trilemma

facing-the-trilemma-iantoons

One of the key challenges in blockchain projects is dealing with the “trilemma:” how to develop technology that is scalable, decentralized and secure, without any element being diminished.

For example, Bitcoin is both decentralized and secure, but critics have historically argued that it is not scalable.


17

2

0

“Perfect”
“Nice. But let’s separate a value vs a fact. Blockchain/ bitcoin is de facto decentralised and secure. Scalability is a value pushed by an investment mindset that ignores the value in the long end of the tail and current geopolitics which suggests the return of mercantilism might be around the corner to say nothing of a long overdue look at anti-trust laws. ie. the current mindset makes a very large assumption that the current business model that heads us down the ugly unicorn road is the only road for feasible business sustainability. The question then – scalable to what end/ scale? Not only does my democratic and social justice oriented self have a deep problem with this but I also predict that we will eventually see a large movement that fundamentally rethinks the value of scalability as it looks to the shadow of the incredible damage this trope can exact on any number of levels. For example: Netflix is a dead duck. A zombie. They’re possibly not worth a penny of their current valuation and the fall out from that realisation which is fundamentally based on the scalability mantra may be the cornerstone (together with other tech companies) to the next dotcom crash. (And yes i acknowledge – they aren’t blockchain based).”
Executive MBA: Strategy, Operations, Communications

More Cartoons