CORY REYNOLDS | DATE 1/7/2023

Radical—or timely—ideas from the Japanese philosopher who anticipated cryptocurrency

This week, as we acknowledge the anniversary of the January 6 insurrection, we watch House Republicans struggle to elect a Speaker, and as global cryptocurrency dramas unfold before our eyes, we are reminded of the monumental problems we face, and have always faced, as a society. Perhaps there is something to be learned from new release, Above All Waves: Wisdom from Tominaga Nakamoto, the Philosopher Rumored to Have Inspired Bitcoin, published by Badlands Unlimited, the provocative philosophical imprint founded by artist Paul Chan—whose ink drawings illustrate the spreads. "It has always been, since ancient times, that those who teach the Way and make laws have tried to disprove their predecessors and justify their own doctrines by claiming allegiance to even older ancestors. This is a very obvious tendency, but later generations who are unaware of this fact naturally become misled." Also: "Each school of thought recites and passes on its own style of expression that it has named. Foolish people fail to understand this. Each believe their teaching is the Way of Truth, reason in error, and fight each other about whether or not their way is right. I feel sorry for them, for they seem to me to be clueless and ridiculous at the same time." And "Never underestimate the dumb."