Damus

Recent Notes

Tom Maxwell profile picture
One of my top five favorite quotes:

“But there do exist, I can assure you, souls that are feeling and pure; it exists, that tender, imperious, and irresistible passion, the torment and delight of magnanimous hearts; that deep horror of tyranny, that compassionate zeal for the oppressed, that sacred love for the homeland, that even more sublime and holy love for humanity, without which a great revolution is just a noisy crime that destroys another crime…”

— Maximilien Robespierre, “Speech of 8 Thermidor Year II” (26 July 1794)
Tom Maxwell profile picture
“When a people is constituted – that is, ordered by the principle of sovereignty – it is collectively responsible for maintaining this sovereign order, maintaining the laws. Within this space of sovereignty, responsibility is collective. Someone who does not rise up against tyrant and crime, but allows crimes to happen, himself becomes a tyrant and a traitor. ‘The cruelty of pity’ is therefore not just a figure of rhetoric; it means that allowing political crime means becoming criminal oneself. The logic of natural right thus associates a theoretical humanism (it is in the name of humanity that one must act) with a situational anti-humanism (the life of a man or a people is worth nothing if they betray their humanity). The sentiment of revolutionary humanity does not lead to protecting suffering bodies above everything else, regardless of who and where they might be. The object is to protect above all humanity as a group constituted politically by its respect for declared natural right, from the most local to the most cosmopolitan level. We might say that this sentiment of humanity is entirely on the side of political life, sometimes accepting the need to despise the ‘fine day of life’ that may conceal within it the oppression of the whole human race.”

- Sophie Wahnich, In Defence of the Terror
fractalchris · 148w
LOL
Tom Maxwell profile picture
“Since what is wrong with our economy is the excessive numbers of assignats [paper money] in circulation, we must ensure that their numbers are not allowed to increase, lest they depreciate apace. We must legislate so that as little money as possible is printed, but for that to be practicable, we must reduce the burden of charges falling on the national treasury, either by paying our creditors in land, or by repaying our debts in annual installments. In either event, it must be done without manufacturing additional paper money.”

"But if instead of restoring the economy and putting pressure on the traitors, if instead of making them pay for the war, you issue assignats to enrich them even more, you will add more and more to the means that have your enemies to harm you.”

“How would three or four hundred million [assignats] issued per month not cast corruption into society? This finance system could flourish a monarchy; but it has to ruin the whole republic.”

“When the country upholds a terrible war, when twelve hundred thousand citizens shed their blood, the Treasury, by a huge mass of new currencies, nourish disturbances and passions, without anyone retrenching his avarice and cruelty!”

- French revolutionary Louis Antoine de Saint-Just on inflation
david · 148w
I always enjoy learning new things! 🙏🏼
Shawn · 148w
😆👏🏼
Tom Maxwell profile picture
In a world where scaling up to infinity is the default, I’m grateful to work at @Bitcoin Park where the power of intimate events like #Nostrville is on full display. I greatly appreciate the guidance and leadership of @Rod, @Harry, and @ODELL in this community-first, third space endeavor that I feel is absolutely integral to the success of a grassroots movement like Bitcoin.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us from around the world this week to share their energy, expertise, and vision for the future of nostr (and Bitcoin more broadly), and to every volunteer who donated their time and effort to the well-being of the Park and its guests. Running sound for the event means I heard every panel and presentation in the event space, and man did I hear a lot of signal and learn more than I anticipated. But it’s the in-person interactions that occur on campus that offer unique opportunities to connect or reconnect that hold real power.

Special shoutout to @Terry Yiu for the Nostrville app and jumping on our Open House panel with literally no notice. And to @mads who designed the Nostrville poster below, and whose touch on Bitcoin Park events immediately secures my confidence in our logistical success.

Finally, I would be remiss to not thank @UNCLE ROCKSTAR for his presence and (yes, his attendance, but more his general way of including and exciting everyone) in making this event what it was. And last but certainly not least, the one and only @JoshBitcoinPark, whose attention to detail and steadfast commitment to excellence keeps the entire operation soaring.

Thanks, y’all! The future is bright because the people are. Apologies if I left anyone out.
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Tom Maxwell · 148w
*Rockstar’s presence and persistence