Abundance Through Scarcity

By Ioni Appelberg

In Abundance Through Scarcity, Ioni Appelberg, a medical doctor, psychonaut, and martial artist, embarks on a thought-provoking exploration that challenges the hidden forms of slavery in our modern world. Appelberg exposes the illusory nature of voluntary servitude with captivating prose and profound insights and directly calls us to reclaim our freedom.

The book traces a path from the forgotten empires of the past to the anticipated civilizations of the future. It navigates through the shackles of traditional slavery, shedding light on the prisons of modern-day cubicles.

You are holding an illustrated guide into the very fabric of the universe, where absolute scarcity reigns as a fundamental property — a property that holds the key to abundance. Abundance Through Scarcity takes you on a voyage toward self-discovery.

Are you ready to embark on this transformative experience that will forever change how you see the world?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Konsensus Network
• Release date: Jul 5, 2023
• ISBN: 9789916723104

Book preview

Abundance Through Scarcity

Edited by Mel Shilling and Niko Laamanen

©

All rights reserved

Edited by Mel Shilling and Niko Laamanen

Cover design and typesetting by Konsensus Network

Illustrations & figures: Handprints, p. — R.M. Nunes; Voyager model p. — Wikipedia; Oldowan Chopper & Lavallois Point p. — Wikipedia; Cover illustration — Freepik, AI generated art; Data plots — Konsensus Network; Illustrations not otherwise marked — Ioni Appelberg.

ISBN

978-9916-723-08-1 Hardcover

978-9916-723-09-8 Paperback

978-9916-723-10-4 E-book

Konsensus Network

https://konsensus.network

Foreword

My computer identifies as non-binary. Everything it presents on my screen is easy to understand — words, sounds, graphics. It must show me these seemingly non-binary things, lest the machine is useless. Human comprehension requires a language humans can understand. But under the hood, there’s no such thing as non-binary. A computer is just a chain of on- and off switches. It’s just data. But data representing something humans can understand becomes something much more interesting — it becomes information. Information is fodder for our brains. Our brains are pattern-recognition machines that interpret data and turn it into information we use to inform action. A computer is merely a tool to help us with calculation — a process it is much better suited to perform than a human brain is. In this sense, a computer is merely a fancy abacus. A tool to help human beings save time by doing calculus for us. This seemingly simple improvement to our cognitive abilities unlocks everything else we use our computers for. All the world’s music, movies, tv-shows, pictures, books, and games are in the realm of computers now, and because of this, we live in extraordinary times.

The on- and off switches under the hoods of our computers create what we call the digital realm. In this world, everyone can make perfect copies of everything. The cost of reproducing information is as close to zero as possible, which is valid for almost all digital information. There is, in fact, only one exception to this rule — bitcoin. The discovery of bitcoin was the discovery of something entirely novel for humankind — an informational element. Similar to a chemical substance but entirely without mass. In bitcoin, whoever controls the information about a certain amount of this element also owns it. All owning a bitcoin is, is keeping a secret. If you know the private key to a bitcoin address, you are in possession of whatever amount of bitcoin that key unlocks. Think about this for a while. Keeping a secret is something a brain does. The information the secret opens might exist on a piece of paper or a hardware wallet, but only a human brain can keep the secret. Secrets are all in our heads.

Bitcoin works because everyone participating in the network can verify the truthfulness of whatever numbers they see on their screens by running a piece of code. Executing the bitcoin code on your computer is often called running a node. But if a computer is nothing but a fancy abacus and all it does is help us calculate, what does running a node really mean? It is all predicated on human action. The software is merely a tool for helping our brains verify that the network participants we connect to are doing what they claim to be doing — in the case of miners, sacrificing energy to guess a number. So the actual node is not your Raspberry Pi running Umbrel — It is you. You’re the one choosing to run the node. You decided to buy the hardware and determined what software to run on it. You are the node, and you are the keeper of secrets. You are bitcoin, and so is everyone else in the network.

Now, what is a miner? What is bitcoin mining? At its core, it’s nothing but guessing a number repeatedly. Mainstream media outlets call it solving complicated calculations, but this is an under-simplification. A miner is guessing a number. That’s it. The number has to match a particular set of criteria, sure, but at the end of the day, it’s all about guessing a number. An ASIC, a computer specifically designed for mining, is no different from any other computer in the sense that it is nothing but a fancy abacus. An ASIC is, in fact, even closer to an abacus than a regular computer since all it does is repeat the same calculation over and over again. The miner is not the ASIC, though. The miner uses the ASIC to help him guess the number. But the miner — the acting human being — chooses to participate in the bitcoin network and guess the number.

If the twelve magic words of a Bitcoin seed phrase only exist in a specific human brain, that person is those bitcoins. There is no way to distinguish between them and that person. But this is true for all bitcoins and all bitcoiners. Remember, only a human being can keep a secret. We bitcoiners are not only connected via the network; we are different aspects of the same being. When you realize this, everything changes.

We bitcoiners have many incentives to help each other. We all want bitcoin to succeed and provide us with more purchasing power, and we know that by helping one another, we help bitcoin; in doing so, we also help ourselves. Moreover, the deflationary nature of bitcoin incentivizes us to adopt a lower time preference, meaning that we allow ourselves to think more long-term. Thus, it makes little sense for us to screw each other over for short-term fiat gains. The longer you’ve experienced bitcoin and other bitcoiners, the more pronounced this seemingly magical aspect of the network becomes. But considering our conclusion that we are the same being, it all makes perfect sense. Something deeply human is going on here. In a sense, all bitcoin did was point out the obvious — that we’d all be better off if we cooperated.

Bitcoin will usher in a new era of human flourishing, and no one can stop this from happening. It is an agreement on a fixed set of rules that computers help us validate. But at its core, bitcoin is you, me, and everyone else.

And bitcoin is me and Ioni! We started collaborating in 2020, but I had been a fan of Ionis for many years before that. Ioni is one of the most underrated thinkers in the space. Even though we’ve only known each other for a couple of years, it almost feels like we grew up together. This is a feeling I get with many passionate bitcoiners. I suspect it might have something to do with the nature of this thing and how it shows us that we’re all connected. As Ioni often points out, studying bitcoin is akin to discovering deep meditation or psychedelics - it opens up new pathways in our brains. It lets us see that everything is way more connected than it seems. Once you stumble down this rabbit hole, there’s no going back. It will consume your time and energy because it will show how beautiful humans can be when allowed to interact voluntarily with one another. Bitcoin can give the most cynical mind purpose. It is an orange light-house. A beacon to help us navigate the muddy waters of post-modernism and the inflation-driven clown world we were born into. A pathway toward truth that neither scientism nor other religious dogmas can provide. Knut Svanholm

May 2023

Prologue

Welcome.

Every so often, humanity makes a discovery so profound, so transformative, that the course of civilization is forever altered. Consider the unveiling of the laws of mathematics, a revolutionary revelation that established the foundation for our modern world. It empowered us to cure diseases, build computers, and travel beyond our planet’s atmosphere, venturing into the cosmic void. Without mathematics, civilization would have remained entrenched in the Agricultural Age, incapable of advancing beyond rudimentary technologies like the ox-drawn plow.

Uniquely among Earth’s species, humans possess the extraordinary ability to conceptualize and manipulate abstract concepts such as mathematics and the digital world. Our exploration of these abstract dimensions has resulted in discoveries that have triggered seismic societal shifts.

This book focuses on one such discovery: bitcoin. A paradoxical entity, bitcoin is a beacon of absolute mathematical scarcity within the boundless expanse of the digital realm. It represents a bifurcation in the evolutionary tree of money, carving out a new path for humanity to tread.

Humanity has transitioned through four major societal epochs: the Hunter-gatherer Age, the Agricultural Age, the Industrial Age, and now we find ourselves at the dawn of the Digital Age. An era that promises to be the most transformative phase of civilization in human history. Bitcoin plays a pivotal role in this metamorphosis.

Money — the lifeblood of society — plays a vital role in the rise and fall of civilizations. Like living entities, civilizations undergo cycles of growth and decay. Decline can be precipitated by various factors: war, pandemics, resource scarcity. In a desperate bid to avert collapse, states often resort to devaluing their currency. This strategy can offer a temporary relief but fails to halt the inevitable tide of decline. Instead, the true remedy lies in economic and technological advancement, in the creation of economic goods and the expansion of the economy.

When the monetary life blood falters, civilizations crumble. Our ability to marshal resources, orchestrate our workforce, and maintain large-scale, generational cooperation declines. Over time, institutions decay, poverty escalates, populations dwindle, and societies collapse.

Despite having witnessed numerous societal collapses throughout history, we persist in repeating the same mistakes. We are, one might say, a species with amnesia. In times of crises, we resort to devaluing our currency for short-term relief, overlooking the crucial role of a healthy monetary system in fortifying us against disaster. This dangerous cycle, ominously reminiscent of Rome and countless other empires, has brought our civilization to the brink of collapse.

Our journey is trifold:

Firstly, we examine the rise and fall of civilizations, considering whether and why our current society may be in decline.

Secondly, we embark on a journey into the insidious world of voluntary servitude, illuminating the modern-day prisons of cubicles. We then delve into the very fabric of the universe, where absolute scarcity is a fundamental property — a property that holds the key to unlocking unprecedented abundance.

Thirdly, we explore the implications of the discovery of bitcoin for the future of our civilization, sketching a tantalizing vision of what that future might hold.

Let us begin.

SOCIETAL DEVOLUTION

THE RISE AND FALL OF CIVILIZATIONS

A

   s

the first rays of sunlight touched the Eastern horizon, marking the beginning of another day in 120 C.E., the Roman Empire stood at its zenith, a beacon of power and influence unparalleled in history. During Pax Romana, a period of unprecidented growth, expansion, and cultural exchange, the Roman Empire, sprawled across 1.5 million square miles, housing approximately 130 million people, or 30% of the world’s population. Renowned for their exceptional architectural achievements, from the towering aqueducts that supplied water to their cities to the majestic amphitheaters that hosted gladiatorial games and plays, Romans were also recognized for their formidable military and skilled engineers. They constructed 50,000 miles of road that connected the various cities and provinces of their vast empire, facilitating the free flow of ideas, goods, and people.

Despite the grandeur of the Roman Empire, the tides of history are fickle, showing that no civilization is immune to collapse. Throughout human history, civilizations have risen and fallen, with many ancient cultures lost to the darkness of unknowable history. However, some bygone civilizations, such as Rome, have encoded their fingerprints into the fabric of history for posterity to uncover. The Roman Empire left behind a wealth of well-preserved information, from the artifacts of archaeology to ancient documents, offering countless physical indicators that tell the story of its rise and fall. Intriguingly, one such fingerprint can be found in an unexpected place: the ice of Iceland.

The Romans were masterful miners, skillfully employing hydraulic techniques and tools to extract valuable metals for coinage and essential minerals such as iron, copper, tin, and lead for crafting their tools, sewers, and architectural wonders.

As the Roman Empire ascended to greatness, its industries thrived and expanded, with the mining sector standing out. The remnants of Roman industry drifted on the winds, eventually settling in Iceland’s frozen lands, etching a geological record that mirrored the rise and fall of the empire. In the deeper, older layers, a steady increase in ash deposits hinted at a burgeoning mining industry and an expanding economy. However, in the more recent, shallow layers, a decline in these deposits unveiled a contracting industry and a waning empire — a civilization that once stood tall, now succumbing to the passage of time.

The Roman Empire’s might was sustained by its legionaries, a formidable cohort of soldiers committed to a twenty-five-year tenure without the privilege of marriage. Their discipline and training rendered them an elite force, respected for their tactics and admired for their bravery. Even when facing insurmountable odds, the Roman legionaries held their ground, epitomizing duty, honor, and loyalty in preserving the empire’s peace and justice. The Roman army was structured upon a strict chain of command and a code of conduct that fostered collaboration and efficiency in battle. Its medical corps, complete with surgeons and field hospitals, marked one of the earliest instances of organized military medicine, serving as a blueprint for future armies.

The Roman Empire’s economic prosperity resembled nothing seen before in history, woven from diverse strands, each strand contributing to the richness of the whole. Agriculture and mining formed the empire’s sturdy backbone, supplying sustenance and resources. Military conquests annexed new lands and cultures, expanding Rome’s sphere of influence and trade. A well-constructed infrastructure brilliantly connected the empire’s farthest reaches, facilitating the free flow of goods and ideas.

At the heart of this economic expansion lay a robust currency, providing stability and enabling the sustained growth of the Roman economy. The Roman Empire’s currency, the denarius, was a coin crafted from 3.8 grams of pure silver. Each denarius equaled the daily wage of a skilled craftsman or soldier, and the denarius functioned not only as a medium of exchange but also as a symbol for unity and the empire’s power and authority. A gleaming reminder of Rome’s might and reach.

The Romans were celebrated for their military prowess, social institutions, roads, politics, and, of course, their awe-inspiring architecture and engineering feats. Roman architectural and engineering marvels, defying the ravages of time and weather, continue to astonish us. Even today, two-thousand-year-old aqueducts still supply water to Rome, and numerous ancient Roman buildings remain standing, with some in remarkable condition. The Colosseum, flaunting its intricate arches and vaults, exemplifies the Romans’ expert designs and construction techniques. The Pantheon, one of the best-preserved instances of Roman engineering, stands as a brilliant testament to its creators’ ingenuity and skill.

In stark contrast to the timeless strength of ancient Roman architecture, many contemporary structures crumble and deteriorate within mere decades. Modern concrete is prone to wear and tear, developing cracks and fissures over time. To counter this frailty, modern engineers reinforce concrete with iron rods. Romans, by comparison, possessed both the materials and engineering acumen to construct structures of unmatched resiliency. They harnessed technologies that, from today’s perspective, seem almost miraculous. One such example is their development of self-healing concrete, capable of mending cracks and maintaining structural stability over time. Roman concrete, or opus caementicium, was a durable and long-lasting building material that stands as one of their most significant and underrated achievements.

A recent study¹, published in the journal Science Advances by a team of scientists from MIT, has finally uncovered the secret behind the enduring strength of Roman concrete. When examined under a microscope, Roman concrete appears very different from its modern counterpart. For example, it contains small white minerals called lime clasts, which have been absent from concrete for two millennia. These minerals were long thought to result from inferior mixing techniques, but the team at MIT discovered they are actually the key to Roman concrete’s strength and durability. In the experiments, researchers subjected both Roman and modern concrete to stress fractures and then introduced water. Within two weeks, the cracks in the Roman concrete had completely healed, while those in modern concrete remained.

Researchers learned that Roman concrete was created by heating a special kind of limestone, which released carbon dioxide and left behind calcium oxide. This calcium oxide was mixed with volcanic rock and water to create a mortar that hardened over time and became an integral part of the concrete. The lime clasts in the concrete formed a brittle nanoparticle architecture, which, when fractured, became a source of calcium. Mixed with water, the calcium recrystallized into calcium carbonate, filling any nearby cracks. These self-repairing reactions prevented cracks from spreading, serving as the concrete’s own immune system against damage and contributing to the longevity of ancient Roman architecture.

As the Roman Empire fell, the knowledge of how to make self-healing concrete vanished with it. Yet, their architecture remains — its ancient secrets reminding us of their incredible engineering feats. These structures testify to a time when engineering, beauty, and utility were seamlessly intertwined, and buildings were not just functional but also works of science and art. This extraordinary ingenuity is why iconic structures like the aqueducts, the Parthenon, and the Colosseum still stand — two thousand years later and in near-perfect condition. Much of this expertise, sadly, has been lost to history, leaving us to ponder what other advancements vanished with their fall.

The Romans were not only master builders but also master innovators, scientists, philosophers, and economists. Beyond self-healing concrete, they harnessed central heating, advanced mining techniques, fostered international trade, and enabled upward social mobility. The Romans drove the progress of modern philosophy, science, technology, architecture, law, warfare, and finance, forming the bedrock for present-day civilization. The truly captivating mystery is not how they constructed 50,000 miles of road or erected awe-inspiring monuments like the Colosseum, nor how they revolutionized the world by transcending its primitive origins and laying the groundwork for modern civilization, but rather: why did they stop?

THE COLLAPSE OF COMPLEX SOCIETIES

American anthropologist and historian Dr. Joseph Tainter² argues that increasing complexity has been the leading driver for the collapse of ancient civilizations. To better understand his thesis, we must define these terms:

Complex society. A complex society is one with many moving parts, distinct occupations, and institutions.³ Hunter-gatherer societies, for example, had only a few dozen occupational roles and poorly organized institutions, in contrast to the large number of distinct twenty-first century occupations and well-organized institutions. In the hunter gatherer age, every profession was centered around food and survival. Our current society. In contrast, our contemporary society thrives on intricate complexity, with a remarkable degree of specialization in tasks that our ancestors could never have imagined.

Collapse. Collapse is defined as the rapid simplification of society.⁴ Although a collapse may take several centuries to unfold, it is still considered rapid when compared to the time it took to build the civilization. In the aftermath of the disintegration of a complex, intricately interwoven society teeming with a myriad of professions and well-orchestrated institutions, there emerges a landscape of simple, disjointed communities with few distinct occupations, where the majority toil as illiterate farmers, unable to pen a word or decipher a script. The few surviving institutions are mere shadows of their former selves, disorganized and bereft of purpose. As civilizations crumble, we are left to mourn the loss of their knowledge, culture, literature, and technological prowess.

In our pursuit to unravel the complexities of the rise and fall of great and powerful civilizations, we must also recognize the distinctions between society, empire, and civilization themselves.

A society is made up of individuals bound together by shared culture, values, norms, and institutions. It can span from tight-knit village communities to nation-states to entire civilizations.

An empire is a political entity encompassing multiple societies and territories, often governed by a single authority such as an emperor or monarchy. Possessing a centralized government, an empire exercises control over a diverse population, frequently through the force of its formidable military.

Lastly, a civilization is a complex culture hallmarked by refined forms of government, art, religion, and technology. Civilizations can extend across numerous societies and territories, either as the offspring of an empire or blossoming independently. Society and civilization are often used interchangeably.

As society expands, complexity inevitably arises from both innovations and the inherent challenges accompanying growth. We, the inhabitants of the twenty-first-century society, dwell within the most intricate society humanity has ever known, one that requires tremendous resources⁵ in complex and expensive solutions to maintain its existence. And with complexity comes an array of problems, each more formidable and costly to resolve than the last.

Take Manhattan’s burgeoning population, for instance. As the number of residents increases, housing becomes an urgent concern. The solution? Constructing towering skyscrapers. Although these awe-inspiring structures may solve one problem, they introduce another layer of complexity to society, giving rise to new issues such as air traffic safety concerns and added strain on existing infrastructure like power grids and water supplies.

Similarly, the advent of highways and automobiles revolutionized transportation and infrastructure, addressing numerous societal problems. Yet, this progress spawned new challenges, including traffic accidents and environmental pollution. We introduced skyscrapers, highways, and automobiles to tackle our challenges and advance as a society. This progress inevitably bred new difficulties. In short, remedying one issue — whether it’s housing a growing population or enhancing our mobility — often demands heightened complexity, investment, and resources, thereby creating an unending cycle of escalating complexity.

Each solution to a problem births new issues, perpetuating an endless cycle of problems and solutions. Faced with this pattern, society may either reach a singularity crisis or indefinitely progress and evolve towards a post-scarcity world⁶. The choice we make will ultimately shape the future of our ever-evolving society.

The Singularity Crisis: The singularity crisis represents a state of irreversible societal decline triggered by the exhaustion of a society’s resources. Civilizations naturally oscillate between progress and decline, but when resources are depleted, reversing this decline becomes arduous, causing society to drift toward ever-simpler states. This crisis emerges when sustaining a complex society becomes unaffordable, or when new problems are too costly to solve, leading to resource exhaustion. In such a crisis, the challenges of maintaining