Thank you for your comment and for taking the time to correspond. Your concerns and clarity are refreshing!
I have spent many years learning to understand the origins of representational thought and activity in our species, so I have a peculiar array of perspectives related to this. Although I did not go into them at length here, I think it is likely that part of how our species became formally representational animals (linguistic-conceptual animals) has to do with both caching (something many other organisms do, and animals in particular), and our relationships with memory. You are astute to notice that commodities are related to the past. In fact, you have pointed out things that make me rethink the value of some of my own positions.
You are also correct to point out alternatives, some of which do not have the potentially deep opportunity costs of bitcoin. And you are correct that my view in the essay is narrow; there are many alternative perspectives and positions that are definitely enacted in our world on a daily basis.
Money isn’t only one thing; like all things, context transforms its meaning and purposive natures. On the other hand, the way it is (usually) made and used in our societies and cultures, and the gross suffering of incredible inequality in access to resources… make it an easy target for my concern. Of course, I am not overly concerned about processes that are intelligent, accomplish truly great things, and help people and the world. I am, however, concerned about processes that are absurd in their basis, or so incredibly inefficient that they are something of a crisis … just by existing.
With 7 billion+ people on earth, we are going to need to think a lot more carefully about electronic processes, data and production. What happens when 10 billion photographs and videos are made every day. Or every hour… over time? One of the things that happens is that something has to die… so that images… or little slips of green paper… can change hands.
