This is an opinion editorial by Maxx Mannheimer, a former sales account manager with a background in training and industrial-organizational psychology.

The technological innovation which Bitcoin represents is rarely apparent at first glance; the societal implications of that innovation are even less obvious. Those who don’t engage directly with the technology and speak with other Bitcoiners may completely miss the broader significance of what is happening with Bitcoin. The Bitcoin community has been called a cult and an ideology. I prefer to think of it in a simpler term which is grounded in fact: Bitcoin is a tool. Many things can be said of what the tool is and how it functions, but ultimately I believe it is a tool of comparison and measurement, much like a ruler or caliper. The manner in which we interact with Bitcoin as a tool is one of personal skill.

Throughout this article I will use the term “Bitcoiner” as a shorthand for those who engage with the network. I find it important to clarify that, as I use it, this term does not denote any kind of personal identity, but rather as a reference to an individual who uses Bitcoin. To illustrate the semantic difference I will invite you to consider the title of carpenter or electrician. These terms do not comprehensively define these individuals, but they are useful for a brief description.

Through a similar occupational lense, I have found that inspecting Bitcoin through the perspective of organizational development…