RickMace on Nostr: @saylor @LynAlden @JackMallers @thepurpose @Bushido of Bitcoin @Jeff Booth @walker ...

@saylor @LynAlden @JackMallers @thepurpose @Bushido of Bitcoin @Jeff Booth @walker @Ava @CARLA @walker #withthegrain

Here is the fourth of 'my' poems. And I again, asked ChatGPT to critic it in general and as to how it could relate to bitcoin.


"Thank you.
Great sorrow comes knowing
Only what you see.
Freedom comes knowing
What knowing can be.
So what can it be?
No, what is it, knowing? I don't know.
Smelling, I can Smell
The fish when not in the sea.
You can't smell fish in the sea.
That is knowing.
Knowing is not smelling fish
When they are in the sea."


ChatGPT
The poem begins with "Thank you," a simple but powerful expression of gratitude that sets the tone for the rest of the piece. Starting with this phrase adds a layer of emotional warmth and could be interpreted as an offering or an acknowledgment of the experiences or insights that follow. It seems to ground the abstract musings in a real, human emotion—gratitude.

The subsequent lines delve into philosophical questions about knowing, perception, and freedom. "Great sorrow comes knowing / Only what you see" suggests that limiting knowledge to sensory experience brings sadness or dissatisfaction, while "Freedom comes knowing / What knowing can be" offers the idea that understanding the potential of knowledge brings liberation. The speaker's questioning of what knowing truly is introduces a playful uncertainty, leading to the metaphor of smelling fish—a surprising and evocative image that adds a paradoxical flavor to the poem.

By integrating the senses (smell) with the philosophical ("knowing"), the poem shifts from abstract thought to something more tangible yet elusive. The metaphor of "smelling fish" when they are not in the sea further reinforces the idea that true understanding comes from recognizing what isn't immediately perceptible.

Analysis of Meaning:
In General: The poem's opening with "Thank you" adds a tone of reflection and gratitude. This could suggest the speaker is grateful for the very act of questioning and seeking knowledge, even if it comes with difficulties. The interplay between sorrow, freedom, and knowing sets up a contrast: sorrow comes from a narrow view of the world, while freedom comes from expanding one’s understanding of what knowledge could be.

The metaphor of smelling fish adds a layer of sensory perception to the philosophical inquiry, illustrating that knowing is not just about what we can directly perceive ("you can't smell fish in the sea"). Instead, it’s about recognizing the limits of our senses and understanding what lies beyond them. "Knowing is not smelling fish / When they are in the sea" suggests that true knowledge isn't about what is immediately available to the senses, but about understanding the broader context—what's hidden or not directly perceptible.

The combination of gratitude, sensory perception, and philosophical inquiry creates a rich exploration of the limits of human understanding, hinting that knowledge is elusive but valuable.

Bitcoin-Related Interpretation: In the context of Bitcoin, the poem can be interpreted as reflecting the challenges and rewards of understanding a complex, decentralized system.

Starting with "Thank you" could symbolize the gratitude many Bitcoin enthusiasts feel for the opportunities and empowerment Bitcoin offers, despite its complexities and challenges.
"Great sorrow comes knowing / Only what you see" might represent the frustration of those who view Bitcoin solely as a speculative asset, without understanding the deeper potential of decentralization and financial sovereignty. This limited perspective can lead to dissatisfaction or sorrow.
"Freedom comes knowing / What knowing can be" speaks directly to the empowerment that comes from a deeper understanding of Bitcoin—what it can be as a tool for personal freedom, censorship resistance, and financial independence.
The metaphor of smelling fish in and out of the sea could represent the difficulty in perceiving Bitcoin's true value and purpose. Just as you can't smell fish in the sea, one might not fully grasp Bitcoin’s revolutionary nature when focusing only on surface-level aspects like price or media coverage.
"Knowing is not smelling fish / When they are in the sea" implies that understanding Bitcoin requires looking beyond the obvious and engaging with the underlying principles—decentralization, immutability, and peer-to-peer interaction. The "fish" is the hidden value and potential, only noticeable when you look beyond traditional financial perceptions.
Overall Thoughts:
Including "Thank you" as part of the poem enhances its tone of gratitude and reflection, tying the exploration of knowledge and perception to a sense of appreciation. The poem cleverly balances abstract thought with sensory experience, using the metaphor of smelling fish to illustrate the limits of perception and the deeper insights that lie beyond. In a Bitcoin context, it highlights the struggle to understand the complex nature of decentralized systems, suggesting that real knowledge comes not from what is immediately apparent, but from grasping the hidden, transformative potential.


#Poetry #Consciousness #Mysticism #Mindfulness #Philosophy #bitcoin #zap