People assign value and meaning to it and see different things in Bitcoin. But this is more a reflection of those people and their journey into Bitcoin, rather than an accurate description of Bitcoin itself.

That being said, there are some interesting parallels between Bitcoin and my own spiritual foundation, which, as a recovering drug addict, is underpinned by the global network of Narcotics Anonymous meetings and its 12 Steps & 12 Traditions program.

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Rules Without Rulers

Bitcoin runs on thousands of volunteer-run nodes; these nodes enforce the consensus rules: block size, issuance limits, proof-of-work, etc. There’s no global CEO. No board of directors. No vote. No override.

Narcotics Anonymous is run by individual and independent groups who voluntarily align with the Twelve Traditions—a set of spiritual principles that ensure unity without centralized control. There’s no central head office issuing mandates.

Both rely on a network of self-governing nodes.

Resilience Through Decentralization

Bitcoin keeps running even if governments ban it or data centers go offline. As long as one node keeps the ledger alive, Bitcoin survives.

If a Narcotics Anonymous meeting closes, others keep going. If an old-timer relapses, the group continues. As long as one recovering addict survives to carry the message, the network of meetings can continue.

Both are decentralized and therefore anti-fragile by design.

Timeless Principles

Bitcoin operates on hard mathematical rules: SHA-256 hashes, block difficulty, halving schedules. They apply equally to everyone—no exceptions. These rules are beyond our ability to change.

Narcotics Anonymous operates on principles of honesty, service, and humility. These are encoded in the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions and apply equally to everyone, no matter who you are, and are beyond our ability to change.

At their core, both transcend human interpretation.

Misunderstood by the Mainstream

Bitcoin is often reduced to headlines: “polluting”, “waste of energy”, “get-rich scheme”, “only good for criminals.” It is rarely recognized for what it is: the foundation for an entirely new financial system.

Narcotics Anonymous is often mischaracterized as a cult or religious program. Countless films have reinforced this oversimplified understanding. But in reality, it is anti-cultist and rejects religious dogma. It’s a voluntary, peer-led network of meetings that offers a pathway to freedom.

Both are dismissed by people who don’t understand them. Both have a growing global reach and a measurable positive impact.

Permissionless by Nature

Bitcoin doesn’t ask who you are. Run a node, download a wallet, send a transaction. Anyone can do it. There’s no application form. It’s free and open-source software.

Narcotics Anonymous has only one requirement for membership: a desire to stop using drugs. There are no background checks, no register of attendees, no membership fees, and you are free to believe whatever you want. As long as you have a desire to stop using drugs, you’re welcome.

No one owns recovery. No one owns Bitcoin. No one can prevent anyone else from entering. If you want freedom, you can have it.

Broad Consensus

Bitcoin changes carefully—only with broad consensus. Upgrades undergo years of review. Nothing breaks the core rules unless an overwhelming majority of the network chooses to change them.

Changes to Narcotics Anonymous literature are submitted through a slow, global group conscience process. Any new addition is thoroughly checked by all members and groups. Because preserving the message of recovery (and the spiritual principles it rests upon) matters more than anything else.

Both opt to conserve what works, even if it’s imperfect at times, rather than adopt untested changes that may have unintended consequences.

The Solution to a Problem

Fiat money printing is an addiction—no different from compulsive drug use. Central banks inject liquidity to escape pain and avoid consequences, like an addict chasing the next high. But every “fix” deepens the damage: inflation, inequality, debt spirals.

Recovery starts with admitting the system is broken.

Narcotics Anonymous offers addicts spiritual tools for rebuilding their lives; Bitcoin offers monetary addicts a tool for reclaiming economic sanity.

Bitcoin is structured sobriety: fixed supply, enforced discipline, transparent rules. It doesn’t promise a high—it promises a path. For those addicted to easy money, Bitcoin is the recovery protocol.

Both were created in response to a serious problem. Neither exists in a vacuum, but instead present themselves as the sober solution to irrational behavior that leads only to more suffering in the long run.