Saturn-Uranus: A Letter to the Editor

Part II: ‘Harnessing Uncertainty’

Bettina Warburg is one of the more recognizable faces trying to explain blockchain to the world.  Her TED talk really helped me understand blockchain better, so that I maybe have the understanding of a seven year old. Keep that in mind as you read, salt grains in hand, as I explore further.

Blockchain technology, created by an anonymous person, has the potential to protect us from centralized (and thus inevitably corrupt) institutions such as banks, corporations, parts of government. The system is designed to be decentralized and allows people to exchange things of value without a middle-man. This giant change in what an economy looks like using the blockchain seems very Saturn-Uranus square. Changes (Uranus) in the systems (Aquarius) that hold our exchanges of valued (Taurus) things. Blockchain was applied to assets called crypto currency over a decade ago, later to be used for things like NFTs, which I still haven’t wrapped my brain around. 

If Aquarius represents decentralization, Leo is centralization. This makes sense, as Leo can act as a point of light gathering everyone around them with their radiant charm. Leo energy is that of engagement. Aquarius, disengagement. Pluto was in Leo starting in the 40s when our corporations, governments, and other large institutions were rapidly increasing in power. I wonder if Pluto’s ingress into Aquarius will spell a counter to these centralized structures in a larger way. 

There are already ledger or pedigree-type systems in use privately, whose function is to keep the kind of indelible log of transactions that the blockchain keeps, however these “versions” are centralized.  I’ve been a part of one in terms of the Controlled Substance Ordering System. It’s part of how the DEA keeps a pedigree of the path that controlled substances take on their way from manufacturer to pharmacy. These systems are incredibly strict, very few people have access to them, and even fewer the ability to operate on the other side of them. Intervening in such a system is nearly impossible, which is great for maintaining records, or attempting to maintain control of the substances. However that kind of rigidity was mentioned as one of the potential challenges in non-economic, or more nuanced applications of blockchain technology (e.g. large-scale alternative energy storage and distribution). 

Warburg discussed Uncertainty as the chief influence in how we go about exchanges, and asserts it as necessary for blockchain to work. She states that we are ‘harnessing uncertainty’, which is a wild concept and the one that inspired the title of this essay. Uranus is Uncertainty, and attempts to contain such a thing seem ambitious or even arrogant. That being said, we have combustion engines, so why not uncertainty ones? 

Blockchain technology seems to be in its early stages of application. It’s difficult to imagine the consequences of expanded use in larger society. That’s ok, but I do find it then concerning, that the creator decided to remain anonymous. I can only guess why they would choose to remain anonymous, but as a Capricorn, I can’t help but perceive it as a lack of accountability. If this is truly a way to tackle the global problem of centralized corruption, the creator might be a sort of mortal modern Prometheus, just casually slapping down the one thing humans needed to Level Up. This is of course all very romantic, but it’s worth thinking about.

The idea of transforming from a society of earth-bound, brick and mortar institutions, to that dominated by ungraspable technological institutions is an interesting one.  When women got Big Mad during the temperance movement before US Prohibition in the late 19th/early 20th century, they literally picked up hatchets and started “hatchetizing” pubs and taverns to the chagrin of the liquor industry. We can’t do that with code. I can’t, in any reasonable turn-around time, pick up a coding language book, become a hacker in short order, and “hatchetize” some code if I don’t like what an institution is doing. Those things take more time. Granted, I don’t agree with the prohibition that ensued, but at least those women had a very accessible option to create meaningful change at the moment they desired. These are different times.  There is a potentially restrictive quality here, specializing the skills needed to engage with these systems, and that’s if we’re even granted access.

I do not mean to fear-monger or sound like a luddite. We can’t know what incredible advancements could come from this technology. Nothing is black and white. I’m more looking to point out some things to be mindful of as the future unfolds. We’ve already given away much of our freedoms to these centralized institutions due to their deceit mixed with our ignorance. We are easily tricked by things as simple as the name of a legislative bill. (“Citizens United” or “The Patriot Act” anyone? Patriots are great! Of course we should be united! What could possibly be wrong in a bill with a name like that!?)

Fear from uncertainty is not helped by the increasing rate of complexity we encounter in daily life, paired with our collective inability to discern fact from friction. Problems affecting all of us are increasingly difficult to understand by the average adult well enough to meaningfully criticize (I am included in this group of average adults).  Exhibit A: the difficulty in explaining mRNA technology when the average American has low health literacy. The Moon’s nodal axis in Sagittarius-Gemini has a hand in this epistemological cookie jar, given their reflection of how we pursue and manage information/knowledge. But, I digress.  

The square between Saturn and Uranus is the push and shove of this dilemma. One horse pulls you forward and the other to the right. We hold onto those reigns, and it’s up to us to steer in the most humane direction.