Blockchain of Love? Lessons We Can Learn from Bitcoin About Healthy Relationships

By Dima Zaitsev, ICOBox Head of International PR and Love Guru

I’ll be the first to admit that when I think of blockchain, the last thing that pops into my head is romance. It’s about as far from sexy as you can get. Let’s do a little word association game. When you read “distributed ledger technology” or “Bitcoin,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind?

Roses? Candle-lit dinners? Heart-shaped chocolates? Yeah, I didn’t think so.

But on a second thought, maybe I’m wrong. Blockchain is fundamentally about changing the way we interact with one another, and while it might not hold the secret to becoming a regular casanova, the underlying principles have a lot to say about how we should treat one another.

Blockchain is all about instilling trust between parties through transparency and immutability. Much of the hype surrounding the tech is that it acts as a technological guarantor, ensuring trust.

1. Trust – While I would strongly advise you to reexamine your relationship if you think it requires a technological guarantor, the takeaway here is that, in a perfect world, we shouldn’t have to worry about trust. We’re excited about blockchain because it provides trust that otherwise wouldn’t be feasible. In a healthy relationship, trust should be present in much the same way, something that is a given, as baseline.

2. Transparency – Blockchain also promotes the transparency. When everyone has access to the same set of information and has a clear picture of what is going on, conflict is avoided and everyone feels more secure. Healthy relationships should be transparent as well. Open communication, where all the cards are laid out on the table, help both parties stay on the same page and prevents skeletons from being dragged out of the closet down the line.

3. Immutability – Blockchain transactions are permanent and (theoretically) unable to be tampered with. In the same spirit, any promises you and your partner make to one another should ideally share the same type of permanence and commitment to follow through on your word. Be reliable. Be committed. Be there.

4. Consensus – To validate a Bitcoin transaction, the network must come to consensus that the transaction was valid. No one actor holds the power. Your love life take away from this technological concept is to collaborate when making decisions, giving each party equal input before moving forward. One person shouldn’t lead all the time. If you find yourself constantly dictating activities or making choices, check yourself.

Now that you’re an expert in both blockchain and healthy loving relationships, put your crypto stash to good use and buy something romantic for that special someone. Your Valentine’s Day is bound to be filled with batting eyelids and Hollywood romance; just don’t start talking about Bitcoin, it’s a surefire way to kill the mood.

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