As @macbudkowski argues many are drawn to Ethereum not just for its technology, but for broader motivations such as privacy, personal liberty, and creating alternatives to existing financial systems. The decentralized web that protects user privacy and ensures secure, pseudonymous interactions. And values like open-source software and the ethos of cooperation.

What if the source of value of crypto, specifically Bitcoin and Ethereum is the ideologically driven culture - building and imagining alternatives? Maybe also the cypherpunk dream, or even the coolness of the whole project that gives it an aura which attracts people?

Of course Ethereum, being the world computer has many use cases already. You can run apps, defi, social media, etc. But Bitcoin is mostly just store of value. Like how many people actually use it for day to day payments? If the ideologically driven people would turn their backs on the crypto project because it has lost its aura, then also the value could evaporate. (Also thinking in this respect of memecoins that are also about specific, but other kinds of aura, but still aura.)

Every time, like a few days ago, an ancient Bitcoin wallet moves funds, I think this could be one the people who back in the days entered for the ideology. Have they lost faith? https://decrypt.co/308634/bitcoin-wallets-move-22-million-after-14-years

So more reasons why cultivating Ethereum's ideologically driven culture is so important! Let the aura shine bright.

"What if the source of value of crypto, specifically Bitcoin and Ethereum is the ideologically driven culture - building and imagining alternatives?"

I think there's a lot of that. Sure, it might not be reflected in price because traders evaluate projects differently, and we end up with a $150B XRP.

But when you think about it, basically all groundbreaking projects were built in the Ethereum ecosystem - Uniswap, Aave, Cryptopunks, Polymarket & Courtyard, and so on.

So IMO if we keep this cultural relevance, we will eventually get so many great projects built here that Ethereum would become 'obviously awesome', even for traders.