[hnolable]

Yes that's the issue here, the miners are playing politics by trying to flex their power. But no one is willing to play petty games. There's an obvious win for everyone sitting on the table ready to go. Political games will be ignored.

[mhluongo]

The Core devs signed an agreement with these miners a year ago in Hong Kong, and the agreement was broken. Here are the consequences.

Clearly, politics won't be ignored- or Segwit would be on track for activation.

[hnolable]

The part you're missing is that Bitcoin is totally fine if it never changed from how it is today. Anonymity will come via Tumblebit. Lightning network can already work even without segwit.

Segwit never getting activated may even be a good thing. It will show everyone that Bitcoin has crystalized and can never be changed via petty human emotion. This was always Bitcoin's true selling point and we may be about to demonstrate it.

So yes, politics can and will be ignored.

[mhluongo]

Not at all. Like many in the space, I've had to consider and come to terms with the fact that this might be the best version of Bitcoin we have, forever.

But that's not politics being ignored- this is still a group of humans who couldn't come to an agreement after much politicking. That's politics being exhausted.

I do share your optimism that we have a system that can survive gridlock. It just won't fulfill much of its early promise.

[stale2002]

The core developers have been playing political games for 2 years.

They've stopped all important changes that people are asking for, so now the shoe is on the other foot.

Play stupid games win stupid prizes. The core devs will get nothing unless they compromise.