THE Bitcoin Podcast – KNOTS OR CORE, WE ARE ALL BITCOINERS

Guest: Michael Tidwell

Host: Walker America

Date: September 25, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the current debates around Bitcoin node implementations, specifically the tension between the "Knots" and "Core" camps in the Bitcoin technical community. Michael Tidwell joins Walker to discuss misunderstandings around node operation, consensus vs. relay policies, the recurring nature of community churns, and why—fundamentally—all users are still “Bitcoiners” regardless of their software stack.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Knots vs. Core" Debate: Not a Real Schism

• Tidwell opens by challenging the framing of the Core vs. Knots split as a real division in the ecosystem, stating:

  "Your relay policy doesn't make you a different bitcoiner. Your consensus policy mainly does…We have the same consensus rules." (00:00)

• He argues that until there’s a consensus-level block rejection (such as a UASF event), “we’re all on the same team,” regardless of relay policy.

2. Bitcoiners, Disagreement, and Community Churns

• The discussion highlights that strong philosophical differences aren’t unique or new; the Bitcoin space has periodic "churns" where ideas are stress-tested.
• Tidwell speculates this may be a healthy, recurring process:

  "I almost wonder if like every X amount of years there just needs to be a churn where people get radically like dunked into cold water on what bitcoin is." (00:54:14)

3. What Is Bitcoin? Definitions and Edge Cases

• Both host and guest agree the question “What is Bitcoin?” must be revisited often.
• Tidwell’s perspective:

  "Bitcoin can survive ebbs and flows of terrible situations of censorship, centralization and actually come out…as a usable system that can course correct and become more of a freedom money and freedom data ledger." (00:02:27)

• He posits that the chain with the most proof of work, regardless of philosophical differences, is what defines “Bitcoin” for most practical purposes.
• Notably, he explicitly diverges from Greg Maxwell, who thinks it’s the “actual nodes” (consensus) that count, not just PoW.

4. Forks, Game Theory, and Economic Nodes

• Emphasis is placed on the real determinants of chain(s) after contentious events:

  "What really matters is who sells their coins and who doesn't. That is actually what matters." (Walker, 00:47:17)

• Economic nodes—the entities with meaningful transaction volume or holdings that can influence forks—are defined less by technical specifics, more by their impact on market outcomes.

5. Revisiting UASF (User Activated Soft Fork)

• Tidwell clarifies a frequent misconception: no true UASF has yet occurred; past UASFs have only been threatened rather than executed.

  "We have never done a UASF. We have always threatened a UASF." (00:55:20) "The main tangible thing that we did for UASF was we wore hats." (01:00:48)

6. Knots, Relay Policy, and Block Filtering

• Relay policy (e.g., those employed by Knots) is a local, optional setting; unless a node rejects blocks, all users remain in consensus and thus "Bitcoiners."
• The recurring fear-mongering over potential "attacks" on Bitcoin via policy change is reminiscent of earlier, overblown worries.

7. The Current Op_Return/Block Data FUD

• The ongoing controversy centers on allowing or restricting arbitrary data storage in the blockchain.
• Criticisms of Core v30 and debates over “filthy” content on the blockchain are recast as emotionally charged and, in Tidwell's view, technically misplaced.

  "It's becoming where…some...were passionate...But then it gets to this and you're just like, wait, what?" (01:17:54)

• Key technical point: Abusing OP_RETURN actually results in smaller blocks, reinforcing rather than undermining the desires of those most anxious about blockchain bloat.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Unless they're willing to reject the block, we're all on the same team...your relay policy doesn't make you a different bitcoiner." — Michael Tidwell (00:00)
• "I think ultimately the pleb move that is measurable...is voting with your feet, you sell your coins." — Michael Tidwell (00:02:11)
• "Who supports what? And this is how bitcoin works, so we’ll see...No need to be a gambler...let someone else take the beach." — Michael Tidwell on UASF consequences (00:58:53)
• "What really matters is who sells their coins and who doesn't. That is actually what matters." — Walker America (00:47:17)
• "We have never done a UASF. We have always threatened a UASF...We made hats." — Michael Tidwell (01:00:45)
• "This is just becoming insane to me…It just seems like people are out for some sort of, like, relevance." — Michael Tidwell on the extreme narratives being used (01:18:05)
• "Maybe ease off on calling other bitcoiners...complicit in exploiting children on the blockchain because that's just kind of like a man, that's a real government thing to say." — Walker (01:06:20)

TabConf and Bitcoin Community Experiments

• Tidwell describes the philosophy and unique structure of the Atlanta-based TabConf, which emphasizes transparency, technical depth, and the welcoming of experimentation.

  “Everyone needs minimal competence to be self sovereign. I truly believe that.” (00:14:27)

• Fun elements: rotating audience panels, rapid-fire explainers, and hands-on workshops like building Meshtastic mesh devices for decentralized comms.

On Misconceptions, Fears & Technical Realities

• There are already technical avenues for inserting larger blobs of data into Bitcoin; restricting OP_RETURN is not a panacea.
• Tidwell and Walker repeatedly caution against emotional, government-style “think of the children” rhetoric to strong-arm technical policy decisions.

Important Timestamps

• 00:00–03:47 – Opening thoughts on camps, consensus, and community churns
• 13:13–17:22 – Rethinking Bitcoin conferences and the ethos of TabConf
• 37:42–45:17 – Defining “What is Bitcoin?” and different visions for game theory
• 54:25–60:48 – Breaking down UASF myths and the difference between threats and executions
• 65:28–70:10 – Reflection on community churns, personality-driven debates, and underlying agreement
• 77:54–82:10 – Criticism of strawman, emotionally-charged arguments around node filtering and content risks
• 102:39–105:48 – Deep discussion on the necessity (or lack thereof) for the op_return change and how policy-shy FAQs are received

Summary & Final Thoughts

This episode is a high-signal, nuanced tour through the heart of the current community debate—not merely about software policy, but about how disputes are handled, what truly defines consensus in Bitcoin, and the inevitability of recurring cycles of ideological "mind-melts." Tidwell and Walker both urge listeners to keep perspective: as long as we share the same consensus rules and underlying ideals, differences in node implementation or policy preference don't make us adversaries, but strengthen Bitcoin’s antifragility.

Find More

• Michael "Tidwell" / mike21: On Nostr, Twitter, and at tabconf.com
• Walker America / THE Bitcoin Podcast: Primal, Substack, Fountain, and bitcoinpodcast.net
• TabConf: For technologists, plebs, and anyone seeking hands-on Bitcoin learning, transparency, and a dose of karaoke.

Selected further reading

• Comprehensive OP_RETURN Q&A on Stacker News
• [Genesis Block by Aaron van Wirdum]

“Bitcoin is scarce, but podcasts are abundant. Thank you for spending your scarce time listening to THE Bitcoin Podcast.” — Walker America (01:11:33)