The recording studio was dimly lit, an intimate space where words carried weight. Alias sat across from the host, Peter McCormack, who adjusted his headphones and leaned into the microphone.

"Alright, Alias, let’s start with something that caught my attention from one of your past writings. You’ve said that decentralization isn’t the central issue in the blockchain revolution. That’s an interesting take, considering how most people in this space worship decentralization like a religion. Can you explain what you mean?"

Alias adjusted his glasses and leaned slightly forward. "Well, first of all, I don’t even like the term ‘decentralization.’ It implies that centralization is the natural state of human organization—like it's the default setting, and we’re trying to dismantle it. I don’t think that’s accurate."

McCormack nodded. "Okay, so you’re saying that the idea of decentralization is misleading because it assumes centralization is the original condition?"

"Exactly. Centralization, decentralization, and distribution—they’re not opposing forces, they’re different points on a spectrum. And the truth is, really centralized organizations are actually quite rare."

McCormack raised an eyebrow. "That’s not how most people frame it. They usually talk about how most power structures are centralized and how blockchains will break them apart."

Alias smiled. "That’s the narrative, sure. But look around—pure centralization isn’t that common. Think about air traffic control. That’s a centralized system. And it’s centralized for a reason. You don’t want a thousand independent nodes each making their own decisions about which planes land when. You want a single authority, clear decision-making, and a structured approach."

McCormack chuckled. "Alright, so you’re saying there are cases where centralization makes sense. But what about decentralization?"

"Decentralized systems are actually the norm in human history. They’ve been around since the agricultural revolution. When humans started forming large communities, delegation became necessary. That’s what decentralization really is—it’s a practical shortcut. Instead of everyone making every decision, authority is delegated to leaders, institutions, or representatives. It’s how cities, governments, and economies have worked for thousands of years."

McCormack rubbed his chin. "So in your view, decentralization isn’t some radical new concept—it’s just the most effective way we’ve figured out to manage large groups?"

"Exactly. It’s a management strategy, not a goal in itself. But at the other extreme, you have distributed systems. Those are rare too. Purely distributed organizations are difficult to maintain at scale. Think about games—poker, chess, Monopoly. These are distributed systems. Each player follows the same rules, no one has special privileges, and the system works without hierarchy."

"So what you’re saying is that blockchain isn’t about replacing centralization with decentralization. It’s about recognizing that these models already exist, and different systems require different organisational structures?"

Alias nodded. "Yes, but with one key difference. Blockchain introduces something humanity has never had before: immutable, pre-authorised coordination. For the first time, we have a tool that allows us to remove organizational middlemen in very specific ways."

McCormack leaned forward. "Okay, that’s interesting. Can you give an example?"

"Sure. Look at Switzerland. It has one of the world’s most participatory democratic systems. Citizens vote directly on policies, referendums are common, and decision-making power is widely distributed. But even that system still relies on centralized institutions to validate, enforce, and manage the process."

"And blockchain could change that?"

"Potentially, yes. If you replace traditional bureaucratic intermediaries with smart contracts and immutable ledgers, you can achieve the same participatory democracy but in a fully distributed way—without the risks of centralized manipulation or inefficiency. That’s the real revolution."

McCormack sat back, nodding. "So in your view, blockchain isn’t about decentralization for decentralization’s sake. It’s about selectively replacing inefficient delegation with immutable, distributed systems where they make sense?"

Alias smiled. "Exactly. And if you frame it that way, you stop seeing it as a war against centralization. Instead, you see it as a toolset—a way to optimize governance, finance, and commerce depending on the situation."