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Academic References And Prior Art

Academic References and Prior Art

This document situates HODLXXI within existing academic, technical, and philosophical work.

It does not claim originality of individual components. Its contribution lies in the synthesis, constraints, and long-horizon framing of known ideas.


Bitcoin and Distributed Systems

Satoshi Nakamoto (2008)
Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System

Bitcoin demonstrated that: - long-term rules can be enforced without authority, - trust can be minimized through verification, - and systems can outlive their creators.

HODLXXI directly inherits Bitcoin’s emphasis on: immutability, symmetry of rules, and time as a first-class primitive.


Hal Finney, Adam Back, Wei Dai (1990s–2000s)
Early work on proof-of-work, reusable computation, and cryptographic money laid foundational primitives used implicitly by HODLXXI.


Game Theory and Repeated Interaction

Robert Axelrod (1984)
The Evolution of Cooperation

Axelrod demonstrated that cooperation can emerge from rational self-interest in repeated games, without requiring altruism or central enforcement.

CRT explicitly extends this logic to cryptographically persistent identities and long time horizons.


Fudenberg & Maskin (1986)
The Folk Theorem in Repeated Games

Theoretical basis for sustaining cooperation when future consequences remain visible and credible.


Mechanism Design and Incentives

Hurwicz, Maskin, Myerson (2007)
Mechanism Design Theory

HODLXXI differs from classical mechanism design by explicitly rejecting optimal outcomes, central designers, and equilibrium guarantees.

The system constrains mechanisms rather than optimizing objectives.


Identity and Reputation Systems

Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs)
W3C DID specifications explore portable identity.

HODLXXI diverges by prioritizing: - exit, - adversarial durability, - and long-term commitments over interoperability and institutional adoption.


EigenTrust, PageRank-based Reputation Systems
Early reputation systems demonstrated the fragility of scalar trust metrics and susceptibility to gaming.

HODLXXI explicitly rejects single-score representations.


Cryptography and Commitments

Commitment Schemes (Naor, 1991)
Cryptographic commitments provide binding and hiding properties that inspire time-locked covenants.


Hash Timelocks and Scripted Constraints
Widely used in payment channels and atomic swaps, these primitives demonstrate enforceable delayed conditions without trusted intermediaries.


Free Energy Principle (Interpretive Influence)

Karl Friston (2010s)
The Free Energy Principle

The Free Energy Principle is referenced as an interpretive lens rather than a formal dependency.

It informs the intuition that systems minimizing surprise over long horizons favor predictability and stability.

No biological or neuroscientific claims are made by HODLXXI.


Constitutional and Institutional Theory

Elinor Ostrom (1990)
Governing the Commons

Ostrom’s work demonstrated that durable institutions emerge from clear boundaries, local rules, and the ability to exit or self-organize.

HODLXXI mirrors these principles in a cryptographic context.


Prior Attempts and Adjacent Work

  • Web-of-Trust models (PGP)
  • Smart contract platforms
  • DAO governance experiments
  • Social credit and scoring systems (as negative examples)

HODLXXI differentiates itself by: - rejecting forced participation, - rejecting universal governance, - and rejecting optimization of human behavior.


Summary of Contribution

HODLXXI does not introduce new cryptographic primitives.

Its contribution lies in: - constraint-first design, - explicit long-horizon assumptions, - rejection of central optimization, - and synthesis of time, identity, and reciprocity.

It should be read as applied research, not as a finalized protocol or product.


Citation Policy

Implementers and authors are encouraged to cite original sources directly when referencing specific mechanisms or theories.

This project does not seek citation monopoly.