When I read about all the changes the blockchain is going to make to our lives, I’m reminded of the 80s, when we marvelled at the far-reaching effects that would result from the advent of “chips with everything”, or the early 90s, when we confidently predicted the profound differences the web would bring about. The blockchain may well change things fundamentally but I don’t believe we’re any better now than we were 30 years ago at foreseeing what form the changes will take.