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Reveal or Permanent Silence

Every commitment ends in one of two ways: revelation or eternal silence. There is no third option.

The Reveal Path​

To reveal a commitment, you present proof that you know the secret that created it. This proof is verified cryptographically. If valid, the system:

  1. Records that this commitment has been revealed
  2. Executes whatever action the commitment was bound to (e.g., releasing value)
  3. Marks the commitment as consumed

After reveal, the commitment is done. It cannot be revealed again. The nullifier system ensures that any attempt to re-reveal will be rejected.

Reveal is irreversible. Once you reveal, you cannot un-reveal. The action is taken, the commitment is consumed, and the world has changed.

The Silence Path​

If you never reveal, the commitment remains on-chain forever in its hidden state. This is not a failure mode. It is a legitimate outcome.

Silence might mean:

  • You lost your secrets
  • You chose not to reveal
  • You transferred the secret to someone who chose not to reveal
  • You are waiting for a time that has not yet come

Observers cannot distinguish between these cases. A silent commitment is simply a commitment that has not been revealed. It may be revealed tomorrow, or never.

Why No Middle Ground​

You might wonder: why not allow partial reveals, multiple reveals, or reveal-then-hide?

Partial reveals would break privacy. If you could reveal "part" of a commitment, you would leak information about the rest. The commitment would no longer be all-or-nothing.

Multiple reveals would break scarcity. If the same commitment could release value multiple times, the value would be duplicated. The economic model would collapse.

Reveal-then-hide is incoherent. Once data is revealed, it is known. You cannot un-know something. Attempting to hide after reveal is security theater.

The binary outcome (reveal or silence) is not a design limitation. It is the only model that maintains both privacy and integrity.

Finality​

Both paths lead to finality:

Reveal finality. The commitment is consumed. The action is taken. The data (or value) has moved from hidden to visible. The commitment's role is complete.

Silence finality. The commitment remains hidden indefinitely. Without the secret, it is cryptographic noise. It will never reveal anything.

Neither outcome can be reversed. Both outcomes are permanent. This finality is what makes Ghost Protocol commitments meaningful.

Choosing Your Path​

The choice between reveal and silence is always yours. No mechanism can force you to reveal. No mechanism can force you to stay silent.

This sovereignty over your own commitments is fundamental. You made the commitment; you control its fate. The system enforces the rules, but you make the choices.