If smart contracts did not exist, users would be forced to build and maintain trust with one another.

but I think the whole point is to remove trust in intermediaries like the centralized server that is often an alternative o smart contracts

/scribble inframe scribbling and nft minting

I agree it would be nice if there was a new blockchain that everyone could run a full node/server on their phone and be able to verify everything themselves against the math and rules of the system without any need to trust miners/serverhosts/validators 

Also I think the ideal smart contract would run on the above but also be simple enough that anyone with intermediate level reading skill could understand what they were agreeing to exactly at a technical level and not just what possible interpretations a future arbitrator might accept

mmmm yes good point.

Maybe im having trouble with smart contracts themselves.

Smart contracts are run by servers

Yet, most people do not have servers…

Therefore, trust is not as distributed, as is ideal.
I believe that, for most systems, the ideal function for consensus is ‘one human one vote’.

What this means is everything is run through each other!!! 

For example, imagine a proposal is voted on.

21 vote yay
30 vote nay

How can I verify this indisputably, as true? Through another vote 🤣

bloke verifies by running the code that compiled the votes.
roadu verifies by running the code that compiled the votes.

51 yay
0 nay

Then, we all gain some clout for running our ‘validator’….

As people gain clout, they can be given higher responsibilities such as allowing money/NFTs/etc to pass through them. 

Which gives them added benefit of reputation if they want to run a service/business themself.