🍗 Thankful For Crypto — Issue No. 75

Lord knows there's plenty to be dismayed by in the crypto world right now. In the spirit of the season, though, I'd like to spend a little time engendering a sense of gratitude for decentralized cryptonetworks, and for the whole community of enthusiasts, technologists, and early adopters that has coalesced around them.

First and foremost, I'm grateful cryptonetworks exist, because I think the world needs them. The internet has connected the world in a way that's hard to fathom. We've seen a lot of good come from this shift, but we've also come to recognized a disturbing trend. Our more connected world has lead to the concentration of immense power into fewer and fewer hands.

Decentralized cryptonetworks offer a different path. They enable global cooperation, but without ceding power to a centralized service to enable it. They can be used to solve coordination problems without violence or coercion. They have the potential to unleash a wave of human creativity that could yield much fruit in the world.

Of course, none of this is guaranteed. There are many dystopian futures where crypto has been widely adopted. The way it turns out is up to us— and I really mean us. We're early adopters of a cutting edge new technology; we're helping to build something completely new. Because we're here now, at the beginning, our actions will shape what this technology becomes. I hope we choose wisely.

That brings me to the second thing about crypto I'm thankful for: the community. One day, the term "crypto community" will be as meaningless as "internet community." It will just be a technology nearly everyone uses. For the moment, though, the space is still niche and nascent enough to have its own ethos.

Crypto has a vibe, and let's be honest with ourselves, part of that vibe is completely ridiculous. This space attracts some real characters. But for every crackpot or tribal troll I've encountered, I've also met five talented, passionate people working to build something great. Seriously, this space is filled with some of the smartest, most interesting people you'll find. I wouldn't bet against them. I'm grateful for those people, because they've helped me grow.

Which brings me to the third and final reason I'm giving thanks: being involved in crypto has taught me an enormous amount about so many fields beyond my own. For this reason, even if Bitcoin, Ethereum, and every other project were to go to zero, I wouldn't regret the time I've spent working in the crypto world. (For the record, I don't think they're going to zero!)

I'm a technologist first, and I was drawn to crypto because of interest in the tech. In crypto, though, you find pretty quickly that making sense of the technology requires knowledge of other fields. From finance, to law, to governance, and beyond— I've learned so much about so many topics from members of the crypto community. Crypto has made me more curious and more well rounded, but also more humble. The number one lesson I've learned after seven years is just how little I really know.

I appreciate you bearing with me during this minor detour over the holiday weekend here in the States. If it wasn't your thing, don't sweat it! I'll be back next week with a typical issue, and I've got some exciting things planned for this newsletter in 2020. I'm grateful for readership, and I always welcome your feedback!