Is crypto a cult?
No. Maybe...
Yes, probably.
At its most basic definition a cult is nothing more than a group of people with a shared set of values and principles, a shared culture which is often re-enforced through some kind of ritualistic practice. The term has a fanatical connotation, but the line between religion and cult is so feint as to be indistinct. Your religion, cross fit gym, and sports ball affiliation are all arguably cults.
Perhaps a better question is which kind of a cult would you like to avoid and to which would you like to belong?
We can probably agree that cults which discourage free thought while endorsing sexual slavery are best avoided. But what about a cult that encourages you to eat healthier and foster strong personal and familial relationships? How about a cult that places an emphasis on free speech and personal/ financial sovereignty? If that's what your cult is about, go ahead and sign me up.
Imagination + Courage + Belief = New Reality
One of the many less than desirable aspects of post modernity is its denigration of any kind of faith or belief as woo woo and low IQ.
Because virtually every belief system has been critiqued (many for good reason), it's hard to find anything worth believing in any more. Those who do find some kind of faith are viewed as naive by the smart, cynical, and faithless.
This is a problem.
Imagination, creativity, and belief form a powerful trifecta for bringing about real change. We need to normalize having faith in the values that are important to us. This is nothing more than having a goal and working every day towards achieving it. We must have the courage to dream big if we want change for ourselves and for the world. If we don't have the moxie to imagine our aspirational destination and the discipline to take the steps needed, how can we ever expect to get there?
The Dawn of a New Era
I believe we're at a very pivotal time for human culture. Admittedly, things don't look that great at present.
Our political and social institutions are being held captive by decrepit octogenarians. Their withered bodies are not the problem–the same tired old ideas they house are.
Instead of gracefully retiring their tenure, they seem hell-bent on squeezing ever more wealth, power, and influence from whatever politically and socially powerful position they've managed to attain.
It feels as if humanity is stuck applying the same ineffective solutions to an ever-increasing litany of problems. At times the amount and severity of the problems facing humanity seem insurmountable. Whether it's destruction of orangutan habitat for palm oil production or the existence of micro plastics in our food, its easy to feel powerless and depressed. We desperately need new ideas and new solutions.
We need to abandon their information networks, ditch their financial system, and opt out entirely of these old and tired ways of thinking and being.
On the bright side, the future is far from certain. It will be the result of whichever narratives manage to attract the most mind share and achieve majority consensus. The future belongs to those with the conviction.
I believe we're on the precipice of a golden age for human freedom and imagination. A cultural and economic reconnaissance powered by human ingenuity.
If I may cram two clichés in one small paragraph: in crypto I've found the hill I'm willing to die on, because if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.
