The Importance of Community

Over the past month, I have felt more alive, energetic, enthusiastic, and optimistic than ever before in my life.  This feeling is largely due to my participation in the freedomain radio (if you don’t know about it, youtube it), and Bitcoin community.  In these communities – and there is much overlap – I have found some truly amazing people of whom I hope to form lifelong friendships with.  Before I went down this path, I was feeling plenty of anxiety because I knew the importance of having honest, caring, close, motivating friendships, but was not surrounded by many people who fit that criteria.  I can now understand why that anxiety was very healthy. 

Being involved in the Bitcoin community is like being a pioneer in the Wild West, minus all the annoying horse riding and travelling across oceans. I feel like I’m experiencing a true free market for the first time in my life -- not just in currency, but ideas as well.  The buzz of the entrepreneurial spirit is palpable and deeply infectious everywhere Bitcoin-minded people share their thoughts, ideas, and visions for the future.  I truly believe that I’ve learned more from attending the Toronto Bitcoin Expo and meetups at Bitcoin Decentral than my elementary, high school and university education combined.

I feel incredibly lucky to be involved in the fdr (freedomain radio) community.  The most salient message hammered home by Stefan Molyneux – the host – is to understand how early childhood experiences influence your choices and personality, and to critically analyze the parent-child relationship: i.e. parents have full moral responsibility in the relationship, and children have none.   There are very few people on this planet who have the courage to fully embrace the implications of this.  I am in awe of the strength and supportive nature of this community.

Last night, I had the pleasure of experiencing these worlds collide serendipitously.  I was at a Bitcoin meetup at Bitcoin Decentral, and I spoke to the CEO of Prepaid Bitcoin, who sells cards that have Bitcoins on them. They are similar to a Starbucks or Best Buy gift card.  The company website can be found here: https://prepaidbitco.in/#/home. 

I quickly discovered that he is an fdr listener as well, and is raising his five beautiful children peacefully with his wife.  We talked for over an hour about Bitcoin, philosophy, and seemingly everything else important and paradigm shifting.  By the end of the night, he gave me a $10 prepaid Bitcoin card that I promptly donated to freedomain radio.  I thought it was the best thing I could do with the money for the both of us. 

Philosophy, psychology, and Bitcoin:  the triangular fractal destined to save the world.