We often talk about blockchain like it’s the golden solution to everything, transparent, decentralized, and incorruptible.
But there's a quiet tension many people don't talk about. It’s not just regulation .It’s not even infrastructure.
The real conflict?
Our deeply rooted culture of secrecy.
Blockchain Is Built on Openness. But We’ve Been Taught to Hide.
At its heart, blockchain is an open book. A digital system designed so that everyone can see the records, verify the data, and trust the process, without needing to trust any single person.
But here’s the thing: in many parts of the world, especially here in Africa, we’re raised to believe that information is power, and power is best kept private.
We don’t talk about how much we earn. We don’t ask about inheritance until after someone passes. We keep our business moves close to our chest.
Even basic facts, like who owns what, are often locked behind silence or suspicion. So while blockchain is saying, “Let everyone see the truth,” our culture is saying, “Keep it in the family. Keep it quiet."
Three Places Where Blockchain and Everyday Life Clash
1. Family Wealth and Inheritance
Blockchain could easily automate estate planning through smart contracts, no lawyers, no drama. But in most families, people barely even know what assets exist. Wills are rare. Secrets are common.
Blockchain says: “Let’s make it fair.”
Culture says: “Let the elders decide.”
2. Elections and Governance
We’ve seen how blockchain can make voting systems more transparent and tamper-proof. But in political systems built on manipulation and quiet deals, transparency feels like a threat.
Blockchain says: “Let’s count every vote, and let everyone see the result.”
Culture says: “Let’s manage the outcome.”
3. Salaries and Office Politics*
Some decentralized companies (DAOs) are already running with open salary structures and flat hierarchies. But here, asking how much a colleague earns might even get you side-eyes.
Blockchain says: “Transparency builds trust.”
Culture says: “Don’t ask questions that’ll cause trouble.”
So, What Do We Do With This?
The promise of blockchain isn’t just about building better tech, it’s about building better trust. But trust doesn’t happen just because the code works. It happens when people feel safe enough to be open. And that’s a cultural shift.
We’ll need to:
Redefine what power looks like in the digital age. Teach the next generation that sharing isn’t weakness.
Design systems that fit real human behavior, while still nudging us forward. Because let’s be honest: we can’t have transparent systems with people who are still afraid of being seen.
Final Word
Blockchain gives us a powerful tool. But tools don’t change people, people change people.
If we want a future built on trustless systems, we first have to build a culture that’s more comfortable with truth. Not polished truth. Not hidden truth. Just... honest truth. That’s the real work. And it's not just technical. It's human.