Satoshi Nakamoto began mining the genesis block on January 3, 2009. I can hardly believe it's been a decade since the birth of Bitcoin. I often wonder if he/she/they had any idea the impact this would have on the world?
I don't remember hearing much about Bitcoin until about five years later, in late 2014, when Charlie Shrem was sentenced to prison for charges surrounding the Silk Road scandal. I recall this stoking my curiosity a bit and thinking to myself, "I should learn more about Bitcoin!" However, the mainstream media portrayed it in such a negative light I decided to pass. Besides, I was still hustling so hard to save our house after the housing crisis of 2008 I didn't have much bandwidth for anything else.
Then came my introduction to Steemit in July of 2016. Steemit became my gateway into the world of cryptocurrency. Through total immersion I received a crash course in Bitcoin and many other altcoins. In about four months most of our debts accrued through the Housing Crisis were paid off and I was able to start building a nice savings for the first time in my life.
Like anything remotely worthwhile, these past couple of years have not been an easy road. Just a few years ago barriers to entry into this space were far greater than they are today and they forced us to learn...lots. Wallets and exchanges have gotten easier to use and there are more of them. Since joining Steemit my worldview and ideology have been challenged on several occasions, tested, then reconfigured.
I've lost the equivalent of a few Bitcoin in a variety of ways...failed ICO's, botched transactions, and lost passwords/keys. I had substantially more Bitcoin stolen during last year's Bitgrail theft, which I hope to recover at least a percentage of once the trial is finally over. What I've come to realize throughout this crypto rollercoaster ride is my largest gains can't be lost or otherwise stolen.
My most valuable gain is seeing the world through a completely new lens. It's being able to identify the multitude of ways those who rule the world use fear and disinformation as a means of controlling the masses and continuing the cycle of despair. Last, but not least, working with an incredible team to build a transmedia company (HardFork Entertainment, Inc.) that we hope will introduce this space to millions of more sets of eyes.
Bitcoin has sparked a rebirth, a second chance for us all to achieve happiness and a greater freedom. The more you learn about the technology, the more potential you realize there is.
Happy Birthday Bitcoin and many thanks to you, Satoshi Nakamoto (whoever you are), for this incredible gift to the world.
On this eve of Bitcoin's tenth anniversary I ask you...
How Has Bitcoin (and cryptocurrency in general) Changed Your Life?
*I am an American novelist, poet, traveler, and crypto-enthusiast. If you’ve enjoyed my work please sign up for my author newsletter at my website. Newsletter subscribers will receive exclusive updates and special offers and your information will never be sold or shared.
Alarm Clock Dawn, one of the first full length novels published on the blockchain, and the book that started it all for me can be found HERE. Or Click Here to read it for free on the Steemit blockchain
My book on meditation, The Perfect Pause, is priced at $12.99 (paperback) and $4.99 (eBook). Buy the paperback and receive the eBook for free!
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