Why Bitcoin Matters
You hear stories of people who made a lot of money, you read claims that it is the best money ever invented and that it is going to change the world. Some even suggest that the impact of this technological breakthrough will be comparable to that of Gutenberg's printing press and the Internet combined. This triggers your curiosity.
The marketing buzz from countless crypto projects is deafening and this unregulated crypto casino - a wild far-west - appears way too risky. The Bitcoin signal somewhat gets lost within this noise. And to add to the confusion, whereas the legacy system - financial institutions, governments and the mainstream media - embrace and promote the blockchain, they relentlessly propagate fear and mistrust around Bitcoin.
Don't blindly trust what they say, see what they do! The same bankers who denigrated Bitcoin in 2019 now sell it to their wealthy clients. Large institutions (wealth funds, insurance companies, banks), countries and states are gradually adopting it, and politicians understand that Bitcoin is here to stay. Give yourself a chance! Find out for yourself!
Make it a Decisive Touchpoint
Being skeptical about Bitcoin is healthy. Most bitcoiners began their journey as skeptics. A few failed touchpoints generally precede the decision to learn the truth about Bitcoin. This then lead people into the so-called Bitcoin rabbit hole (c.f. Lewis Carol's Alice in Wonderland novel). The orange-pilling process (c.f. The Matrix) which cements your conviction can begin. Those who reject Bitcoin after studying it deeply are extremely rare.
Buying bitcoins without properly understanding its value puts you in a risky position. The volatility of its price is challenging. People insufficiently aware of what is Bitcoin turn to irrational and regrettable behaviour.
There has never been as much quality educational content on Bitcoin available to the public. We believe that three touchpoints are not needed anymore. Our goal is to make the Bitcoin onboarding process faster and safer.
No Rush!
It is a dense learning process but it does not call for outstanding cognitive abilities. Allocate time to read, watch or listen to the best Bitcoin writers and educators around. Pause to ponder on a new concept. It is a puzzle that you will assemble little by little.
We have left the irrational euphoria of the latest bull market behind. This is a good moment for a calm and structured learning. There is less noise, less buzz around generally useless and highly speculative crypto projects. Make the most of the current bear market to understand Bitcoin fundamentals, and to prepare and serenely build a position!
Whether they end up buying bitcoin or not, people who engage in the Bitcoin rabbit hole generally report an immensely valuable, eye-opening learning experience. Don't rush it! Take your time to build solid foundations.
Unpacking Complexity
Learning about Bitcoin is interdisciplinary, which people find fascinating. But we are so used to compartmentalize knowledge that this constitutes an obstacle initially for many of us. We need to breakdown this complexity.
It is appalling how little school teaches us about the origins and evolution of money, the most important economic good! Bridging this gap of knowledge is critical. We will look into how money evolved, track Bitcoin prehistory, find out why it exists, review how it works, check who participates in its ecosystem, what are their roles and relationships... And of course, we will compare Bitcoin with other monetary systems.
As we adopt Bitcoin we build new habits. We learn a lot through practice and experimentation! Amongst many other practical topics, we will compare the options available to purchase Bitcoin, review the different types of wallet, learn how to transact, address privacy and security issues, and figure out how to operate a Bitcoin node!
Money is in essence a technology and Bitcoin is gradually imposing its superior properties within the technological, financial, political and institutional context of our time. It is important to understand the trends at play.
As you fall into the rabbit hole you will likely notice internal changes: a more serene relation to time and a strengthening of your core values. This is the cultural dimension of the Bitcoin paradigm shift. Bitcoin is transforming our culture, boosting social cohesion and empowering the sovereign individual in all of us.
Follow Your Own Path
No need to be a seasoned engineer, an expert cryptographer, a senior historian or a top-notch economist to learn about Bitcoin. Our goal is to guide you on a tailored learning path reflecting your affinities.
This core course provides you with the critical foundation to engage in a comprehensive and progressive learning process.
The 4-quadrant map will facilitate your tailored holistic learning. You will choose which aspects of Bitcoin to explore. Will you initially cover subjects matching your skills and interests? Or take a bold dive into largely unknown dimensions? You are in the driving seat whilst we provide guidance and the best educational content matching your interest and aptitudes.
Pitfalls & Principles
For almost 15 years bitcoiners have experimented with Bitcoin, identifying pitfalls, risky behaviours, best practices and guiding principles.
Key Resources
Arrival - Inspiration
The movie Arrival (originally titled Premier Contact i.e. first TouchPoint) has been a beautiful source of inspiration for this project. It tells the story of a female linguist and a male mathematician called in emergency to decipher the language of visiting aliens.
It takes them a few touch points with these visitors before they can start assembling the puzzle. The linguist undergoes a cognitive and psychic maturation and as a result and she breaks the code. All around the world experts join forces in awe of the gift this speech represents for mankind. It changes people's worldviews and brings peace.
The parrallels between Arrival (one of the most beautiful sci-fi film ever) and our encounter with Bitcoin are profound. As we fall in the rabbithole, we shockingly realize how little we know about money, this primordial form of speech, of which Bitcoin is the most advanced expression. The deeper we fall, the more our “time preference” changes: we engage in more meaningful activities, letting go of more futile consumption patterns seeking instant gratification.
In Arrival, the main protagonists learn a new, cryptic, language. There are striking similarities with our own learning processes as we discover Bitcoin: it takes multiple touchpoints to start embracing the complexity of the speech; the comprehension of Bitcoin opens up a new paradigm ; and the benefits derived from Bitcoin, individually and collectively are life-changing. Bitcoin is hope!
Caveat - Bitcoin Only
We are very fortunate to partake in the emergence of Bitcoin, a technological breakthrough of a truly unfathomable magnitude. It deserves all your attention! Not that all other “crypto” projects are futile. But crypto is a wild space rife with scams sometimes hard to detect. Building the discernment to critically review crypto projects requires that you first understand Bitcoin and its uniqueness.
Many seasoned bitcoiners lost considerable amount of capital (time; money; spirit) on altcoins. The disconnect between the often grandiose promises made by – admittedly geniusly marketed- altcoins project and what they actually deliver is generally brutal. You get rug-pulled easily. Agreed, there is always some learning to be derived from pitfalls and deceptions. But at what cost? Your time is precious. Make the most of this touchpoint! Bypass the tribulations of altcoin wanderrings.