One of the motivations of building the internet was to set up a communications network that was decentralized in the event of a third world war. The origins of this can be found in the Arpanet set up by a govt agency, DARPA which then opened up as a general purpose communications network, the internet, as we know it today.
The internet is a massive multiplier in our lifetimes. So much of our life now functions on this network. Can you imagine living without it? I sure cannot.
In 2009 an anonymous person(s) by the name of Satoshi Nakamoto bootstrapped a value network called Bitcoin to set up a decentralized p2p currency that was protected against manipulation and inflation. It needed no central actor to manage & control the supply and enabled humans anywhere on the planet to instantly move value between each other for minimal fees. Until then the only way to do so was physically and over a distance you always needed a third party.
The story is repeating. Where will it lead us? Will we be able to live without it?
Ribbit Ribbit down the rabbit hole we go
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