Blaine
@blainemalone
Throughout my 9 years in crypto, I’ve consistently believed we could improve onboarding by effectively communicating cypherpunk values. My rationale is simple: "if we articulate these values clearly, I believe most people would naturally align with them." If you're unfamiliar with the Cypherpunk Manifesto, I highly recommend reading the original version and the recent Ethereum adaptation by @pcaversaccio. - https://www.activism.net/cypherpunk/manifesto.html - https://hackmd.io/@pcaversaccio/the-ethereum-cypherpunk-manifesto
2 replies
6 recasts
30 reactions
Blaine
@blainemalone
The manifesto can be boiled down to: - Privacy is essential for freedom: Without privacy, speech and actions are controlled by surveillance. - Code enforces rules better than institutions: Code is transparent, consistent, and unbiased. Humans aren’t. - Decentralized systems are more resilient: No single point of failure means they can’t be easily shut down. - Strong encryption protects everyone: It secures data, communication, and transactions from bad actors. - Control over your own money is common sense: If you don’t control it, someone else does.
2 replies
1 recast
7 reactions
Blaine
@blainemalone
I believe these values are hard to argue with, no matter where you stand politically. While they lean heavily libertarian, they are fundamentally about fairness, security, and individual empowerment. These principles resonate across ideologies. This week, Solana provided a perfect example of what cypherpunk values stand against. Blockchains are meant to be apolitical. They should maintain credible neutrality and serve as protective containers for these principles.
1 reply
0 recast
4 reactions
Blaine
@blainemalone
Solana's now-deleted ad aimed to promote 'innovation acceleration,' but its execution was widely criticized. Many called it tone-deaf, and personally, I agree. I think it completely missed the mark. Is this a glimpse into an echo chamber within the Solana ecosystem? Or just marketing incompetence? Either way, it succeeded, if the goal was to alienate large portions of the community.
1 reply
0 recast
6 reactions
Blaine
@blainemalone
Moments like this highlight the strength of Ethereum’s credible neutrality. Solana has repeatedly played the political card, aligning itself with whatever is popular at the time. In 2020, their messaging directly contradicted this latest ad. More and more, Solana is looking like the "current thing coin." Anatoly, the founder of Solana, acknowledged that the advertisement was a mistake, and the post was deleted. As blockchain technology becomes more mainstream, staying true to cypherpunk values remains the best strategy for any chain that wants broad appeal. Credit & References: - https://x.com/johncoogan/status/1901837097197330515 - https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/1jdtz8q/solana_posted_this_ad_accelerate_america_on_their/ - https://cointelegraph.com/news/solana-deletes-ad-criticized-tone-deaf-gender-issues
0 reply
0 recast
5 reactions