Alright, are you all ready for this one today?
Prepare to expand your thought process on what Bitcoin and technology is all about because we’re going to be covering a man named Amir Taaki.
Amir Taaki is a 30 year old who has done a lot with his life so far.
For example, in his early 20s, Amir was drawn to the Free Software Movement and created a number of different video games.
A few years down the road Amir found himself earning a living through playing poker professionally. It was through this online gambling that led him to Bitcoin.
This is where Amir is different, unlike most people who learn about Bitcoin, right off the bat, Amir decided to create a Bitcoin exchange. He continued to contribute to the Bitcoin project and even created the Bitcoin Improvement Proposals, or BIPs, which is now Bitcoin’s standardization procedure. Amir also was involved with developing an anonymous wallet designed for Bitcoin and also an anonymous marketplace which eventually was turned into the project, OpenBazaar.
Amir was interviewed in 2014 by Max Keiser and it was pretty evident right from the start that this guy has many thoughts on the socio-political aspects of human nature.
Despite Max’s best efforts to get him to speak about his DarkWallet project, Amir was pretty set on diving way deeper. Once again I’m going to include a link down below so you can check out this interview, it begins around the 12:25 mark.
In this interview Amir explains how Bitcoin is not an improved payment system, that instead what it represents is much more than this, it is global, uncensored and decentralized. He also reminds us that anonymity is vital for free speech.
As Amir continues his passionate speech, he makes some great statements about human behavior regarding technology and our evolution of using tools that can equip people with the ability to live free.
He makes it a point to emphasize that despite some people wanting to label Bitcoin as politically neutral, we cannot separate the socio-political rhetoric from the technology, no technology is politically neutral.
He then goes ahead and says some visually intriguing statements about what separates man from the animals is that unlike the animals who are satisfied with moving through the landscape, man shapes the landscape.
Technology is the tool we use to live, “…that we can use to construct the world as we want through empowering the values we want to see happen.”
As if those thoughts weren’t enough, he ends with the reminder that there is no final victory, there may be individual battles, but it is very much about the process.
Now that interview took place in 2014, since then he’s done a lot more than help develop anonymous bitcoin wallets, he has definitely led a life that has stayed true to his beliefs.
After that interview with the Keiser Report, Amir had joined the rebels to fight ISIS for three and a half months in Syria in 2015.
More recently he has set in motion his plans to establish a school with the aim of training “ideological hackers”.
It looks like Amir is still living up to his reputation of having a more radical view on politics matched with impressive technological skills.
Another great video and another upvote for Heidi!!
Hi Heidi!
Thanks a lot for this new topic in your videos.
I really did not know most of the people you introduce in your videos. So glad to hear about all of them. For example I did not know anything about Amir Taaki before your video but he is also a very interesting and inspirational person.
I also always love your additional reading sources so I can learn more about them myself if I want to find out more about the person. 👍
Thanks.
Hi @Heiditravels,
I thought what he said about Bitcoin being more then an improved payment system was very significant. People often "vote with their feet" by leaving countries with oppressive governments or few opportunities for advancement and in the same way people vote with their money. I believe the global popularity of Bitcoin and Altcoins represents to a certain degree people voting with their money to support an alternative to the banking system, which many feel is an unfair, unjust yet very powerful entity. Digital currency allows people to take their business elsewhere to a system which they feel is more fair, more just and whose power is growing steadily. I enjoyed the post, you have my upvote and I will resteem.
@shortsegments
Great post keep it up 👍
waoooo .... Amir Taaki you the man (y) . really great article. a true story which may inspire many others. thumbs up (y)
He also reminds us that anonymity is vital for free speech.
wow .. good
keep it up
i liked your all posts
@heiditravels
This is a very good post! I think it shows how important Bitcoin can be and it's not a simple as just online payment. It goes beyond that. To sum it up in short words, "Bitcoin is bound to stay!"
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Superb post as always Heidi, yep its me again the @juicyvegandwarf your fav youtube fan lol
I just made a very interesting and thought provoking post about incorporating blockchain, crypto, permaculture, resource based living and a largely sustainable way of living. I wondered if you could take a look at it on my blog here, maybe resteem or upvote it for me.
If you could resteem OMG I would be eternally grateful. Many Thanks and of course keep up the good work x
Thanks, @heiditravels. This guy looks interesting person!
Hey long time how you doing?
From video games and poker to bitcoin exchanger he definitely had something good to do with his life, but this struck me and touched me so deep
Left me speechless thinking about it.
Thanks dear, nice post