This is my first post, so I’d like to briefly introduce myself here. I work at a STEM education nonprofit and enjoy working at the cusp of education and technology. I live by the mantra that “if you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
I’ve spent nearly all my free time learning about blockchain technologies, particularly focusing on blockchain’s capacity to address social issues. As both a symbol and innovation, blockchain lays the groundwork for decentralized solutions to bureaucratic inefficiencies. In some ways blockchain is the antithesis to bureaucracy. It replaces authority with consensus and greed with good incentives.
These discussions are important for social entrepreneurs, but I hope others will join in as well. But first, we need to push through the Bitcoin frenzy. News outlets use catchy headlines like “Bitcoin is in a Bubble” and “Is Bitcoin a Scam?” Given the transformative power of the blockchain, it is silly to spin the conversation around an outdated cryptocurrency. I recently surveyed 100 people about their perceptions of both Bitcoin and the blockchain. 50% had never heard of blockchain, and amongst those who did, only one person had a sense of what it might be.
I will be using this platform to educate and spark discussions about innovative ways blockchain can empower others. I believe in the power of consensus, decentralization, efficiency and distribution to tackle some of the world’s toughest problems.
A question for all of you: In what ways do you see blockchain as a force for good?