Bitcoin has a unique identity and characteristics that are cemented on the basis of decentralization. Almost everyone who does the work to understand Bitcoin will eventually face the cold, hard truth that Bitcoin, at its core, is about freedom. For those who have enjoyed individual freedoms throughout their lives, the concept of freedom may be diluted or underestimated. For those who live without it, liberty and individual liberty become pursuits of great importance.
Many people who dive into Bitcoin will find themselves at a crossroads, having to choose between the “get rich quick” obsession of some crypto subcultures and the self-sovereign, owner-and-build mentality that Bitcoin offers.
Amanda Cavalieri personifies the latter. Humble, sympathetic, and generous with her knowledge, Cavalieri spends her time furthering the cause of the original bitcoins. She will tell you that when she first heard about Bitcoin, it didn’t catch her eye at first. Fortunately, Cavaleri eventually caught on to what Bitcoin had to offer and has contributed significantly to the Bitcoin space ever since.
With a background in artificial intelligence, higher education, and politics, Cavaleri has what it takes to move the ball forward when it comes to Bitcoin education. She is the Chairman of the Board Bitcoin Alliance TodayMember of the Board of Directors of Sustainable Bitcoin Mining Corporation CleanSpark and co-authored “Bitcoin and the American Dream. Cavalieri also hosts the annual session Bitcoin Ski Summit in Jackson Hole, Wyoming in order to create a thought-provoking space for bitcoin subscribers to philosophize and make a greater impact in their areas of expertise.
One of the many talents Cavaleri brings to the Bitcoin space is her originality and empathy. She talks openly about her past and how everything in life is layered. Her work was truly special and it was an honor to discuss these topics with her.
How did you first learn about Bitcoin and what? especially your destination to him?
I first heard about Bitcoin from another entrepreneur in a shared office space in 2010. With very little life experience, I didn’t understand or appreciate the need for a peer-to-peer network and first understood it as something akin to loyalty points. It wasn’t part of my journey to understand right away and I didn’t buy it right away. Fortunately, the idea of the Bitcoin network has never left me and I’ve gotten incredible reactions over the years.
During my entrepreneurial journey, I became obsessed with the idea of preserving and passing down wisdom through generations. Because we no longer live in multigenerational homes and ages are segregated by school, work, and after work, we don’t pass on lessons and traditions as naturally as we did when our species was more agricultural. An African proverb compares the death of a sheikh to a library burning to the ground. Every time someone dies, so does their unique vision and experience.
Wisdom is our most wasted natural resource—the lack of conservation and daily interaction with it deepens humanity’s historic cycle of doom from control, corruption, and war. Reducing the time between generations has prevented younger generations from gaining a long-term holistic perspective. This disconnect between ages is very likely a significant contributor to the rise in suicide rates among younger generations and other mental health issues.
The idea of wisdom as a cornerstone of human evolution, especially as algorithms deepen beliefs, haunts me. Bridging generations and leveraging technology to preserve and share wisdom is a path worth building. The missing piece was network wise and a value transfer system. The solution must be able to have an immutable ledger (maintains the content), be decentralized (a single entity cannot control the narrative) and have a mechanism to transfer value in a way that promotes freedom and equality (a system that overrides legal order). There was no way to natively leverage technology to preserve and share human insights — until Bitcoin.
This realization is how I came to believe that both the Bitcoin network and the Bitcoin are an essential commodity for the evolution of humanity so that we can build on insight, and not have to re-learn lessons. Bitcoin is that technology wise and Bitcoin is that wise representation of value. I started going to meetups and learning more about technology. My path there was anything but straightforward, and like many, I had to see the foundation of cryptocurrency to come to this realization.
For me, it was important to see the good, the bad, and the ugly before making sure that the solution was indeed there and had been in the orb for 13 years. This slow learner is grateful that Bitcoin hasn’t given up on it, which is why I decided to work on the parts of Bitcoin that could be most useful: mining and politics.
What do you think of bitcoin culture? What do you think should be the first step in making bitcoin culture (in the US) more inclusive?
Bitcoin culture is in the disturbing middle school stage. Many of us are divergent thinkers and have been preoccupied by central entities into believing that we are wrong. While we have every right to be angry, it is time to heal and not use the tools of shame, fear, and guilt that these systems have used against so many of us to justify our behavior. Most of the Bitcoin people I know are wonderful, kind, and brave human beings. These are the people I want to fight with.
Bitcoin Twitter is not real. It’s an algorithm that feeds off drama and negativity. Most of us aren’t gout-ridden, post-algorithmic, or manipulative attention-seekers. Spend some time on Nostr and see what we really are. We are philosophical, macro-oriented and generally optimistic about humanity. Sometimes we are playful and playful.
While it is very important that we face our pain and overcome it, it is also very important that we show empathy for those who are pawns in broken systems. It is the breadth of experience and strength in personal growth that will allow us to build a future worthy of future generations.
I love seeing people go in and work on one variable we can control: ourselves. I’ve seen a lot of that in a physical and environmental sense as we become more attached to our food, cut out a lot of alcohol, spend time in nature, et cetera. I look forward to further research into the less concrete aspects of healing – emotional, spiritual, etc.
The longer it goes, the deeper the rabbit hole. For me, hiding Satoshi’s identity is very humbling. We are fortunate to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.
How do you usually respond to those who reject bitcoins, especially those in your circle of friends/influence?
Arguing is low energy (for me). By and large, we have had enough of negativity in the media, so I try to listen more than respond. Sometimes people just need to be listened to, and if they feel they’ve made up their minds at this point, there’s no point in discussing until they’re ready again. We are all on our journeys and for me, my Bitcoin mentors patience and hope won out.
One example I use often is the Bitcoin Circular Economy that I visited in the Peruvian mountains outside of Cusco. Motiv, a non-profit organization operating in South America, has helped artisan women of all ages sell traditional scarves and accessories to earn income, many for the first time. Since there was no banking option, bitcoin was the easiest payment method to accept. Not only did these women prefer that I pay them in Bitcoin, but they also told me how much Bitcoin had changed their lives. Then they show me by taking me to a local store to buy groceries for the week with the bitcoin they just got from my purchase and to their children’s school (where teachers get paid in bitcoin). This technology has brought resources and hope to a poor rural town.
I want people to feel the optimism I feel about Bitcoin. That’s what I focus on – stories of hope that show how it’s being used around the world. Some call this approach positive attraction, which seems to me to be more effective than fear, greed, etc.
Why do you think it is important to close the gender gap in Bitcoin interest and adoption?
There are marketing reports indicating that female millennials will be the number one demographic over the next couple of years. It would be great to welcome them warmly. This is what I will continue to do because this is what has worked for me. Stay focused on education, humility and patience. Treat others as if they were family because we are in a way encouraging the growing popularity of Bitcoin. We are fortunate to have this layer of truth to guide our interactions.
The most important thing we can do is get in. No one will do this work for you. It’s scary – it’s worth it. The inner evidence of what most of us do will advance what we build into the future. Now is the time to clean up so we can be strong, compassionate, and visionary leaders during the chaos of Taurus.
This is a guest post by Becca Bratcher. The opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.