"If magic exists, this is magic,"
says Syrian cryptographer

Blazing Reader,

Since 2018, I've been holding and profitting from cryptocurrency. Without it, I don't think I would have been able to spend so much time writing novels.

In December, journalist Derrick Broze interviewed cryptographer Amir Taaki, asking him why he felt cryptocurrency was so secure. His answer mixes math, magic and mysticism in such a delightful way:

"...you pick up these mathematical truths... and you combine them together and that's how you make cryptography.

"And that's like a spell that you've created. And we are casting these spells that are creating a shield that protects society from the nation-state, from attack by states. We're basically summoning the power of Mother Nature. We're basically doing magic. If magic exists, this is magic... Using the power of mathematics to literally create sovereign systems or create alternative economies, parallel societies that they are not able to attack.

"There's a saying that we have in cryptocurrency, which is, violence cannot solve math problems...

"That means there's nothing they can do to break that spell. The spell is immune to their attack.

"Cryptocurrency is private money that is issued on the internet which travels at the speed of light. Fiat currency is money issued by governments that travels at the speed of law.

"So fundamentally cryptocurrency is the future. And cryptocurrency will win. It's inevitable. Can't be stopped."

Amir Taaki was recently featured in the HBO documentary, Money Electric. He also spent two years fighting in the Syrian Civil War. Broze's interview with Taaki provides a glimpse into the beauty of math that even someone like me (who nearly failed grade 10 algebra) can appreciate.

You can listen to the full interview on Derrick Broze's Substack.

—John C.A. Manley

P.S. Derrick Broze is also hosting The People's Rest in three weeks in Morelia, Mexico. I'll be attending and would love to meet you there. Find out more about the event here.

John C. A. Manley is the author of Much Ado About Corona, All The Humans Are Sleeping and other works of philosophical fiction that are "so completely engaging that you find yourself alternately laughing, gasping, hanging on for dear life." Get free samples of his stories by becoming a Blazing Pine Cone email subscriber.