Cryptocurrency and Technology: The New Religion
In the world of cryptocurrency, there are signs of religiosity at every turn. From the enigmatic founder of bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, to evangelists pushing bold prophecies on Crypto Twitter, the industry has taken on an almost spiritual quality.
Cryptocurrency as a Religion
The parallels between cryptocurrency and religion are hard to miss. Roger Ver, a prominent promoter of Bitcoin Cash, openly refers to himself as “Bitcoin Jesus,” while stickers of Vitalik Buterin, a major figure in Ethereum, depict the Russian-Canadian whizkid under a radiant halo. Even Zcash was launched after a modern ritual dubbed the “Ceremony,” including five anonymous “Witnesses.”
Crypto Twitter is awash with dogmatic proclamations, inter-token heresy, and evangelists pushing bold prophecies. Like modern-day missionaries, crypto-investors spread the gospel of various tokens in hopes of converting more people to using their cryptocurrencies.
The First “Purely Capitalist Religion”
According to Amber Baldet, former head of JP Morgan’s blockchain project Quorom and current CEO of crypto startup Clovyr, there is something about cryptocurrency that incites mystical fervor more than your run-of-the-mill capitalist venture. She believes that it takes a certain amount of irrationality to believe that the world could be dramatically different and a certain amount of dogmatism to hold fast to that belief while everyone else says you’ll likely fail.
Baldet said, “So, it’s not surprising that blockchain and crypto communities tend to look cultish.”
Cryptocurrency Vs. Other Technologies
Cryptocurrency is not the only technology to have given rise to a cult. In November 2017, former Uber engineer Anthony Levandowski launched the Way of the Future (WOTF), a church in which AI “will effectively be a god.” Like 0xΩ, WOTF aims at democratizing participation in the AI-based project. The Church of Perpetual Life, “the only supplemental science-based church in the world,” is another manifestation of convergent innovations and religion.
A New Age of Technology
The overlap between technology and religion is becoming increasingly apparent in today’s society. With the rise of cryptocurrency and AI, it seems that people are looking for something more than just the promise of financial gain – they are seeking a sense of purpose and community.
As the cryptocurrency industry continues to grow and evolve, it is clear that it is not just another form of capitalism. It has taken on a spiritual aspect that cannot be ignored. Whether the comparison to religion is seen as a positive or negative, there is no denying that cryptocurrency has become a powerful force in the world today.
