### How CryptoCurrencies Awaken Us to Others
![Bitcoin](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/Bitcoin_Network_Purple_4k.jpg/800px-Bitcoin_Network_Purple_4k.jpg)<sup>[1](#attribution1)</sup>

Bitcoin, Dash, Ethereum, and _magic internet money_ are all examples of the concept of cryptocurrencies. CryptoCurrencies are digital, decentralized and cryptographically-secured payment system. Cool descriptors Jake, but why should I care? CryptoCurrencies are purely online money aka Internet protocol. This is the first time where a monetary system is all based in software code and transparent! CryptoCurrencies are decentralized, peer-to-peer, by design so one party does not retain control over the system aka no censorship. Finally, cryptocurrencies are a payment system which uses a passphrase, cryptography, to secure users’ digital holdings.

Bitcoin is the first cryptocurrency and it’s founder, Satoshi Nakamoto, wrote the all important whitepaper. In the paper, he laid our his vision of an open source, peer-to-peer, electronic cash system. Nakamoto’s main goal of Bitcoin was to “allow online payment to be sent directly from one party to another without _going through a financial institution._” ([2009](https://www.bitcoin.com/bitcoin.pdf)) Nakamoto wanted a system without needing to trust verified third parties which at the time have and are creating market crashes. You can clearly see this in the first Bitcoin transaction message “The Times 03 / Jan / 2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks” ([Blockchain.info](https://blockchain.info/es/tx/4a5e1e4baab89f3a32518a88c31bc87f618f76673e2cc77ab2127b7afdeda33b?show_adv=true)). 
![Occupy Wall Street](https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6040/6240958665_a8e4101a36_b.jpg)
<sup>[2](#attribution2)</sup>
Much of the general public at the time, were tired of the blatant corruption between the bankers and politicians so Satoshi created a solution where you do not need those people anymore. A financial system outside of government control where transactions are based on voluntary consent. These principles and ideas are strongly espoused by followers of the Non Aggression Principle, for example libertarians, Anarcho-Capitalists and others. What cryptocurrencies give us is a system for making voluntary transactions that can bypass violent actors such as The State and criminals.

Consciousness is the state or quality of being aware. CryptoCurrencies were made because humans became aware of the injustices and criminality of those who made up the entrenched financial system. In a sense, we use cryptocurrencies to eradicate violent vices and uphold virtues. CryptoCurrencies inherently make you responsible for your monetary transactions because they are non-reversible. You have to own up to the decisions you make and the ultimate good is on the line for your mistakes, money.
![consciousness](https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/5df8633f/dms3rep/multi/meditation-2115594_1920.png)
Over the course of the series, _Crypto Consciousness_, I will show how virtues exist and flourish due to cryptocurrencies. In each article, I will  exhibit special individuals within the Steemit community who exemplify the predetermined virtue and show how cryptocurrencies enable their work. The virtues will come from different religious and humanitarian viewpoints and the first virtue which we will examine is charity.

<a name="attribution1">1</a>: Photo by [Davidstankiewicz](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Davidstankiewicz&action=edit&redlink=1 "User:Davidstankiewicz (page does not exist)") Licensed under the Creative Commons [Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en)
<a name="attribution2">2</a>: Photo by Jagz Mario Licensed under the Creative Commons [Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/)


> Written with Love by [Jake Bryan](https://www.jakebryan.me)
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