This is my interpretation of a talk given by Johann Gevers at TEDx Zug with additional emphasis placed on privacy.
Privacy
The right to privacy is the foundation to free speech and the freedom of thought… we would not live in a free and open society without it… for without free speech we would not communicate honestly… it is maintained in blockchain technology through cryptographic encryption… privacy and the freedom of thought for the individual is represented here by the meditating Buddha
Privacy is the foundation upon which the 4 pillars of an open, fair, and decentralised society sit… here they are:
Pillar 1: Decentralized Communication
All positive mutual action begins with open communication between individuals, peer to peer, without the need of a middleman and without censorship… this is the first pillar of society which sits on top of the foundation and integrates the qualities of privacy… decentralized communication does not just refer to email and messaging, but to a decentralised internet itself
Pillar 2: Decentralized Law
When actions have been agreed between any number of individuals, the rules by how people cooperate and behave can be agreed through mutually accepted laws and mutually accepted law enforcers
Pillar 3: Decentralized Production
There are 2 types of production, energy production and material production… Material production can be seen right now through global decentralized communities of “makers” and developers… people who own 3D printers and laser cutters (like me) and programmers/developers are able to create material goods and digital solutions from their own homes… similarly decentralised energy production can be seen in the growing number of people generating their own energy through solar, wind and water
Pillar 4: Decentralized Finance
Starting with bitcoin, there are now many different types of cryptocurrencies that enable the transition of fair value through decentralized systems
I originally had the idea for this piece from an infographic I was making for a blockchain company I worked for… it was title “Tokenisation of the 4 Pillars of Society & the Circular Economy”… it provided an overview of how value would flow instantaneously through an interconnected and decentralised society using blockchain technology and atomic swapping.
However, the infographic was massive, I mean it took the term “long form” a little too seriously… on looking around to get another interpretation I found Johann’s TEDx Zug presentation “The 4 Pillars of a Decentralized Society” and it was perfect. Thank you Johann ?
Johann Gevers is the founder of Monetas as well as the Tezos Foundation. Johann’s TEDx Zug talk can be seen here.
