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Other => Off-topic => Topic started by: Vinnie on December 05, 2010, 06:52:03 AM



Title: Introduction
Post by: Vinnie on December 05, 2010, 06:52:03 AM
Hi! I'm Vince (or Vinnie.)

I've been interested in digital currencies for a while now. I have no business to add to the bitcoin economy, nor do I know anything about coding. But I'm still an enthusiastic supporter!

A little about myself:

I used to be a libertarian of the market anarchist variety, but am now more of an anarchist without adjectives. I'd like to see authority broken down to the smallest level possible (neighborhood, block?) so that if the people who tell you what to do start pissing you off you can just move to the other side of town where you are free to do as you please. I kind of have this ability as I can always move back to the Reservation, where the sort of laws I hate are nonexistent. Side projects include building resilient economies among my tribes (I'm Native American, of two different tribes,) building fixed gear bicycles from old street bike frames, raising my daughter, loving my wife, building my clan, delving into my culture, etc. I'm 30. I work a very abstract job from home + travel which I would rather not go into. I live in Portland, OR which is roughly half way in between my respective tribes (the Tlingit of SE Alaska and the Taos Pueblo of northern New Mexico.)

Oh yeah!

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Thanks for reading!


Title: Re: Introduction
Post by: em3rgentOrdr on December 05, 2010, 08:16:38 AM
Nice meeting you.  I am also a "libertarian" of the "market-anarchist" variety who also promotes the concept of "anarchism without adjectives".  I hope you can share bitcoin with your fellow Native American friends.


Title: Re: Introduction
Post by: Vinnie on December 05, 2010, 06:00:16 PM
Thanks for the welcome! Most of the people I know are probably not willing to be early adopters but will jump on board like everyone else once critical mass is achieved. I'll let people know, though!


Title: Re: Introduction
Post by: MoonShadow on December 05, 2010, 10:32:37 PM
Nice to have you around.  I'm part Cherokee myself, but I have never seen any reservation and my grandfather never was very concerned about preserving his native background.


Title: Re: Introduction
Post by: Vinnie on December 06, 2010, 07:05:13 PM
Nice to have you around.  I'm part Cherokee myself, but I have never seen any reservation and my grandfather never was very concerned about preserving his native background.

I probably have a biased perspective, but I believe we humans are tribal by nature and seek it out in whatever form we can find. Thanks for the welcome!


Title: Re: Introduction
Post by: kiba on December 06, 2010, 07:07:54 PM
The Cherokee were some very sophisticated folks.


Title: Re: Introduction
Post by: MoonShadow on December 06, 2010, 07:11:02 PM
Nice to have you around.  I'm part Cherokee myself, but I have never seen any reservation and my grandfather never was very concerned about preserving his native background.

I probably have a biased perspective, but I believe we humans are tribal by nature and seek it out in whatever form we can find. Thanks for the welcome!

Indeed, it is a natural human drive to seek out those whom with we comfortablely identify.  Although I must admit, those people are not really those who share my genetic predispositions.  My family is quite large, but they really don't have a clue.


Title: Re: Introduction
Post by: Vinnie on December 06, 2010, 07:13:57 PM
Indeed, it is a natural human drive to seek out those whom with we comfortablely identify.  Although I must admit, those people are not really those who share my genetic predispositions.  My family is quite large, but they really don't have a clue.

Double indeed! Genetics/race/ethnicity is just one common denominator by which we may organize. I, for instance, might identify a non-coercive libertarian community as a tribe, while they may consider themselves a city-state of capitalist free men. My family, conveniently, just so happens to remember how to be a tribe.


Title: Re: Introduction
Post by: MoonShadow on December 06, 2010, 07:26:26 PM
The Cherokee were some very sophisticated folks.

Yeah, most Americans really have no concept of the history, and think that all native tribes on the North American land mass were nomadic like the Western plains Indians.  The Eastern tribes were certainly tribal, and certainly not as well educated as the English who survived the Atlantic; but nor were they particularly nomadic.  The Eastern tribes were mostly farmers, and some were literate in a written language that some claim is strangely similar to ancient Hebrew.  They were also monotheistic, which made the transition to Southern Baptist relatively smooth for my own ancestors.  I do have a few minor physical characteristics that has 'made' me a couple of times; such as the color tone of my tan is more of an orange (not red, I've been accused of using that chemical tan stuff) than your average white guy of European decent, and I have a particular color of blue eyes with grey streaks that is unusual enough that it gets strangers' attention in public if I'm not wearing my tinted glasses.  But I'm mostly of European decent anyway, and generally blend well, at least outwardly.


Title: Re: Introduction
Post by: Vinnie on December 06, 2010, 07:53:15 PM
Just to add to your comments, the Pacific Northwest tribes (my tribe, the Tlingit, included) are credited with having one of the most developed art forms in the world in addition to a highly complex, sedentary society. We had artisans who held a special position in our society, a decentralized clan and legal system, extensive trade networks throughout modern day Alaska, Canada, and Washington, etc. My mother's people, the northern Pueblos, were the trade conduit between north and central America, built cities, and staged the first struggle for independence in the Americas versus a European power (and won!)

All peoples have a rich, proud history. I am particularly impressed by the European decentralized clan systems which were very similar in their organization to the Tlingit. Its an interesting example of how people can organize themselves outside of the current paradigm. In some cases, it is a demonstration of how two very different groups of people can live side by side peacefully.