http://grandinquirer.com/?p=187Some members of GI have known Tatiana a long time, so we managed to snag an interview with her. We discussed a variety of different topics ranging from her views on liberty, bitcoin, and the music industry. Enjoy!
~Max Dickstein~
How did you originally get involved in the liberty movement? What was that time of your life like for you?I first started participating in 2011. I had an ex-marine friend who would come over to my house and play for me all sorts of movies like “the Money Masters”, “Freedom from Fascism”, and “FIAT Empire”. So once I discovered more about the Federal Reserve, I obviously became very interested in disrupting that power structure, because I perceived them as the main part of the problem. This lead me to Ron Paul, and when I was looking at the Ron Paul supporter content, I noticed an artist named Aimee Allen, who wrote a song called “Ron Paul Revolution”. So I decided to pick up where she left off, and I suppose I became one of the leading singer-songwriters in the movement.
What is your opinion Rand Paul? Do you stand with Rand?
Well, he has obviously taken some positions that are disappointing. He doesn’t necessarily espouse exactly the same philosophy as his father. Some think this is a tactical thing, some think he is just not all that libertarian, but he is light-years ahead of the other candidates and is way more in line with what I believe. I don’t believe we will be able to vote someone like Ron or Rand in….but I think the awareness that he spreads is important.
What prompted you to get into bitcoin and what are your views on its future?
For me, it was a disappointment in the existing monetary system. Post Ron Paul, I saw a loss of faith in the possibility to bring about change through the political process. Then a friend of mine, Jeffrey (Tucker), invited me to his cryptocurrency convention in Atlanta in October 2012. What I noticed was the hope that was lost in the liberty movement. I saw all these people coming together looking to change the world through sheer innovation.
Could you explain to the layman what BTC is?
Oh gosh I hate that question. Bitcoin is a number of different things. To me, it’s more a question of what can it do.
So what can it do?
For one, It is a way of withdrawing your support for the war machine. When I make my purchases in BTC, I am taking it out of the USD and its inflation and taxation system, which props up an interventionist foreign policy I do not support. I think it is great for charities. It’s a far better remittance system which can benefit third world countries, to avoid fees from Western Union or Paypal. For instance, it was very useful during the Phillipine tsunami that happened. Those people DESPERATELY needed funds, and using BTC for donations, expedited that process. I view bitcoin as a way to escape from the monetary system and “the man.” It also encourages adult behavior, in that it requires folks to be responsible for their financial future.
Speaking of adult behavior, you have been very actively supportive of Ross Ulbricht and the Silk Road, evidenced by your song. Why are you so supportive of him when several are against him?
I think that SR was a brilliant invention that was created as a free market. People are going to fight for freedom; that is the history of mankind. Government likes to stifle innovation and but also trade in order to preserve power. So I think alternatives are a natural reaction to this oppression. I think there are bad things that happen on TOR, but bad things also happen in real life. So, I think that it’s a question of are we responsible for ourselves, or are we living in a nanny state? And unfortunately, we seem to be living in a nanny state. If people are using drugs, I believe that is their business. The Silk Road made that safer, it took the violence out of an unavoidable human condition. The Drug War has inadvertently become a big money making racket, creating incentives for cartels, making record profits for the prison industrial complex, and I can’t possibly support something like that. I think drugs should be legalized. If the government used a fraction of the money they use of the drug war, and used it on drug TREATMENT, the root of the problem, I think we would be far better off.
What are your thoughts on Mark Karpeles and Mt.Gox. For instance, do you think he was involved in Silk Road in some capacity or another?
I think it’s very possible he was involved, but I don’t know enough about it to really comment. We never found out more, since the judge prevented the evidence regarding this to be presented. A question I would have liked to see raised and answered was how the intel on SR was collected…for it appears they violated the 4th amendment in doing so. So where is the rule of law, and why does it not apply to the government? I think it outlines a much bigger problem in the country. Even though we supposedly live in the land of the free….the question is, do we really?
And do you think Bitcoin is a way to escape from this kind of oppression?
I think that it’s the best chance we have.
What do you think are the most important issues and challenges facing bitcoin right now?
I think helping people to understand bitcoin since it can be a very technical subject. It’s important to show people the change Bitcoin can bring about. I worry that regulations will be onerous, but at that point, businesses will simply move to other countries that are more friendly to crypto development.
Now that the Ulbricht Trial is over, what are your plans now as far as activism and business goes?
Tatiana Coin is obviously something I’ve been very passionate about; I propose the artist crypto currency model as an alternative to the current music industry model. It’s a great way to not only raise funds and involve fans in the creation of the album, but it also gives me valuable information and data on what my fans like the most. I like to use it as a talking point to get people excited about bitcoin, because while people may not care about crypto currency and can find it a bit boring, they do care about art and music. They are passionate about those things, so why not find new connection points for communication.
Currently I’m working on my third album, which I have funded completely with crypto. I can’t wait to share my new songs, and expand my audience. Another endeavor I have undertaken is the founding of
www.CRYPTOMEDIAHUB.com. It is an advertising network for bitcoin companies. While working at Bitcoin Magazine, I noticed it wasn’t easy for advertisers to find the best places to spread the word about their business, and it could be very time consuming. I look to provide custom advertising solutions by placing ads in magazines, videos, advertorials, and also through events, talent sponsorship, charity, and more. I work with many media outlets such as Bitcoin Magazine, YBitcoin, Let’s Talk Bitcoin, Coin Telegraph, Brave New Coin, Bitcoinist, Crypto Biz Magazine, Money and Tech, World Crypto Network, NewsBTC.com, Forex Minute, and many more.
Anything you’d like to say to our readers?
Things can be a bit discouraging, and sometimes I wonder what we’re fighting for. But I think if keep focused and mindful of “the right thing to do”, we can collectively achieve a better world.
What are your opinions on this interview?
