I wrote this essay Tuesday afternoon and it accurately reflected my perception of the mood at the time. It may be slightly inaccurate as of today but I am presenting it as written anyway.
In 2009 an unknown hero launched the second-most audacious plan in the history of our species. He announced it quietly in a nondescript, little-traveled corner of the Internet but to those of us with ears to hear it perceived it as a ringing bell, a call to action. So we gathered together and began working on the great project. Our ambition was nothing less than to boldly stride up to Leviathan and reclaim the power of money by plucking it straight from his demonic claws.
We weren't the only ones that gathered. Plenty of others came too, drawn by curiosity, greed, or cynicism. The peanut gallery filled up quickly with those who understood the project but could not overcome their own fear, so instead decided to mock. They were and still are a minor distraction at best to those of us who engaged in the Work. We know what needs to be done.
2011 was an exciting year. Our project was showing signs of progress and our excitement allowed us to believe our time had come. Intoxicated on optimism and shouting "Leeeeeroy Jenkins" as our battle cry we leaped into the fray - and promptly fell on our faces. The significance of our assaulted mattered to Leviathan less than a mosquito matters to an elephant.
In the aftermath many left the cause. Those of us who remained sobered up and took stock of the situation. Now it was easy to see what went wrong. We underestimated inertia. We underestimated logistics. Our tools were not ready, our infrastructure was still in its infancy. So we went back to work undeterred.
That work has now borne fruit and we are in the midst of a second attempt. The wild, intoxicating optimism has returned strong as the first time, but we aren't the same now as we were then. We are wiser, more experienced. Our tools are more refined, our intellectual and human capital is top notch and fully engaged. We've built alliances and made new connections. We are more resilient, better prepared, and completely dedicated.
I don't know what 2013 will bring, nor how the current skirmish will play out. I do not know if this is the year that Leviathan loses his grip on the power of currency, but I know he will.
Our quest is greatly aided by reality that Leviathan's health isn't what it used to be. The smug condescension of the Intelligentsia, the vapid propaganda of the media, and the cold brutality of the apparatchik are not enough to hide the truth: Leviathan is dying. Not only does the Emperor have no clothes, but we're all choking on the unmistakable stench of his rotting, gangrenous body. His organs are ravaged by cancer and he's run out of fresh victims to feed his colossal, ever-escalating hunger. Leviathan may be enormous and powerful, but time is most certainly on our side.
This may be the year we achieve success, or we may fall back to regroup and try again another day. In the end it doesn't matter because we know the ultimate outcome:
Leviathan. Will. Fall.
