The Whet

The following is a description of a channel I used to run and have some interest in, back before the republic, and then the world, was over. The time for rallying, meanwhile, has passed; the light's gone out, for those who would not or could not keep it kindled. I've preserved the description for the amusement of posterity, and a remembrance, I suppose, for myself.

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#trilema-hanbot is a licensed castle of The Most Serene Republic of Bitcoin. It lives on the Freenode network (for now).

Nov 10 19 07:26:37 * ChanServ gives channel operator status to hanbot
Nov 10 19 07:28:49 * ChanServ has changed the topic to:
Welcome to #trilema-hanbot, a TMSR castle. If you know where you are, present yourself. If you don't know where you are, ask questions. Public logs are at http://logs.ossasepia.com/log/trilema-hanbot and http://logs.ericbenevides.com/log/trilema-hanbot.
Nov 10 19 07:30:52 * ChanServ removes channel operator status from hanbot

Who I am

Prominently, I am not the kind of person who fronts a bunch of bullshit, neologistic "roles" that have a lot more to do with who I'd like you to think I am than what I actually do. I'm not an author, I'm not a developer, I'm not an analyst or an evangelist or a freedom fighter or a citizen of the world. I am someone who thinks it's essential to be observant, to fight against one's own comfort seeking, and to respect actual authority, without making concessions to false ones.

I believe most "modern" paradigms are broken. I believe true ownership and agency require real, objective personal responsibility. I am aware that technology presents substantial opportunities, and that these are mostly squandered by runaway sovereigns and the nominally human machines that serve them. I know that Bitcoin is the means of razing these problems; I am confident that TMSR is the one confederation invested in smoothing, rather than obstructing, the way.

Who people are isn't the amalgamated vaguery of who they'd like to be; who people are is defined by what they do. You can get to know me, then, by reading what I've done, whether it's here on my blog, on the then-nascent Bitcoin forums, or in the #trilema logs.

Who are you?

If you believe as I do, or if you're curious and want to learn more, you are welcome to come and do things with me. That's what #trilema-hanbot is for: people who want to do, to discover things about the world and themselves. If your persuasions and skillset predispose you towards ongoing TMSR projects, I can help direct and prepare you for meaningful work. If you do not know where your skills lay, I can put useful challenges in your path.

If someone close to you is doing work for TMSR such that it's part of your life but you're not participating, I'd like to offer #trilema-hanbot as your landing pad. There's no value in being anonymous.

And if, like so many lurkers, stragglers, and non-committers before you, you're waiting for later, when you're better, or when the circumstances have put your feet closer to the fire: stop waiting, this is your shot. The only thing more time will get you is thicker calluses and a more painful debridement.

Basic Resources

If you'd like to connect but you're new to IRC, you can use this webchat interface until you've assembled a working client.

Registering a key with deedbot will be your most important initial act; the longer you wait on this, the more you'll lose out on. The following materials will help, and should be read thoroughly:

registration instructions (Coincidental with Eulora's registration process --follow this guide to the letter, though you need not join #eulora etc at the end [yet]).
deedbot help
Mircea Popescu's cannonical discussion of the Web of Trust
deedbot's Web of Trust browser. You can view my own ratings here.