Blue Frontiers, an international seasteading organization is relying on cryptocurrency to support its experimental society, as they discussed at SquareRut, a local Austin Kava bar.
Varyon, the groups’ self-engineered cryptocurrency, is built on the Ethereum blockchain, which may serve as more than a monetary maintenance system. Josh Lopez, a Blue Frontiers engineer, suggested the possible use of blockchains for civic duties and participation such as voting and discussion. Lopez explained that this can help breakdown desires among theoretical citizens and ensure that each ‘citizen’ is able to have their voice recognized and integrated in the determination of their societal structure.
Seasteading is a new and developing phenomenon that is the use of large man-made platforms that act as artificial islands, sustaining cities and communities that exist on large bodies of water. The goal is for inhabitants to be able to live within their own nation state, independent of traditional governments.
One of the primary goals of Blue Frontiers is to give people more power over their society and governance and to be able to work with one’s fellow man to shape the world that they want to live in. A quintessential aspect of Blue Frontiers is to be a better option for people who feel as though the may live in a corrupt or unfavorable society. This is intended to be an opportunity for citizens to find the “historically functional components’ of government “and use them,” according to Lopez. “If it works, it works.”
It all begins with investing in that society’s currency, the current minimum of which is 1 ETH, according to spokesperson Nathalie Mezza-Garcia. “We are currently tuning our white paper so that our token supports features that can make this translation easier,” she explained in reference to purchasing Varyon.
Civic duty and participation go beyond discussion and the determination of abstract societal structures such as law. There are a variety of contributions to the preparation of Blue Frontiers’ ‘Pilot Project,’ which will take place in the French Polynesian Islands. While some applicants are currently working together to physically build and engineer the technology that will ‘keep them afloat,’ others are contributing in a variety of ways, from simple photography to collaborating with the the French Polynesian government to ensure a harmonious coexistence between their own community and the surrounding natives.
This is one of many budding instances of people or organizations using cryptocurrency as a foundation for the development of an evolved world. But how will the community remain safe from possible enemies? “Alignment,” Lopez explained. The French Polynesian government is already working with the organization, and there are plans to further outreach to other countries.
Technology driven civic duties, currency and ‘land’ structures aside, economic safety zones are one of the most definitive aspects of Blue Frontiers project, and could serve as their shield from danger. These areas will allow professionals from a variety of fields, from medicine to engineering, to practice their craft without regulations and rules that may hinder research and development in their original or home countries. Local natives will also be able to participate in these economic zones, experimenting and understanding technology and other products/practices that they otherwise wouldn’t have access to.
