Among all the speculation that runs rampant with cryptocurrencies these days, I enjoy a chance to step back and look at the bigger picture. There are certainly a lot of great things coming out of blockchain technology right now, and if there is one idea that sticks out to me, it's the idea of decentralized, self-sufficient communities.

It's as if we are building our own, living breathing online communities that go beyond just social interaction, and steep down into the economic level. There exists the capacity for a large support structure, which everyone involved benefits from. This "pool of resources" created by a currency can create a feedback loop of sorts which can continue to perpetuate as long as people are confidently invested.

If you think about community in the "physical" world, you might have a town setting, perhaps even something like a neighborhood, to something even smaller like your local watering hole. Now, let's use this bar as an example. It stays in business because it gets customers regularly, and perhaps a lot of these customers are recurring. These customers could be considered patrons of the business, and therefore integral to its continued stability. Without regulars, it could be kind of chaotic and inconsistent. But these customers continue to return because of the positive service, prices, and often the community experience. Without the consistent flow of customers, both recurring and new, the bar might even go out of business.

This is no different with blockchain applications, except in a digital setting. And now, its as if every community member has a stake in this joint, decentralized company that grows as the community grows. We actually benefit directly from more "business" with the value of the currency increasing. As long as the structure itself can be trusted, and the community believes in the project to stick with it, it can be sustained indefinitely.

Of course, there is a lot more than just putting your eggs in baskets and leaving them there, especially as the tides continue to change. But the principle behind this is what intrigues me. In a lot of ways, blockchain has the potential to subvert many hierarchical structures and put the power for change where it matters. In the hands of the populous.

The crypto world could eventually be littered with small, island-like economies (represented by coins/tokens), each with their own loyal and returning patrons to keep them afloat. These "islands" could even talk to each other, trade, play nice and help to sustain the overall climate surrounding blockchain applications. These communities might even be self-sufficient on an economic level, more stable as more people trust them. At its heart, blockchain technology seeks to liberate us from needless hierarchical structure and middlemen, where only consensus is necessary.

As the greater community around blockchain grows, and with great potential applications LARGELY unrealized, we are only witnessing its infancy! And like an infant, it is dependent on us, as its parents. It is on us to nurture and help grow these projects, and further legitimize the tech, and as it develops, solutions to its current problems and future applications will come to light.

While it's easy to get wrapped up in the trading and hype, it's important to remember that we are all actively helping to build and grow this technology collectively on a global level just by participating! The last thing that revolutionized global community in such a way was the internet, and blockchain technology acts as its natural evolution. If the internet is the brains and central nervous system, then blockchain will be the meat and bones holding it all together. It will be interesting to see what comes out of it, and I for one could not be more excited about the future we are moving towards.

Thanks for taking time to read, and drop a comment if you are inclined to keep the conversation going. I'd like to hear what you guys think.