A Journey Into Cryptoland - Living It Forward

Hello :)

My name is Dermot. I’m Irish, and I’m currently living in Sydney.

Before moving to Australia I worked in institutional asset management in London. Most of that time was spent advising large institutions on investment strategy and asset-liability management.

I took a career break in 2016 and soon became obsessed with Bitcoin. My background in finance has helped me to understand the significance of crytpoassets, and their potential to revolutionise the global financial system. The blockchain may well revolutionise the world, but I’ll leave that discussion to someone else. The financial sector is where my experience lies.

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There are plenty of smart people writing primers on Bitcoin, blockchain, and the various components of the cryptoecosystem. I can’t do that. Even if I could, I don’t want to. The crypto community is already doing a good job, so I’ll leave it to them.

I’d like to take a different approach. The best teacher isn’t always an expert; it’s often a fellow student who is just one step ahead of you. They understand your struggle, because it is fresh in their mind.

I intend to be that fellow student.

As per Kierkegaard

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”

Learning from experts is like understanding history backwards. Too often we are given sanitised accounts and tidy narratives that disguise how messy and complex life really is when you are living it forward.

This blog will be a journey into crytpoland from the perspective of a complete n00b. Borrowing the philosophy of the Quantified Self / n=1 community, I will document my journey first-hand and in real time. That means including all the wrong turns and the rabbit holes, as well as the serene moments of understanding.

I look forward to sharing the journey with you.

Dermot