Humans’ ability to create and harness fire is a fundamental attribute that sets us apart from the rest of the natural world. Without fire, and an understanding of it, we could never have evolved to where we are today.  For early humans to obtain and keep such a dynamic power was an arduous process. In the event you couldn’t harvest flames from a natural fire, you’d have to find the right wood, with the right qualities and focus your time and energy to create future opportunity as well as security. Though today, fire making is seldom practiced in the forms it was once singularly created. We have engineered a tiny little system that converts a minuscule amount of energy, a mere flick of the thumb, into an open flame. 

    Similarly with money, early forms of it ranged from sea shells to rocks or other hard to obtain collectables. All of which being mediums that require a lot of energy to find, move and store. Now your money exists mostly on small plastic cards or on your smart device. Money, like fire, is the promise of tomorrow, having the ability to create infinite opportunity and security.  However, once upon a time, friction fires and elusive stones or shells were your only choice for harnessing the energy of the two. Though the path from the first humans creating fire to Bitcoin is a long one,(some science suggests 1.7 million years ago) the two have many virtues in common. Additionally, the practice of making friction fires has long since lost commonality in our present world but for those who’ve curiously wondered or even found themselves on all fours, cursing their blistered hands I’d like to present the idea that Bitcoin in the hands of humans today is as important as fire in the hands of early man, more than one million years ago. 

    As previously stated, Bitcoin and friction fires both require a significant deposit of your time and energy and are both wise investments for your future albeit in different aspects. One way we can view these characteristics is through their inherent defense mechanisms. Bitcoin, stored in self-custody, over time provides a store of value for your wealth being that it has a finite and predetermined issuance which cannot be deviated from. In other words, the purchasing power of your life’s wealth held in Bitcoin cannot be debased by a central government or authority which makes it quite unique as it relates to today's Modern Monetary Theory. Not to mention it defends you against all other lesser issues within fiat (fractional reserve banking, bank runs, fees, fraud, etc). It can neither be confiscated by a malicious actor nor entity. With self custody, you control your keys guaranteeing your coins are safe from attack. Similarly, for early humans or a solo hiker who unfortunately gets lost, the ability to create and possess fire provides critical defense opportunities. Fire in those scenarios provides you the ability to defend against death and harm. Warmth, the ability to purify water and cook food, the opportunity to signal on a larger scale, and defend against those creatures who may find themselves above you on the food chain, to name a few pressing issues. As it relates to early humans, you could consider the idea that their health was their wealth and fire was a great tool used to hold and defend that wealth. 

    Another similarity between the two is that they both require learning and skill that can only be obtained through the investment of time and practice. The developmental skills required for either to be successful can be almost equally daunting. They both require a reasonable energy output. Bitcoin requires mostly brains while friction fire requires mostly the body. The majority of humans today have seen friction fires made on television or in movies. One popular example is Tom Hanks in the movie Castaway where he uses a real technique called the “fire plough,” to create a fire. He struggles many times before creating a flame not unlike the many struggles when first attempting to understand and hold Bitcoin. Both are highly nuanced and cannot typically be learned entirely within a day.  During the process of learning about Bitcoin you must read down a rabbit hole of endless technical computer terms and grasp a basic understanding of a technology brand new to the world. Along that process, you learn where centralization has failed and why decentralization can be a force for good while also understanding that dealing in fiat does not allow you to truly know and practice superior monetary policy. It requires a paradigm shift for some that can lead to anger as you begin to view your fiat dealings with a reclaimed clarity. Similar to the anger felt when failing to create a coal for the twentieth time or burning your hands and face trying to blow a tinder bundle up. For Bitcoin, the questions never end as your journey begins and inversely with fire, the journey never ends and one question constantly remains: “when will I produce a coal?” 

  A final thought that may relate to a bigger picture for some is what happens when you learn about Bitcoin and friction fires. They force you to make a hard decision you may have never faced. You can depend on convenience, possibly compromising your self-sovereignty and future, or put in the work and learn your way to salvation. For all of us today who enjoy the conveniences of modern life, that hard work is almost always worth it. Seeing an open flame you created by hand with basic tools is akin to transferring Bitcoin into your cold storage. There is something instinctively gratifying about both that can be shared by all. 

  Humans’ ability to create and harness fire is a fundamental attribute that sets us apart from the rest of the natural world. Without fire, and an understanding of it, we could never have evolved to where we are today.  For early humans to obtain and keep such a dynamic power was an arduous process. In the event you couldn’t harvest flames from a natural fire, you’d have to find the right wood, with the right qualities and focus your time and energy to create future opportunity as well as security. Though today, fire making is seldom practiced in the forms it was once singularly created. We have engineered a tiny little system that converts a minuscule amount of energy, a mere flick of the thumb, into an open flame. 

    Similarly with money, early forms of it ranged from sea shells to rocks or other hard to obtain collectables. All of which being mediums that require a lot of energy to find, move and store. Now your money exists mostly on small plastic cards or on your smart device. Money, like fire, is the promise of tomorrow, having the ability to create infinite opportunity and security.  However, once upon a time, friction fires and elusive stones or shells were your only choice for harnessing the energy of the two. Though the path from the first humans creating fire to Bitcoin is a long one,(some science suggests 1.7 million years ago) the two have many virtues in common. Additionally, the practice of making friction fires has long since lost commonality in our present world but for those who’ve curiously wondered or even found themselves on all fours, cursing their blistered hands I’d like to present the idea that Bitcoin in the hands of humans today is as important as fire in the hands of early man, more than one million years ago. 

    As previously stated, Bitcoin and friction fires both require a significant deposit of your time and energy and are both wise investments for your future albeit in different aspects. One way we can view these characteristics is through their inherent defense mechanisms. Bitcoin, stored in self-custody, over time provides a store of value for your wealth being that it has a finite and predetermined issuance which cannot be deviated from. In other words, the purchasing power of your life’s wealth held in Bitcoin cannot be debased by a central government or authority which makes it quite unique as it relates to today's Modern Monetary Theory. Not to mention it defends you against all other lesser issues within fiat (fractional reserve banking, bank runs, fees, fraud, etc). It can neither be confiscated by a malicious actor nor entity. With self custody, you control your keys guaranteeing your coins are safe from attack. Similarly, for early humans or a solo hiker who unfortunately gets lost, the ability to create and possess fire provides critical defense opportunities. Fire in those scenarios provides you the ability to defend against death and harm. Warmth, the ability to purify water and cook food, the opportunity to signal on a larger scale, and defend against those creatures who may find themselves above you on the food chain, to name a few pressing issues. As it relates to early humans, you could consider the idea that their health was their wealth and fire was a great tool used to hold and defend that wealth. 

    Another similarity between the two is that they both require learning and skill that can only be obtained through the investment of time and practice. The developmental skills required for either to be successful can be almost equally daunting. They both require a reasonable energy output. Bitcoin requires mostly brains while friction fire requires mostly the body. The majority of humans today have seen friction fires made on television or in movies. One popular example is Tom Hanks in the movie Castaway where he uses a real technique called the “fire plough,” to create a fire. He struggles many times before creating a flame not unlike the many struggles when first attempting to understand and hold Bitcoin. Both are highly nuanced and cannot typically be learned entirely within a day.  During the process of learning about Bitcoin you must read down a rabbit hole of endless technical computer terms and grasp a basic understanding of a technology brand new to the world. Along that process, you learn where centralization has failed and why decentralization can be a force for good while also understanding that dealing in fiat does not allow you to truly know and practice superior monetary policy. It requires a paradigm shift for some that can lead to anger as you begin to view your fiat dealings with a reclaimed clarity. Similar to the anger felt when failing to create a coal for the twentieth time or burning your hands and face trying to blow a tinder bundle up. For Bitcoin, the questions never end as your journey begins and inversely with fire, the journey never ends and one question constantly remains: “when will I produce a coal?” 

  A final thought that may relate to a bigger picture for some is what happens when you learn about Bitcoin and friction fires. They force you to make a hard decision you may have never faced. You can depend on convenience, possibly compromising your self-sovereignty and future, or put in the work and learn your way to salvation. For all of us today who enjoy the conveniences of modern life, that hard work is almost always worth it. Seeing an open flame you created by hand with basic tools is akin to transferring Bitcoin into your cold storage. There is something instinctively gratifying about both that can be shared by all.