The Matrix, perhaps the greatest modern fairytale of our time, resembles the hero’s journey down the bitcoin rabbit hole. Ever since the start of this millenium, I had felt a splinter in my mind. But I didn’t get fully ejected from the fiat system until the interventions taken by the Fed at the start of the Corona pandemic. The world as I knew it dissolved in front of my eyes. It left me sick, confused and isolated.

It would not take long for Satoshi to upgrade my value protocol and make me ready for the new Age. Through fresh eyes, I now see a world where few understand, and most are not prepared.

While software is eating the world, I thought I’d counteract by bringing the meme back to meatspace. Etch the message in public. Uncensored, unfiltered, unsearched. Bitcoin graffiti.

Every time I’d go out at night, I was hoping that somebody would comprehend. That somebody would ask a question, become curious or would further inquire. But how would I ever know if a pre-coiner got the message? From time to time I would hang out at one of my paintings and watch how bypassers would react to them. Most wouldn’t even notice. For months I had no idea if my work was having any impact on anybody, beyond the impact it had one me through expressing myself and affirming my resolve.

Turns out the impact would be felt by none other than, of course, the Bitcoiners themselves. Nothing better than a serendipitous meeting with the Gigachad in black paint on your way to work on a monday morning, hashtag GetOffZero. And like Bitcoin is fuck you money, graffiti is fuck you messaging. No permission required. The message was sent and received. Handshake done. New outbound peer connected.

The art of graffiti may lie in the idea and design of the final painting, but the art of getting it painted in the best locations might be just as important. Risk and reward are joined at the hip in this activity, where more exposure correlates with a higher probability of getting caught.

Censorship resistance is also a factor to be aware of. Some surfaces are controlled by the municipality and will be cleaned within a certain period of time, reducing exposure. I always wonder what’s going through the minds of the workers when they cover the CEO of Microstrategy in white paint, or blow the hose on him. Maybe nothing, but maybe something…

Temporary wooden scaffolding is therefore strangely less temporary than municipal controlled space. They are privately owned and owners care less, as they know the scaffolding will be removed when renovations are done.

Street art can be a way for the disenfranchised to express their dissatisfaction with society. But they are not, bitcoiners even though they are heavily appalled by the current fiat financial system. No, the disenfranchised are the pre-coiners who haven’t looked beyond the veil of the fiat matrix, and haven’t yet reclaimed their monetary sovereignty.

“Get off zero” is therefore more than just good advice. It’s also a call for concern, a warning sign, and writings on the wall for what is yet to come. We could see it all play out in a hyperinflating, fourth turning, sovereign individual, changing world order kind of event. We can only try to communicate sound money principles, for the smoothest possible transition to a hyperbitcoinized world.

But hyperbitcoinization is an individual process. Freedom can only be achieved by those choosing to take up the responsibility of self sovereignty. Others might not even want that freedom at all, and remain dependent on the current system. That could mean a citadel-like scenario, before the sun will eventually rise on an Earth that is fully repriced in satoshis, for everybody to enjoy. A deflationary Re-Renaissance world, where the hamster wheel is put to a halt, and abundant free time is spent on creative pursuits.

Until then, I’d like to wish you happy memeing.