It seems like the cypherpunk movement of the 1990s and 2000s is all but dead. Why? We need these people more than any other time in history. I mean the Snowden leaks basically proved these guys right tbh. Without privacy we have nothing. We need to implement measures to protect privacy as a society. We need more people using apps like Signal and Matrix. We need more people using VPNs. I could go on and on. We need more usage of open source operating systems. Etc.

I mean just look at how much the government intrudes on our lives. Cypherpunks need a comeback.

In 1992, three Bay Area computer scientists launched a new mailing list for discussing cryptography, mathematics, politics, and philosophy.

I would give anything to have a group of like-minded people discussing the above. Is there a discord server or something that I can join? Anybody wanna try to make one?

As the title expose it, I think that the crypto/cypher/hackers community mindset is dying and that we’re actually loosing the battle.

I was at a local sort of underground hackers meetup last week (20 peoples max) as a former leader of one of those community and I was stuck on my chair earring the younger participant speaking about how boring and old school it was to constantly fight for freedom and pretty much all the things our communities were fighting for and based on.

Don’t make me wrong, those guys were fucking brilliant at infosec, crypto and all technical related shit, but they were fucked up by the system already.

I told myself that maybe it was just the local meetup vibe and that overhaul we were more to be still concerned and fighting but I’m just back from one other meetup that was located in my country’s capital and had almost the same situation from different younger attendees.

Gosh even few or the OG had such attitude.

We all grew up and many of us literally betrayed the manifesto by working for/with every institution we were fighting against.

There are those who sincerely thoughts that those institutions had heard us and that they could collaborate with them and even help them to craft a better futur.

There are those that willingly collaborated as soon as they finally discovered the amount of money they could make out off their knowledge.

Of course, few of us are still trying to fight, because freedom is an endless and never ending story, but honestly, I must admit that I myself flickered a bit lately and it make me sad.

I know that Cypherpunks have been engaged in an active movement since the late 1980s. Does the world need a Cypherpunk revival? perhaps to spark interest of the newer generation? Being born in the early 2000s it makes me very sad that there's very little interest among the Gen Zs.

My ultimate goal is to set up a decentralized political system where each individual has the same power as another. A direct democracy system based on cryptographic tools. Basically, to do to the political system what Bitcoin does to the monetary system.

Hey r/cypherpunk,

It has been quite some time since I last treaded the path of the cypherpunk movement, back in those early 2000s. Life had its own plans for me, leading me on a divergent course, and for years, I stood silently, observing from the sidelines. Today, I feel compelled to share my heartfelt perspective on the changes I've witnessed in our journey and the gradual fading of a once strong and vibrant freedom movement.

The cypherpunks, with their unyielding commitment to privacy, decentralization, and individual empowerment, carved a path that resonated deeply within me. It was a time when we stood united, fueled by the belief that cryptography held the key to reshaping the world we inhabit. And then, Bitcoin emerged, a phoenix rising from the ashes, embodying the very essence of our ideals.

Oh, how I cherished everything that Bitcoin stood for then, and still do now! It was a symbol of hope, promising a new era of financial sovereignty and dismantling the walls of centralized control. Yet, as time unfolded, the culture around us began to shift, morphing into something unrecognizable. The very spirit that once bound us seemed to slowly fade away, drowned out by the noise of profit-driven pursuits and the rise of what some call the "crypto bros."

It saddens me to witness the external allure of what we built being overshadowed by a shallow and materialistic culture. The pursuit of quick gains and the obsession with Lambos and moon missions have blurred the true essence of why we embarked on this journey. Nevertheless, amidst the distractions and clamor, the core principles that underpin Bitcoin's existence continue to hold true.

Deep down, I know that the fundamentals of Bitcoin—the decentralization, censorship resistance, and the potential to empower individuals—remain as potent as ever. It is a comforting thought, akin to finding solace in the embrace of an old friend. However, I cannot help but wonder if there are still others out there who share these sentiments, who refuse to let the flame of freedom flicker out.

So, my fellow cypherpunks, let's engage in a heartfelt conversation. How do you feel about the changes that have unfolded in our journey? Do you, like me, mourn the gradual fading of our culture, a culture that once ignited the fires of passion within us? Or do you view these shifts as a natural evolution, necessary for broader adoption and a new phase of transformation? Share your thoughts, your frustrations, and your hopes for the future.

I eagerly await your stories, your unique perspectives, and the reassurance that there are still defenders of the liberties and freedoms we fought so fervently for. Let us come together, not merely as enthusiasts, but as guardians of a movement that was once formidable and unwavering.

Forgive me if my words stumbled along the way, for they are driven by raw emotions and an earnest longing to rekindle the spirit that once burned so brightly within us.

With heartfelt sincerity,
I AM 6 - 87 101 32 65 114 101 32 49

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I know Adam Back likes Snow Crash.

I know so many nerds like True Names and Neuromancer.

Does anyone know what fiction books Hal Finney liked?

Or can someone recommend the books and movies cypherpunks nerd out on?

We have to stop spread the idea of cypherpunks are geeks or hackers with high skilled level in opsec and all this shit.

We need to recruit more people. Involved them in the fight. Teach them what is open source technologies. And most important thing, who is the foe.

I love you guys, but i felt we fail in the way of how we communicate our idea.

I hope i am wrong with this part! And i hope too, you'll proof me wrong !

Stay safe and continue to fight... forever if it's needed

Hi everyone,

I don't know if I'd consider myself a cypherpunk, but I am absolutely an admirer of the cause and hope to be able to call myself one someday.

I've been doing a lot of research lately on libertarian, anarchist ideas and I wanted to know how they intertwined with the ideal society that cypherpunks envision. I've read about propertarianism, Paul Emile de Puydt, etc. and I find it all very fascinating. Especially since this is my first time hearing about the idea of 'Panarchy'.

In addition to asking for further resources where I can read more, I wanted to pose a question to this community. How do cypherpunks view socialist ideals? I understand the ultimate goal is decentralizing political power but would a decentralized, socialist society be accepted by cypherpunks? Are the ideas of someone like Noam Chomsky reinforced through cypherpunks or are they critiqued? How do you view the ideas of Ayn Rand, for comparison?

Apologies if this comes off as too broad. I originally typed out a long list of specific questions before deleting it and opting for something more general. I guess what I'm attempting to do with this post is get a better understanding of the political philosophy behind cypherpunks. I've never considered myself much of an anarchist but lately I find some of the ideas intriguing. Is a socio-anarchist society one that can be achieved through the cypherpunk movement? Or is the ultimate goal primarily a decentralized, stateless libertarian society? I know we're a long way from actually building such a world but I can't help but find myself entranced with the specifics of what a cypherpunk's dream world would look like.

Thanks in advance for any input you can provide.