Speaking: Why I Align Myself with Unigrid
Craig talks about his involvement in Unigrid, his passions, his hopes and why he ultimately joined the project. It may sound cliché, but if done right, Unigrid can change the world.
As a younger man, when a friend asked me, “Craig, what do you want to be when you grow up?” I would respond with an audacious smile, “Assassinated, because it would have meant I stood for something in my life”.
Having this type of mentality as a base for the type of person I prided myself to be. I have become picky about what I do with my life. This has led to decades of struggle and striving for what I believe in. In my 20’s it leads me to live in punk rock houses and artist communes. In these environments, I lived and learned from hippies, punks, and open-minded individuals who only enhanced my outlook and perspectives voice. The mentality was only amplified living in these types of environments.
It has become who I am and what I am about. I am not closed off to other opportunities in the world as I still utilize tools by the “big guys” of course I don't have much of an option other than cutting myself off from the world. The internet originally offered opportunities to add a digital anarchy life. That is till tech companies turned into big tech. They began to own and control the internet. Even so, I loved the ability of the internet so I was forced into submission yet I yearned for a better way. I lived as close to my personal ethos as plausible.
These yearnings have brought me here, to Unigrid.org. It just so happens one of my past punk rock roommates had found some of the answers I was looking for up his sleeves. Having known Evan Green, one of the founders, for over 20 years I understand what he is about. His "punk rock for the people" perspective is a definition of activities. Thus, I am not surprised at all that he would help to create a decentralized internet. I believe in the Unigrid mission "The Unigrid Network aims to become the first truly decentralized and anonymous alternative to the regular Internet. A network resistant to domestic firewalls and any attempts to regulate the original vision of the network - one without limits and borders".
Adam Waldenberg, the other founder, is a newer friend. The more I get to know him the deeper I see why Evan would choose a person of his intelligence and similar outlook. Through my interactions with Adam I have come to see where his head his. I understand his focus and drive. He once told me, when his time has come and gone he wants to be buried with a smile on his face, knowing that he helped to take the power of the internet back and give it to the people. I know that Adam is here for the right reasons.
When an opportunity arose to work for Unigrid, I jumped in - head first. Knowing I am working with a team that has their hearts, minds, and lives focused on a cause bigger than themselves inspires me to help grow this network.
What Unigrid is positioning themselves to do is not anything that hasn’t already been explored, yet none have risen to the top and become a viable option for the people to own the abilities of the internet, their data and of course digital identities.
If you’ve dug into the decentralized internet space, you’ve heard all of this before, the hype, the promises and the intentions. But how much has been known about their hearts? These are the type of people you want to create the power shift back into your hands. The internet does not belong to big tech, the internet belongs to you. Join Unigrid, look into the tech, read both the white and orange papers, look into the sales portal and if you aren’t inspired to take more action - walk away. I dare you to find another project worth your time and effort that have the right people.