Bitcoin Bigfoot’s goal is to create free pamphlets for Bitcoin evangelists to hand out. The pamphlets have information about Bitcoin, a listing of Bitcoin businesses, and other tools available to maximize one’s financial freedom.
I chatted with Bitcoin Bigfoot’s cofounder who goes by the name Sovereign Curtis, and has been active in New Hampshire’s free state project.
Ruben Alexander:Please describe your Bitcoin Bigfoot and the goals you have for the project.
Sovereign Curtis: Bitcoin Bigfoot’s mission is to inspire bitcoin supporters to become bitcoin activists, and empower bitcoin activists to become bitcoin heroes. We’ll do so by providing professional promotional tools, propaganda, paraphernalia, and more. Our first offering is the Plan ฿ brochure, an attractive, professional bitcoin branded tri-fold brochure, which is designed to assist bitcoin supporters and activists in spreading bitcoin adoption to the bit-curious. It covers a few of the basic benefits of using bitcoin, as well as the organizations and businesses which make up the core of the bitcoin eco-sphere in the United States. Wallet providers, news sources, exchanges, merchant services providers, and some of the better known businesses which accept bitcoin. Additionally it has space for local activists to place the contact info of their local group, or their own personal contact info, as well as space to feature the bitcoin accepting businesses which are local to them. We’re currently raising funds to design, produce, and distribute 100,000 of these to U.S. and Canadian bitcoin activists, at no charge to them. We’re about 5 btc short of our fund-raising goal, but are very hopeful we’ll reach that goal shortly, and begin production and distribution. In the meantime activists can go to http://www.BitcoinBigfoot.com and request a share of the 100,000 brochures, which we will send as soon as they’re produced.
RA:What companies have sponsored Bitcoin Bigfoot?
SC: Currently we have the support of Coinapult, LocalBitcoins.com, BIPS, BitGo, Crypto Communications, Bitcoiniacs, CoinTrader.net, and CoinReport.net
RA:What are your goals for the rest of the year?
SC: We’ve set a goal to distribute the first 100k brochures in 90 days or less, with an additional goal of a total of 500k brochures distributed in the US/Canada in 2014. We’re also going to begin producing versions of the Plan ฿ brochure for other regions/languages/markets, perhaps starting with The Netherlands. In addition we’re going to begin providing bitcoin branded paraphernalia, like the reverse printed “Bitcoin Accepted Here” stickers, for use inside glass doors and windows of merchant shops. It’s our goal to price all such promotional tools so they are affordable to all, making it easy to be generous with such when speaking to bit-curious consumers and merchants. And we’re working on an idea to bring bitcoin education to the baby-boomer generation in a format which is more familiar to them. We’re going to do our part to make 2014 [be] remembered as the Year of Adoption.
RA:Why do you think some bitcoin users are obsessed with Andreas Antonopoulos? (I asked this because Sovereign is an admin of Andreas Antonopolous’ Facebook Page)
SC: I believe Andreas is revered because he is such a potent combination of tech smart, out-going, and motivational. Often bitcoin supporters can understand the technical details of the bitcoin protocol, or be inspiring, motivational speakers, but not normally both. Andreas is. And he is absolutely correct when he says that others should not seek to elevate him, but rather elevate themselves. Bitcoin has no PR department. We are ALL bitcoin’s PR department. Simply put: be the change you wish to see.
Andreas’ donation address 1andreas3batLhQa2FawWjeyjCqyBzypd has received over 21 BTC.
RA:Why do you think Andreas A. tweeted a pic of himself licking a hammer, topless, along with a note, and Bitcoin donation address?
SC: I loved it. Hilariously irreverent, and a great way to show everyone that he is not The One to be placed upon a pedestal. People will think twice about making Andreas out to be some anointed savior, by showing us all his ability to laugh, and play, and be the butt of his own joke. Take me seriously, he says, but not too seriously.
RA:What are some effective techniques you’ve used to explain Bitcoin to those who aren’t tech savvy?
SC: Each audience is unique, and for maximum effect you must tailor your pitch to that audience. With that understanding it is best to listen and learn what matters to your audience, before you go listing the features and benefits of bitcoin. But one angle I’ve been mulling over lately is bitcoin’s similarity to small community currencies that have been in existence for some time. Bitcoin itself is also a community currency, only bitcoin’s community is the entire human race.
RA:You have been somewhat involved with the Free State Project in New Hampshire. Can you talk about your involvement and some experiences you’ve had that have shaped how you view personal freedom?
SC: I was/am a Free State Project participant. I moved to New Hampshire as part of the Free State Project in June of 2009. Being around so many free-thinkers was liberating. Instead of being fearful of the erosion of liberty, they were inspiring in their solution oriented thinking. I consider the NH liberty community to be a graduate school of sorts. You are afforded ample opportunity to test your views and ideas, and are actively encouraged to put them into action. Much like the bitcoin community, Porcupines believe there are many paths to liberty, and a multi-faceted decentralized approach is superior to a one size fits all centralized approach. I still support the Free State Project’s mission to inspire 20,000 liberty activists to move to New Hampshire and create ‘liberty in our lifetime”, but I no longer believe that a geopolitical migration movement is the fastest and surest way to foster the emergence of a Free Society. I believe technology, such as bitcoin and 3-D printing, offer greater promise to create a more liberty oriented society, globally, en route to the singularity, which will subvert any attempt to control others. It is a wonderful time to be alive.
Visit Bitcoin Bigfoot’s website to get a free pamphlet or help donate towards the project.