Kene Ezeaputa
Bio
Trying to do my best
Stories (18/0)
A brave new world in politics
How does your car work? You look at a car and you think the key triggers the engine, which delivers power to the wheels and provides energy for the car's system. But in actuality, the engine moves the transmission, which moves the car, and the car battery is what electrifies the car. When we encounter something we don't understand we simplify it. Another example is your music player - which you have no idea how it works - so you generalize just enough to conceptualize it. You think tapping a music file from my library allows the file to be played through my speakers, but that doesn't account for Bluetooth or translating the the data file into audio. Both the car and music example are lacking deep understanding because they are generalizations. Generalization has become a necessity with the increase of complex gadgets and systems. But that habit, despite its benefits, has a fatal flaw. The quintessential example is in politics. There is no doubt that the issues we face today are more complex than our predecessors. The issues of privacy in the information era, capitalism, medicine, climate change, totalitarian regimes with nuclear weapons, globalization, abortion, wealth inequality, and the role of the government are all issues that are multifaceted, complex situations . But because of our habit of generalization, we don't see them for what they are. We just distort, deflect, and delegitimize problems in order to fit them into our narrow problem-solving toolbox. By doing this, we failed to address the issue in its totality. Generalization is what causes polarization. As individuals, we are inherently different, so our generalizations can exist on a wide spectrum. This creates a problem when we come to the table to discuss issues - we all have a fundamentally different picture of the issue. We need to do a better job of respecting complex issues for what they are. The first step to unraveling our simplifications is by seeking out alternative solutions and developing a solid understanding of the underlying topics. For example, when discussing nationalized healthcare, we must explain the pros and cons of the Canadian and UK medical systems. with a basic understanding of economics, profit market failure, key players in industry, and the history of nationalized and private medicine. The prerequisites are steep, but worth it because these issues will affect hundreds of millions of people. Solutions can't be one-size-fits-all - people and policymakers must realize the issues of today are more nuanced and adapt accordingly.
By Kene Ezeaputa15 days ago in The Swamp
College Debunked
Everything you know about college is wrong. The average graduate from a four-year college will have 25k-37k in debt and projections have these numbers increasing. But college students don’t have to dampen their financial futures to pursue their degrees. There are two simple, fatal college mistakes that must be avoided. 1) not going to a school that puts you in the top half academically (GPA, SAT), and 2) not utilizing efficient course selection.
By Kene Ezeaputa17 days ago in Education
Cryptocurrency's origin and its promise.
The first use of a decentralized blockchain was bitcoin, but to facilitate the network it needed a form of payment to incentivize network-supporting behaviors. The form of payment could not have been dollars because of the lack of decimal places (dollars have two decimal places compared to bitcoins' 18) and, more importantly, the negative impacts on decentralization. If dollars were the currency that powered the network, the government could suspend transactions, and the network would need a large amount of upfront money to secure the network. If the BTC network only had 10,000 dollars in reserves to pay for network supporting behaviors, the network would cease to function after the 10k was exhausted.
By Kene Ezeaputa4 months ago in The Chain
Tokenomics - Understanding Cryptocurrency
Tokenomics is the application of supply and demand factors to preserve and/or increase token value. Tokenomics works to support the underlying blockchain. Strong tokenomics encourages behaviors that strengthen the network, creating positive feedback for the token itself. If the token that represents the underlying blockchain does not have or accrue value, the blockchain will lose functionality.
By Kene Ezeaputa4 months ago in The Chain
Cryptocurrencies: A changing landscape.
Three months ago, I wrote an article titled "Blockchain Economics," discussing the pitfalls and viability of a blockchain revolution. The predecessor to that article was titled "Blockchain Will Be Bigger Than the Internet" where use cases and a better Internet were discussed. Today I am writing to supplement my first two pieces; discussing the state of the cryptocurrency.
By Kene Ezeaputa4 months ago in The Chain
Judging Economic Policy
Economic policy is a tool used to create incentives and/or disincentives. Taxation is the most recognized economic policy. The logic behind taxes/subsidies is simple; since we know people spend more on an item when its price is lower and less when its price is higher, we can change behavior by changing the tax rate. Taxes on cigarettes disincentivize people the same way pollution taxes disincentivize corporations from polluting.
By Kene Ezeaputa5 months ago in 01
You are not an adult
You're not an adult In the fall of 2021, I turned 18, initially I was excited that a world of opportunities had been opened up to me. I remember cracking a few jokes about adulthood and questioning my plan for this new life but, what I failed to realize is you don't wake up one day and become an adult despite this being semi-obvious no one told me. This had dread effects, I noticed more so than before I was in a rush to prove myself; to forget about my journey and focus on the destination. In the six months since I've been “an adult” I've gone from trying to be a YouTuber to a writer to trying to get my driver’s license to trying to get a real estate license to become a reader to start learning calculus. All of this, I now realized was to compensate for what I thought I should be m. I called this the adult fallacy or the title fallacy that once you have a title you become something different. Personally, I've seen positive and negative effects from this; I've seen friends get jobs, start working out and taking responsibility. But I've also seen people get into questionable relationships, get questionable tattoos, and start drugs like weed and alcohol. It's unfortunate that the biggest decision most of us will make in our teen years is happening right now with college I worry people are rushing to fit the mold of what an adult should be being at 18-22 without understanding the implications for their long-term success.
By Kene Ezeaputa6 months ago in Humans
The most domesticated animal of them all
“Society tames the wolf into a dog. And man is the most domesticated animal of all” - Frederick Nietzsche The idea that humans use 10% of their brains is a myth, but if you switch out the word "brain" for "potential," I'd have to say it’d be true. We all want to live profound lives, but there is usually something that gets in the way; ourselves. We set limits on our own abilities. We've been domesticated just like the animals in a zoo. Humanity has lost some of its wild instincts, independent thought, and critical thinking. We are a shell of what we could be. When was the last time you felt alive? Have you ever done something that made you think, "Wow, I had no idea I had that in me?" When was the last time you took a risk, burned a couple of bridges, or just got away from the noise of everyday life? Again, I ask, when was the last time you felt alive? Maybe society's work or school are to blame, but now the ball is in your court, I challenge you to do something that makes you feel alive (nothing dangerous or illegal, of course).
By Kene Ezeaputa7 months ago in Motivation
Blockchain Economics
Blockchain Economics In the discussions around blockchain, you have the minimalists who believe the future of blockchain will have insignificant effects on the world. They believe the blockchain's potential is in messaging platforms or as a marketplace for online goods like Fortnite skins and NFTs. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have the maximalist. They believe blockchain technology will transform every sector of our lives in the future, from data storage, digital identities, gaming, property rights, and currency. The noise around blockchain distorts its value. I want to take a step back and look at blockchain's opportunities, its problems, and lastly, its future.
By Kene Ezeaputa8 months ago in The Chain
Gambit
Foreword This is my story The wins, the losses and everything in between, dedicated to grandparents – Thank you, Grandpa, for teaching me, “what is done with love is done well” even if I didn’t understand at the time what you meant, thank you Grandma for giving me a creed to live by for the rest of my days.
By Kene Ezeaputa8 months ago in Fiction
Dear ________
Don't wait - If you want to do something, figure out a way to do it. Even if it's not as good as you'd hoped. Do your best with what you have. Don't worry about the success or fixate on optimizing the results. Be patient and stay in the process. When it comes to content creation, I'm a novice. I don't have the best equipment and I have little speaking or editing skills, but I'm here doing my best, staying in the process, and enjoying the journey. I hope you can find some courage in my content (and others) to start something new.
By Kene Ezeaputa8 months ago in Humans
