The cryptocurrency Monero XMR is a privacy-centric project that empowers individuals regardless of background or social status to connect and transact. The Monero project is following in the footsteps of its bigger brother, Bitcoin, but emphasizes a different aspect of a proof-of-work-driven network: fungibility.
In many ways, Monero is similar to Bitcoin - having an anonymous white-paper author with Nicolas van Saberhagen, a fair launch with PoW-Mining, a UTXO-based blockchain, etc. However, Monero differs in obfuscating the sender, receiver, and amount of every transaction by default. This characteristic makes Monero unique in the sea of cryptocurrencies. Yet, Bitcoin still takes the lion share of community brain power.
The Monero Meetup FFM/OF therefore provides a space for the Monero-community to come together in person and exchange ideas.
The Monero Meetup FFM/OF seeks to educate, connect, and enable privacy-conscious individuals about digital self-ownership and financial privacy by using Monero.
Let's dig a little deeper into the meaning of this vision statement.
Knowledge is power. Especially when it comes to technology. In the modern world, cyberspace is omnipresent. However, few know how the technology they rely on every day actually works. A lack of knowledge about the tools that we use turns us into "users" rather than sovereign individuals. Therefore, the first step to claiming sovereignty is to familiarize ourselves with the appropriate tools.
Another pitfall is using proprietary software or custodial services. The crypto space, especially with the frequent collapse of custodial exchanges (FTX being the most recent one), holds the risk of a loss of funds. The meme "Not your keys, not your coins", highlights this danger. Again, keeping your own coins responsibly requires knowledge.
While the Monero community has naturally formed in cyberspace, "the real world" - or "meatspace" - also has its perks. In order to facilitate the in-person exchange of ideas, the Monero Meetup FFM/OF offers a time and place in meatspace.
The in-person interaction also enables a more hands-on approach. We are curious and want to learn from each other. The topic is complex, and none of us has all the answers.