📚 Cypherpunks: Freedom and the Future of the Internet by Julian Assange
Bitcoiner Books #12
Cypherpunks: Freedom and the Future of the Internet by Julian Assange is a conversation-based manifesto warning about the growing threats of mass surveillance, centralised control, and the erosion of civil liberties in the digital age. Assange and his co-authors argue that as the internet becomes more embedded in everyday life, it is also becoming a tool of control for governments and corporations. The book advocates for the use of encryption, decentralisation, and open-source technologies (now known as FreedomTech within the Bitcoin community) to resist this trend and preserve freedom. At its core, Cypherpunks is a call to arms for individuals to take back power through technology, especially by protecting privacy and resisting censorship.
These ideas are deeply aligned with the philosophy behind Bitcoin. Although the book doesn’t focus directly on Bitcoin, it reflects the same cypherpunk values: decentralisation as a safeguard against abuse, privacy as a human right, and cryptographic systems as the foundation for freedom in the digital world. Bitcoin embodies these principles by offering an alternative to state-controlled money—a P2P system that resists surveillance, censorship, and inflation.
Did you know…? Assange’s WikiLeaks played a crucial role in Bitcoin’s journey! In 2010, after publishing classified U.S. government documents, WikiLeaks faced a coordinated financial blockade when Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, and major banks refused to process donations. Cut off from traditional funding, WikiLeaks turned to Bitcoin. Satoshi Nakamoto, still active at the time, urged Wikileaks not to draw attention to Bitcoin too early, fearing that it wasn’t yet robust enough to withstand government pressure.
"WikiLeaks has kicked the hornet’s nest, and the swarm is headed towards us." - Satoshi Nakamoto
Despite the concerns, WikiLeaks’ adoption of Bitcoin helped prove its use case as unstoppable money. It showed the world that Bitcoin could empower dissidents, whistleblowers, and anyone shut out of the traditional financial system. In doing so, WikiLeaks didn't just survive, it helped define Bitcoin as a tool for freedom in a world increasingly hostile to it. Julian Assange on the other hand, was first detained on December 7th 2010 (arrested in the UK). When this book was released, Julian was a refugee under the protection of the government of Ecuador, living in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. He was finally released from prison and returned to Australia on June 26th 2024 after a U.S. plea deal.
You can buy a copy here on Amazon! 📖
If you have any book recommendations, write them in the comments!
⚠️ Disclaimer
We are interested in low-time preference thinking and how FreedomTech (Bitcoin, Nostr, encryption, the internet etc) can help build a better and freer future. Like Bitcoin, this newsletter is politically non-partisan; Bitcoin is for everyone! The content we share, including videos, memes & social media accounts, does not necessarily reflect the views of this newsletter.
We don’t cover financial advice, shitcoinery, trading tips, or get-rich-quick schemes. Fiat mindsets chase pumps—Bitcoiners build for generations. Everything here is for informational purposes only and should never be mistaken for financial, investment, or legal advice.
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