* Frederick Mann Interview here *
Greetings Frederick Mann,
I would first very much like to thank you for the generosity of your response. The following is extracted from your reply with numbering ("#") added to your five questions; after which comes my answers (A#1: - A#5:).
Frederick Mann wrote on 04/12/2006:
> Hi Zack,
>
> #1 How many people are using YeNom?
>
> #2 How can I acquire some YeNom?
>
> #3 If I have some YeNom, can I exchange
> some of it for e-gold and/or fiat
> currencies?
>
> #4 What makes you think that YeNom
> constitutes a practical solution
> to any need or problem? See:
> What Constitutes a Solution?
> - http://buildfreedom.com/power/powerx/2.html#solution -
>
> Customers have nearly 3 million e-gold
> accounts and e-gold circulation is
> typically the equivalent of around
> $10 million a day:
> - http://e-gold.com/stats.html -
>
> #5 How do you plan to achieve similar
> market acceptance?
>
> Regards,
>
> Frederick ..............
A#1: Currently the database of YeNom files resides at http://world1tours.com/YeNom and holds zero YeNoms. That directory however does hold a YeNom want-to-be (called a "gesture"), which is there merely as a place holder - an example of a YeNom (minus the recipient's indispensable digital signature). It will be deleted as soon as a full fledged YeNom exists.
A#2: You can acquire a YeNom in two ways. First an originator creates and digitally signs a YeNom gesture which is then offered to you (the recipient). To take ownership you must digitally sign the whole gesture yourself and submit it for inclusion into the GWR database (this actualizes the YeNom with you as the indisputable owner). If the preceding sounds too passive to fulfill the notion of “acquire”, then you could always ask someone to originate a YeNom for you. A second way is to solicit an existing YeNom from the current owner (or accept an offer that they initiate).
The more important issue I believe lies in your saying “... some YeNom.” That makes sense when talking about “some money”, or “some gold” (i.e. generic objects), but is not so appropriate for an unique specific item like a YeNom file. With traditional money, the generic currency itself (its perceived value) is the first and primary thing of focus, and unless it is limited (scarce) it will be construed as worthless. Those enriched by possession of the money is a secondary issue. YeNom works just the opposite. Instead of people depending on the issue of third party money to enjoy its advantages, individuals themselves create an objectified value which is thoroughly owned by recipients. Also, the virtue of scarcity yields to quality and abundance. So with the YeNom option, a need to acquire (dollars) is replaced with the power to transfer ownership of your wealth (be that your real estate, time, business interest, love, insight, etc.). In other words, this game is not driven by the getting (of third party) money, but by the objective supplying (giving) of personal value.
A#3: Yes. Any given YeNom that you own can be transferred to anyone else for any consideration agreed upon. If you want to know if the core system (SUYO) provides this service, the answer is no. SUYO is solely concerned with maintaining the GWR database of verified YeNom files. Strictly speaking SUYO is a service for (private key) numbers, with any particular YeNom itself simply construed as one long number with no significance whatsoever other than it's ownership (by some private key). SUYO must operate totally unencumbered by any issue participants may have among themselves concerning performance of obligations, key ownership, etc. If you argue that this hardly represents a complete system, then I'd contest that I couldn't agree more. The role of SUYO is just to provide a clean stage with simple axiomatic rules that everyone can readily and fully agree upon. For us to fill in any holes perceived by participants would NOT constitute the service one might think. SUYO must steer clear of absolutely any autocratic postures and welcome third party competition to address all secondary needs. Choice - being the crux of freedom - is always the guiding principle here. Nevertheless, YeNom is still 100% ready to be employed for a large range of needs with absolutely no need for any initial developments by third parties.
A#4: Before explaining my reasons for believing why “YeNom constitutes a practical solution to any need or problem”, it reasonably behooves me to first identify the problem. The problem is two fold. 1st, limited alternatives to and over dependence on a proprietary monopolistic monetary system. 2nd, a malignant mesmerization with the virtue of scarcity and false authority. The former generally results in individuals & institutions rich in product, talent, land, or quality time increasingly suffering diminished disposable dollars; while the latter blinds society from seizing simple solutions.
Your page 2 of “solution” lists 10 criteria against which a proposed solution should be tested. That list and my responses follow:
1. It must address a real problem (not collectivist abstractions like “government,” “AIDS,” or “pollution”).
I can hardly imagine anything that is more a child of “collectivist abstractions” than fiat money. Nevertheless, the Great Depression of the 1930's, Nazi Germany's immensely injurious inflation a bit later, and the current savage poverty in the rural areas of 3rd world countries appear to represent real problems. In any event, I still humbly submit that the power amassed through the global control of proprietary currencies reasonably plays a part in unnatural dislocations of their money, war, etc. And hence yes, we are addressing a real problem.
2. It must respect individuals and their property; i.e., it may not involve coercion.
The whole gist of my proposal revolves around providing individuals with unforgeable, undeniable, irrefutable, indestructible, thief-proof and basically cost free ownership. This is not based on scarcity but the right to willing give something you create to an accepting recipient. In showSUYO.html, item #4 under ‘Observations’ opens with, “A basic principle behind this scheme is zero coercion or punitive sanctions (at least from core system developers).” Coercion and sanctions from virtual jurisdictions are your election (i.e. participants are free to subscribe with 3rd parties for performance guarantees).
3. It must be a win-win proposition.
In those cases where an originator pays a recipient moral recognition for their efforts; doing so via a YeNom enhances the originator's gift by 1) making it an objective well owned possession of the recipient and 2) giving both parties high visibility via the public accessible GWR database. Should the YeNom become an object of value to others then clearly both the original parties rightfully gain again (plus anyone else involved). In the instance of say an originator granting stock in their enterprise to the recipient; both benefit due to the much reduced overhead in not needing brokers, registration etc. Terrocrats, notaries, judges and lawyers, however, do stand to lose.
4. It should not cause worse “side-problems.“ (Analogous to a drug producing side-effects.)
In many instances the potential advantages of this approach is simply a no cost extra to something participants would do anyway. Moreover the very participation in this process will awaken an awareness of abundance and possibilities (i.e. greater freedom). If you can foresee any possible side-effect problems, then I'd be desperately interested in your revealing same.
5. The proposer must be able to personally implement it or get it implemented. (The proposer needs to have access to the resources - people, know-how, capital, equipment, materials, etc. - necessary for implementation.)
One of the greatest selling points to this idea is its ease of implementation. There are no licenses nor regulations one needs to clear in order to move ahead immediately. Start-up cost on a small scale are negligible and significant popularity should quickly attract additional support as needed.
6. It needs to be profitable so it can be “rolled out.”
This is probably the weakest point. My concentration is currently on getting the idea popular enough with a critical mass of participants, and then servicing the project with integrity. If a good job is being done in furthering the support of a multitude of other good causes, then a few YeNoms might reasonably come our way as well. Of course the truly great profits come from the direct and immediate gratification enjoyed in the liberation of mind. Be all that as it may, I see no profit impediments to it being “rolled out” now.
7. It must address not only symptoms, but also causes.
This plan projects a metamorphosis from the get-go and could hardly be more oriented to the root causes of our problem. However, this very point is proving to be a liability as it deals with mental and moral constructs that lie outside popular perceptions (i.e. the thinking needed to address the real causes is too much ‘out of the box’).
8. It should result in the individuals involved becoming less dependent on outside help. (“Helping” people to relieve symptoms without also handling causes, may render them more dependent, perpetuating the problem.)
Well, to the extent a person can free themselves from crippling reliance on a propriety money system - I'd argue this certainly makes them “less dependent” in a emphatically fundamental way.
9. It needs to address the deepest levels of thinking that give rise to the problem.
This is quite similar to #7 above, however, in our case there is an important new point to be make. Another factor is perhaps every bit as pertinent as any past faulty mind set - namely: The ability to easily create unforgeable, undeniable, irrefutable, indestructible, thief-proof digital signatures is relatively recently. Consequently massive ordeals involving trusted third parties, forgery resistant documents, etc. need no longer be employed. And more rational faith in the certainty and genuineness of a (rightfully ‘holy’) signature can safely exist to a degree never before imagined. So we are only taking advantage of well proven and accepted technology in a way that directly affords some new and simply wonderful implications.
10. It should utilize the scientific method, as necessary.
I certainly celebrate the profound successes enjoyed by the scientific method. So I agree with the process and encourage its use whenever possible. As to how well my project relates to or accommodates said method - I encourage others to evaluate.
A#5: First, I again quote from showSUYO.html; this time under Anticipated Questions:
16) Just how much work do you think this whole thing represents?
Answer: “Many thousands of times more than could possibly be accomplished by any work force we might pull together. However, we are only going to do the ‘kernel’, while the rest of the enormous ‘OS’ is going to be contributed by a multitude of madly imaginative 3rd parties. And on top of all this, the greatest value will come from the distributed mass efforts of millions of users creating wealth through YeNoms.” However, there is yet more to your question of how I plan to achieve market acceptance similar to e-gold. First, YeNom does not compete against e-gold. SUYO/YeNom represent no attack on precious metals (in fact, they're great candidates for use in YeNom gifts). A YeNom is simply a digital means of granting ownership to another which is highly verifiable and readily transferable (and was never hoped to be a quick casual means to buy beer). In reality, any massive success of YeNom will almost certainly result in sizable increases of e-gold activity. Why? Because, the very act of realizing wealth through ownership of YeNoms will train participants away from delving into dollar dilemmas and thus e-gold will be more readily embraced as both a preferred medium for traditional transactions and a store of wealth. Perhaps you know someone who could provide an enterprisingly respectable service to facilitate in the conversion of YeNoms to e-gold.
Thanks again - Z.Clark