darkfi/doc/src/dev/learn.md

Agorism Hackers Study Guide

During the 90s, the crypto-anarchists applied the emerging technology of cryptography to create online zones encoded with the seed of resistance. Cryptocurrency descends from that lineage, and lies at the intersection of economics, politics and technology.

The agorists believed in leveraging economic power to create free and democratic parallel societies. We define revolution as a transformation in the moral and political fabric of society. We can leverage crypto technology for moral and poltical society and create encrypted free zones online.

Money takes many forms, whether cash, credit, loans or debt. The properties of money changes depending on its location, while measures like interest rates and inflation obscure local differences.

The real source of power lies in economic networks. Money is a unit of account between economic networks. By understanding economics, we can use technological techniques to greatly influence the material and political worlds and encode them with our values and philosophy.

Methodology

Our critique of the student-teacher relation, where a teacher dictates a course schedule to a student who has to learn the material, is as follows:

1. Students are not self led, and instead become reliant on an instructor, instead of developing independently.
2. Creativity is supressed since students do not explore and engage with knowledge in a dialectic way.

Instead we provide a system of mentorship. Everybody engages in study and research inside the organization. Subjects are not separated from one another and we encourage people to read multiple subjects in a directed way. Our aim is to train leaders and raise people up.

Leaders must possess:

1. Strategic knowledge to be able to make strong macro analysis and direct activity.
2. Strong techncial skills to directly affect change themselves.

We emphasize a combination of both. Ideas should not gather dust in books. We must put our ideas into action through practice. However, blind undirected action is wasted effort. Therefore we seek to foster both theory and practice in participants.

With the mentorship system, participants are self directed but are under the influence of more senior mentors. If they get stuck, they can ask mentors for assistance to get past difficult concepts or discuss ideas to gain a better understanding. Learning through dialogue is encouraged since it creates stronger bonds and relations between people in the community.

Progression

Mandatory Initial Stage

Everybody in the organization must study philosophy and programming as essential skills. To start there are two objects of study:

1. "Manifesto for a Democratic Civilization" by Ocalan, is 3 separate books. You should complete at least 1 book for the initial stage, and then study the other two as you continue further into later stages.
2. "Project Based Python Programming" this will teach you Python programming which will be an essential skill for any branch you decide to continue onto.

Programming takes time and dedication to become proficient at. Many people give up during the initial phase which can take more than a year. You have to push through it. Once you master programming, it becomes enjoyable and fun. Code is the medium of our organization. We are hacker-artists.

Branches

All branches take roughly the same time to become highly proficient in: around 1-2 years. Even after 6 months, participants can begin using their acquired knowledge in a practical way with small limited tasks. We actively encourage the combination of theory and practice to strengthen one another.

Token Scientist

Token engineering is a new emerging science. Tokens are a breakthrough in building online networks, since we have a means to engineer incentive mechanisms and encourage certain user behaviours.

DeFi protocols in crypto make extensive use of token engineering to design how liquidity flows in and out of networks, and is an important key part of leveraging cryptoeconomic power.

To become proficient in this area requires study of economics, mathematics, and finance. It also makes heavy use of Python programming to build simulations and economic models.

1. "New Paradigm for Macroeconomics" by Werner. This book will take several months to study but is a strong basis for understanding economics.
   1. Notes from the introduction to Werner's book.
   2. Notes on 'Shifting from Central Planning to a Decentralized Economy
2. "Understanding Pure Mathematics". We have a full high school mathematics course. This can also be skipped if you already know maths well.
   1. Continuing on with mathematics, you can learn more about stochastics, statistics, probability and analysis.
3. The DeFi and Token Engineering book.

Software Developer

Software developers create the end result software that others use. They take research and create a product from that research by applying the ideas. Developers can further be focused more on creating prototypes from research, or developing prototypes into polished final products.

To become a senior developer means learning about how the computer works on a deep level, and learning advanced programming skills. It takes time to fully master with a lot of early frustration but is eventually highly rewarding and creative. Developers are highly sought after and rare.

1. Learn from various materials about computer architecture, operating systems, and software architecture.
   1. Books such as the history of UNIX or the mythical man month.
   2. Articles by hintjens.com
2. Rust programming book
3. Install Arch Linux, learn to use the terminal

Cryptography Researcher

Cryptography researchers craft the weapons or implements of change that developers use. They use advanced algebra to exploit the hard limits set by the universe on reality and craft cryptographic schemas that obey certain properties. They are in a sense reality-hackers. They hack reality to create systems that obey objective properties due to the underlying mathematics.

Cryptography researchers create mathematics and repurpose existing algorithms in their schemas. Needless to say, the advanced cryptographer is a good mathematician.

For cryptography, you will study "Abstract Algebra" by Pinter, and starting with simple cryptographic schemes gradually move towards learning more complex ones. You will prototype these schemes using a computer algebra system called SAGE.

Protocol Engineer

Good knowledge of computer science fundamentals as well as the ability to write code. Algebra studies are also required but not to the same degree as cryptography.

The protocol engineer is responsible for blockchain consensus algorithms, developing p2p networks, and other forms of distributed synchronization such as CRDTs. They establish the fundamentals for creating distributed applications and hardening the censorship-resistant properties of crypto. They also harden networks against de-anonymization attempts through the use of encrypted mixnetworking and other techniques.

Protocol engineers have to possess a good knowledge about the theory behind distributed networks, as well as experience in how they work in practice. This topic is part theory, part practical. They must have a good grasp of algorithms and computer science theory.

Other

Alongside this study, continuing to study Ocalan is required. After finishing the Ocalan texts, you can then read Werner's book on economics, as well as Mumford or other philosophers.

Also engagement and familiarization with crypto is a must. Begin following this list and participating in crypto communities.

Starting

1. Download and install a simple Linux operating system to get started. Options can be Ubuntu or Manjaro Linux.
2. Watch Finematics videos.
3. Begin the initial stage listed above.
4. Follow the instructions on the Darkfi Book and run darkirc to connect with the team.

Further Reading

• DarkFi Insights

Current Situation and Macro Overview

• Gensler Vows Action Against DeFi
• Crypto Mega Theses
• The Future of DeFi Must be No KYC
• Every single Bitcoin product banned in the UK as regulators crack down on crypto
• The DOJ’s ‘Crypto Enforcement Framework’ Argues Against Privacy Tools and for International Regulation
• The Coming Storm – Terrorists Using Cryptocurrency
• Report finds $50 billion of cryptocurrency moved out of China hinting at capital flight against Beijing rules

Economics

• mattigag's required reading
• Deribit, On Reflexivity and Imitation, Part 1
  • Part 2
• The Fraying of the US Global Currency Reserve System
• Introduction to Richard Werner: New Paradigm in Marcoeconomics
• Shifting from Central Planning to a Decentralized Economy
• The Great Race to Crypto Banking
• Dreams of a Peasant
• DAO Lay Lo Mo
• Crypto Market Structure

Web 3.0

• Ethereum's Political Philosophy Explained
• Squad Wealth
• Prehistory of DAOs
• Inventories, not Identities
• The origin of the digital antiquities market (NFTs)

Agorism and crypto-anarchy

• How to Return to Crypto's Subversive Roots
• The Crypto Anarchist Manifesto
• Collected Quotations of The Dread Pirate Roberts
• New Libertarian Manifesto
• A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace
• A Cypherpunk's Manifesto