Looking back at the blockchain

When I turned 21, I got a very thoughtful gift from my girlfriend at the time, a photo album. It had a range of pictures from my childhood up until that point, not many, maybe 30 or 40 in all. It also had pictures of each member of my family and of my parents when they were together. It was a very thoughtful present and at the time I was very grateful but, perhaps more so now as it contains the only photos I have from my childhood and of my family.

I actually brought it back from Australia on my first trip home and my baggage was lost by the time we got to Finland. We had already been robbed of all our possessions on our first day there and losing something irreplaceable was a bit of a worry. They found my bag 30 minutes later and all was okay.

What I find interesting about old photos are all the various styles we go through on the way to be where we are. Hairstyles, fashion, colours, decorations all the things that seemed important at the time became sources for amusement later where we look back and wonder 'what was I thinking?'

Looking back at these things reminds us of a few lessons in my opinion. Firstly, what was very important at one time can be seriously outdated quickly. Secondly we make some very bad decisions in hindsight. Thirdly, we do not think long-term about our choices. And lastly, we all mature and think that 'now we know better'.

What I find interesting however as we move into the future from this point on, more and more of our lives are going to be traceable and searchable. Our photo albums of the past have all been digitized and replicated across platforms and servers and once out there, they are very hard to lose.

Of course, our photos aren't the only parts to be pushed out. Our thoughts, feelings, writing, likes, dislikes and all of the other data we provide or is taken from us becomes part of a massive pool that can be recalled at some later point.

The blockchain is a good example of where this is all going of course where data will continually increase in tracability and we will be able to look back at our lives like we have never been able to before. What will we see? Will we be embarrassed like we are of old photos? Will we question how juvenile our thinking was? will we be ashamed by how we treated people at the time?´Will this information visibility make us better people, or better at hiding our true selves?

People take a lot of care when they feel that their record is permanent, when they think it may be used against them but this makes me question myself, them and society as a whole. Why is it so scary to be authentic, why is society so unwilling to accept the fact that people change over time, mature, learn and experience a whole range of good and bad that influences their thinking?

The blockchain may give as a perfectly recorded view of our history but, is it an honest view if the times we add to it we are not honest with ourselves? Isn't part of the enjoyment of looking back at those old photos the chance to see how much we have grown into the people we are today?

The possibilities of the blockchain in regards to information management are only in their infancy now but already we are starting to see how they may be used in the coming future. Where they will be records of all we do and perhaps even influence our possibilities and prospects in regards to access to jobs or support.

My hope is that the blockchains will be able to free up resources so as to invest in the growth of humanity itself. To clean up education systems, clear away paperwork and bureaucracy and reduce the need for centralized authorities to act on our behalf. My idealistic view is that looking back, we here may be the seeds of an innovation that lead to each individual having the chance to reach their full potential. Idealistic perhaps, but not necessarily incorrect.

I look at these photos of little old me and even though I recognise the face, I am nowhere near the same as that child, yet, that child lives within me still. I am still actually him. My own experiences have ripped and torn at that little boy and helped him to heal and grow into a flawed but trying man.

One day, I am sure that I will look back at my words here and all of the flaws of my thoughts will be laid bare. Will I be embarrassed? Only if the person I am when I look back still thinks the same things. This life we have is to be lived and to live is to move into the unknown, imagine different and take steps towards that future. It may be the wrong way, it may fail, it may succeed, but only time will tell.

Even though there are few records of proof, few checks that can be done, my own life has led me to this point with concrete steps that can never be erased. Life already is a blockchain with each instance tied to the one before and the one that follows. The difference is that we have no way of tracking it perfectly, we filter it through an imperfect an limited set of memories.

We also interact and make connections with the chains of other people's existence and can leave our marks on their lives too. What marks do we leave, do we look to harm or help, is it harmful or helpful in the long-run? Again, time will tell but soon, one day when we look back, we may have the chance to really know.

Would knowing the impact you have had on someone's life in the past change your next step on the chain?

Taraz
[ a Steemit original ]

In the album there are some quite embarrassing photos but, I will save them for another time. In the first image I can see my daughter and I hope that in time I will be part of making this world somewhat better for her and and all the others children. To provide them with the space to make what we do here look insignificant and infantile even though it led on to greatness.