Nova Lorraine Interview Transcript

I'm sitting here with Nova Lorraine. Hi, Nova. How are you? Hi. Oh, good. Excellent. Excellent. So we are here in DC discussing in blockchain. The Metaverse and really my question for you Nova is, how do you think blockchain is affecting financial literacy?

Unknown Speaker  0:22  
That's an excellent question. And I could, I'll start with my own personal experience. So I was introduced to Bitcoin in 2013. And it was a very different conversation than what Bitcoin was, or you know, at the time what it is. But I was fascinated with this technology, of blockchain and then having currency attached to this technology. And following that through the years, and then discovering Aetherium, then dash and Litecoin, and then Xlm, and all these other coins that really are the foundation, tech foundational technology for the future of our financial system of our economy, so to speak. And, as I, I would say, 2017, I dove in to learning more about about cryptocurrency blockchain, as it relates to that side of things, the finance side of things. And in 2020, January 2020, I started day trading, wow, full time. And it was with play money. And it was more of an educational experience, it was a way for me to nerd out around the technology. I had to learn about it, because how are you going to buy and sell something you know nothing about, and introduce me to the the semantics, the definitions, the use cases that utility the partners, you know, the future of, and the more I learned, the more fascinated I became. And then you know, there's a thing as saying out there, like if you want to learn about something, follow the money. And so it also was an eye opener in terms of just the fiat system and how that's built and run, and the pros and cons to that, and how that ties into this new future of money. And how both systems impact us, and how the technology of blockchain is going to revolutionize our financial system. And when you talk about decentralized finance, when you talk about individuals, being able to do track transactions with each other, directly businesses, reaching their consumers directly storing our own money, managing our own becoming our own personal banks, being empowered, but then also, because we weren't taught that, you know, gone are the days where you're putting the money between the mattresses or in a hole in the backyard. It is it is empowering. But then for some I've learned it's very scary as well. And so one, I think it's enlightening individuals to not only the history of money, where it's going, how this transparency of money is going to change how we transact with each other. Not only that, but then our supply chains, how we do business, it's going to give opportunities to individuals who had been shut out of certain industries or certain levels of economy. And when I started diving into decentralized finance, oh my goodness, I forget just the blockchain forget collecting coins, let's just say that forget. But when you when you're empowered to learn about money in a way that's now mixed with technology, and you have to get into the weeds, you have to go deep, that is empowering. And to know that you It's another way of spelling out freedom. And as far as I'm concerned, and to know that here's a tool that allows you to take the ceiling off of your finances, your the potential of growth, and it is as as exciting as it is it's also terrifying. But it forces you to learn it forces you to know where before I think we're blindly going to the banks where we're you know, trading and buying and selling without asking questions. You know, as artists, why am I only getting single digit returns from my art you know, it's it's forcing us to go deeper see our worth see our potential, and that's through this whole new mechanism called blockchain.

Unknown Speaker  4:50  
Yeah, I agree with you Nova. So what it sounds like you're saying is that given how the system works, currently, it's just very easy to Use but blockchain since it's more difficult to use, it causes you to get more education and I began to learn a lot more in deep dive because you have no other choice.

Unknown Speaker  5:09  
Absolutely. And as your deep diving, you may fall on the rabbit hole, but it opens your eyes to how connected everything is true, and how very connected the technology is to our current fiat system, to our our minerals, or, you know, the gold and silver, all of that these new technologies that are depending on this, you know, when I say new technologies and new innovations, you know, beyond the blockchain, that's now depending on this blockchain technology to advance it. And how do you fit into that puzzle? How does your business or how does your service or how does your art or how does your voice has your perspective? How will you be impacted by this? And then these are the questions that we all should be asking, yeah, you don't have to become the next professor of blockchain. But to know what's here, it's not going anywhere, it's only going to continue to permeate through our society and how we do things.

Unknown Speaker  6:13  
I agree. And I think given that we're still at a stage where, you know, getting into the ecosystem, it's difficult, I think people have to learn more.

Unknown Speaker  6:22  
Absolutely. And it's, I feel education is critical. And that's why I appreciate you all you're doing with them in a blockchain. And, you know, as you're going around the world speaking and sharing the programs you're creating, it's so needed, because there's so much confusion. And when you, you know, turn on the TV or whatever your, your way of getting information, a lot of it that's coming at us is either fear, or hype. And it's not getting to the core of the real information, what's needed, who's needed to build this infrastructure, this foundation, with the best intentions in mind.

Unknown Speaker  7:07  
Yeah, I hear you. And I think that's why it's important to have people who are building and teaching and also what you're doing. And like you said, different people questioning what they should be getting paid, etc. So I think there's a lot there as well, I really loved your comment about asking questions. So learning, because you have to ask these questions.

Unknown Speaker  7:28  
Absolutely. Like, let's not blindly walk, you know, through the woods, you know, let's stop and look at the signs and pay attention and, and dive a little deeper. Excuse me, and, and explore how this new sort of shift that we're going through this digital shift, this technological shift? How is it going to benefit me? Or better question? How can I help this technology benefit myself and others. And, you know, I often I love using analogies and metaphors, but I will say like the train is in the station. If we like it or not, nobody on the other side of town, you may not know the train is here, but it's still here. And so you can choose to get on the train, you could choose to leave the train, you could be in the front car, you're gonna be looking at doctor, you could decide to get on the back car, like that's all up to you. Or you can stand at the station and go, that's cool, but I'm not really interested in that ride. And all of those options are okay. But to be on the other side of town and pretend that the train isn't there. That's what I don't recommend. No, it's there. Recognize it's there. Ask the questions. Maybe try it out a little bit. And if it's for you, great, and if it's not, that's fine, too. But my my challenge to the audience to your listeners and viewers is, you know, educate yourself about this. Internet came, we're in the midst of it, social media came, we're in the midst of it. But how many of us ask those questions when we first heard about Instagram first heard about Twitter, first heard about the World Wide Web? How many came in to create an environment that was safe for children? Look at the fallout look at the mental health issues we're dealing with after the fact are we going to blindly move into web three? And you know, and not think that there will also be fallout if we do not build with positive intention?

Unknown Speaker  9:36  
No, I think you make a great point. And I think that's why, you know, taking it back again, it's like, who's creating the curriculum and like, who's doing what and then how are people educating themselves ensuring that there's good sources that they can use, ensuring that you know, there's places for them to go they can you know, I also want to ask you, what do you think about the learning earn model in education? should,

Unknown Speaker  10:00  
you know it's interesting because I, I'm actually I think it's a great model. However, I don't know if it's the motivation. That's going to get people to try this technology, I am still sort of in a wait and see, I feel where that can really be effective are those individuals that are creators, that are artists that are looking for a means to or access to this space in a way that they can understand it in a way that they can embrace it to more efficiently create their art, to more impactfully distribute their art or more efficiently distribute their art, whatever that is, I feel there's an opportunity there where those individuals would really grab on to learn or learn to earn and learn to earn,

Unknown Speaker  10:57  
learn and earn, learn to earn both. Yes,

Unknown Speaker  11:00  
however, the everyday person, I haven't seen that be enough of a motivator for individuals to really embrace the technology.

Unknown Speaker  11:10  
Well, thank you so much for your time, Nova. And I'll make sure to follow up with you on how you progress on your journey.