I know what you’re thinking. There is a certain “type” of person who is drawn to digital “crypto” currencies, or assets, or whatever they’re called. Things like Bitcoin and Dogecoin and other “coins,” or whatever they’re called.

You can see those assets listed at Coinbase.com.  There were 269 tradeable ones last time I checked.  Another 300 or so were designated as not tradeable.

As for the type of person: My assumption has always been it’s someone not very much me.  A crypto enthusiast is an overweight, unkempt 39-year-old geek named Larry, surrounded by Cheez-it bags and Diet Coke cans, staring absently at a half-dozen computer screens at a makeshift workstation in his parents’ basement.

Right?

For that reason, I have found it difficult to relate to the world of cryptocurrency.  It just wasn’t part of my life.

But I have decided to ditch that mindset and learn about crypto; to start reading books and consuming social media and taking online courses on…on what, exactly?

It’s been hard to define what’s relevant or important. Hard to set the parameters. There is a kind of continuum between Bitcoin and other digital assets and the “block chain” and artificial intelligence and…

I’ve decided the parameters don’t matter at this point.  Just get started. Stick with the study and I’m bound to be smarter after a month or a year.

Another question is why. Why should we care?

To me, it’s a way of connecting with the world.  Or more precisely, re-connecting. Because frankly it has all gotten away from me.  The broad realm of finance, technology and money has advanced in giant leaps, without me.

I want to catch up, but without turning into Larry.

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