Introduction: HEX: Vindictiveness, Gatekeeping, Exclusion
Since the inception of HEX in December of 2019, the animosity, hatred and the vehement opposition from the broader cryptocurrency community towards this project cannot be overstated. Influencers have shunned it, exchanges have gatekept it and communities have ostracized it into a quasi-crypto exile, as if HEX is the Napoleon of cryptocurrency. We have witnessed the very antithesis of what cryptocurrency actually stands for in the form of exclusionary tribalism from the broader community. When Bitcoin was founded, the bedrock of its inception was on the basis of the zeitgeist of economic inclusion and a universal ethos of ending the hegemony of centralized financial autocracy. That same attitude now exists towards HEX by the very industry leaders that are bewildered by legacy finance, and yet, their behavior exhibits similar characteristics. I ponder if the influencers, specifically Bitcoin maximalists, who revile this project, understand that they’re becoming the very thing they sought to fight against, economic exclusivity.
The Great Bedrock: Understanding The HEX Community
Cryptocurrency and blockchain technology are in a consistent state of maturation and technological evolution. This is evident with the immense strides that have been made to create more scalable blockchains, an assortment of DeFi products, infrastructure based solutions etc., however, one component that is rarely discussed that is the bedrock of any project, any industry, any enterprise, is the community that backs it. This isn’t an article outlining the technical specifications of HEX or how the protocol operates, but an introspective empirical observation of a community and protocol that defies all odds. With innovation comes market trends, with market trends, projects often become forgotten, however, the HEX community continues to grow at a staggering rate. HEX, at the time of this article, is now closing in on 100,000 stakers, with an average staking length of approximately 6.7 years, with many stakes ending in 15 years. Think about this notion for one second; there are investors at this very moment who’re so passionate about this project, that they’re willing to bet, with all the innovation that is transpiring in blockchain, to entrust that HEX will still be a dominant force in the year 2037. If that doesn’t speak passion, I don’t know what will.
The communities passion for HEX transcends affection, it has matured into a culture, a social ethos of economic inclusivity with open arms which is incredibly surprising given the fact that the project, and its community thereof, has been gatekept for almost 3 years, with virtually no end in sight (although on Twitter today, HEX is trending). That ubiquitous ethos comes with major shell shock to me, exclusivity and ostracization is generally met with trepidation, hostility and distrust of exterior communities and “tribes”, but this community welcomes people with open arms. The HEX communities social media presence cannot be overstated, they’re one of the most active communities in the entirety of the blockchain sphere, not just on Twitter, but on YouTube (there are numerous that are dedicated to HEX and PulseChain), Telegram, Reddit, Discord etc. The Founder of HEX, Richard Heart, boasts nearly a quarter million followers on Twitter, dwarfing many influencers who vehemently oppose Richard and the community thereof. It is time to garner a perspective on HEX and PulseChain, and how big this community really is.
The PulseChain and HEX Community: The Synergistic Relationship and Unity Of Two Communities
We’ve discussed how HEX vaunts 100,000 stakers within the ecosystem, with a price increase from its bottom of approximately 10,000x, but I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up the magnitude of the PulseChain and PulseX sacrifice totals. In total, approximately 1.7 billion dollars were sacrificed between PulseChain and PulseX from over 170,000 wallets and this doesn’t include the millions of dollars sacrificed for over 100 different third party applications launching on PulseChain once mainnet is live. The Telegram communities for PulseChain and PulseX, excluding any HEX oriented Telegram communities exceeds 110,000 members. When you add the official HEX Telegram channel, you can add another 37,000 to that number. These are extraordinary numbers for a protocol that has not even gone to mainnet yet; the excitement and behemoth size of the community cannot be overstated. However, there is one man that started this movement, and that man’s name is Richard Heart.
Richard Heart: Understanding The Soul In The Heart Of Richard
The conception of the HEXican ethos and movement thereof can be attributed to one man, and that man is Richard Heart. Richard Heart is a serial entrepreneur and retired multimillionaire, who has been retired since he was in his mid 20s. Formally a Bitcoin maximalist, Richard understood that blockchain and cryptocurrencies adoption must be in accordance with innovation, and thus, HEX was born. Richard Heart has become one of the most controversial figures in all of blockchain, many making distinctive parallels between him and Former President Donald J. Trump. And yet, in the midst of the backlash, controversy, hatred, threats and vindictiveness that is spewed towards him on a daily basis, he remains headstrong, an admirable trait that speaks volumes about his character in the face of hostility on all sides. Leadership requires prowess, defiance, audaciousness, outrage, but it also includes transparency, trust, charisma and autodidactic self determination. It is evident that Richard checks off all of these personal attributes. Vehement opposition can lead to a mans downfall into insanity, self hate, nihilism and misanthropy, but it appears that Richard does not adhere to any of these traits. Strength comes from consistent attacks, scars are made and kept, but the man treks on, with unwavering will power, and a personality that is unique to himself, and I don’t envy that, I am inspired by it.
Conclusion: A Project Misunderstood, Hostility At All Angles, And Yet, There Is A Sense Of Great Triumph
If I were to sum up the HEX community and ethos in one phrase, it would shockingly not be delayed gratification, it would be triumphant zeal. Yes, the HEX price is down, and yet, the HEX community remains steadfast in their resolve and purpose to create a better community and thus, a better world through financial freedom and communal integrity. This is how a community should be, unwavering in their passion for something bigger, something stronger, something noble; financial self sovereignty and communal determination. Thank you.
P.S. If you’re interested in learning all about HEX and PulseChain, check out my YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCryS1BzrTNLAedFOKTbGB-w
Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency involves substantial risk, do not invest more than you can afford to lose. I am not responsible for any of your trades, I was not paid or endorsed to write this article, this was of my own accord. I am a holder of the HEX token.
Originally published on Medium.
By Corey Costa