---
# System prepended metadata

title: Theme Brainstorming 2022 Master Doc
tags: [Planning Docs]

---

###### tags: ``Planning Docs``

# Theme Brainstorming 2022 Master Doc

## Why ETHBerlin in 2022?

- other hackathons don't focus on what's important
- bring together bright minds and give them a white canvas to work on
- facilitate ideas and builders
- reward hackers to work on the right things (give bounties to important ideas)
- showcase decentralized tech
- onboard newbies by teaching them what we deem imporant (as in values etc.)
- proof that blockchain is more than DeFi and NFTs
- focus on impact rather than financial gains


## Storyline / Main Talking Points

- Goal: Convey the values and goals of the hackathon, inform interested parties about 
- Main talking points:
    - We are back! (Maybe: Why have we been gone for so long?)
    - We are concerned about the world, and also concerned about the fact that the blockchain world does not seem to focus on the right things (we are excited about main stream adoption, but also fear that the most important values have been lost along the way?)
        - let's go back to the roots
        - cypherpunk vision
        - right to transact!
        - privacy and (financial) freedom
    - We think that those are the right things to focus on: x, y, z
    - Our core values are (and always have been)
        - radical open source
        - support (and focus on) the builders
        - distribution of power / decentralization
        - put your money where your mouth is / double down on xxx
    - We don't want hackers to work on x / this is where we draw the line
    - Hyperinflation eats the world and fiat currencies are backed by nothing (money printer goes brrr), we just choose to believe in one thing over another. friendly reminder that we can choose to build the (financial) future we want to live in / nothing really hinders us
    - 
    - If you agree with this mission, join ETHBerlin this year


- ethBerlin.pow(3): Back to the roots
- ethBerlin.pow(3): Reclaim society
- ethBerlin.pow(3): Expect us.
- ethBerlin.pow(3): Now more than ever

## Manifesto

# ``ethBerlin.pow(3)``: Expect us.

Hey friend! 

Remember us? We know, it's been a while...

In fact, the world seems to have changed drastically since we last met in Berlin 2018 for ETHBerlin and 2019 for ETHBerlin ZWEI. 

Central-bank-issued fiat currencies devalue faster every year, with annual inflation rates of supposedly "stable" currencies like EUR or USD hitting new highs each month. Over the last two years, the global crackdown on privacy, freedom of movement, and the right to transact by governments worldwide put us on the edge of a new dark age of regression.

We are seriously concerned about the state of the world, but equally so about the state of the "blockchain space". While we are absolutely over the moon for the ever growing main stream adoption of crypto currencies and blockchain tech, certain developments leave a bitter aftertaste and we fear that the most important values are about to get lost along the way.

We take this as a call to action and want to do our part. 

Please welcome ETHBerlin's official third edition: ``ethBerlin.pow(3)`` - ETHBerlin, the power of 3.

With ETHBerlin³, we aim to go back to the roots and remind our community what it's all about: We want to invite you to Berlin to hack the system, now more than ever. We want to emphasize the original cypherpunk vision and build on it. We aim to teach and educate a new generation of hackers about what you can achieve with cryptography, blockchain, and peer-to-peer network technologies.

ETHBerlin³'s North star values are (and always have been):
- Opt for open source, teach the risks involved with rent-seeking proprietary software.
- Support (and focus on) the builders*, everything else is secondary.
- Aim for distribution of power and decentralization.

> We must defend our own privacy if we expect to have any. We must come together and create systems which allow anonymous transactions to take place. People have been defending their own privacy for centuries with whispers, darkness, envelopes, closed doors, secret handshakes, and couriers. The technologies of the past did not allow for strong privacy, but electronic technologies do.

> Without the freedom to transact, you have no other constitutional rights.

Our big question for you is: How do we get from yield farming fruit tokens, VC chains, making the rich richer and a never ending race to the top to an open and inclusive system that makes a difference in people's lives? Which anarchist and privacy-preserving tools can we build that enable independence from governments and mega corps?

We will encourage hackathon tracks, workshops, and supporters at ETHBerlin³ to focus on the following key aspects:

* Private: there is no need for your name, data, or ID.
* Usable: it has to be accessible and user-friendly.
* Direct: it does not ask for permission.
* Subversive: it transforms established orders and structures of power.
* Social: it empowers people and makes a difference in somebody's life.
* Clandestine: it will not comply.
* Independent: it will not rely on governments or corporates.
* Impactful: it intends to make a difference.
* Secure: it does not put anyone at risk.
* Libre: it will be free both as in free speech and free beer.

Berlin has a dark history of financial scandals, hyperinflation, and bank runs. Since inflation is once again about to eat the world, we'd like to use this as a reminder that the system we live in is not infallible, and it’s up to us to progress towards change. The fiat currencies we use every day are hardly backed by anything at this point (money printer goes brrr), we just choose to believe in one thing over another. We **can** choose to build the (financial) future we want to live in, nothing really hinders us!

In the previous years, ETHBerlin always tried to make a difference by pioneering the use of decentralized technologies and nurturing the ecosystem. Significant projects emerged from our hackathons, such as IPFS Pinata or the Goerli Testnet. And legend has it that even the Dune Analytics founders started their career at ETHBerlin. ;)

Are you committing to making a difference? Expect us!

*By builders we mean all people that make up an amazing hacking team: The coders, strategists, creatives, and more.


## Name Ideas 

*add your ideas & comments!*

1. HyperETHBerlin
2. ETHBerlin Satoshi's Vision
3. ETHBerlin Drei
4. ETHBerlin Reloaded
5. ETHBerlin 2022
6. ETHBerlin Classic
7. ETHBerlin ReGenesis


## Theme Ideas
> [name=franzihei] The theme gives the overall direction of the hackathon (e.g. ETHBerlinZWEI had "Bauhaus and the Bauhaus manifesto"). Ideally, a theme comes with great visual opportunities we can use for wesbite, swag and on-site decoration etc. The theme will also be picked up in the hacker manifesto and will serve as the golden thread throughout the event.

1. Fiat Hyper Inflation / Bank Runs
2. Back to the Roots: Orginial Cypherpunk Vision
3. 

## Other Comments & Ideas

### Values / food for thought

- We want to go back to the roots
- Remind yourself of the original cypherpunk vision
- https://nakamotoinstitute.org/cypherpunk-manifesto/
- Right to transact! Good description of this is: https://twitter.com/punk6529/status/1494444624630403083
- Anarchist and privacy-preserving tools for independence from governments and institutions (for everyone!)
- Social sustainability: How do we go from tripple yield farming fruit tokens, VC chains and making the rich richer to an open and inclusive system that makes a difference in people's lives?
- Focus on impact and actual usability! No bullshit, no hot air balloons, no token shilling
- Remember, we are a hackathon extravaganza, lots of extra of course, but in the end, the focus should lay on being the enabler for as many useful projects as possible, the goal is to have people to HACK (and to have fun)
- Pro open-source, anti rent-seeking proprietary software

### Hacker Manifesto

Previous ETHBerlin hacker manifesti: 
* ETHBerlin - Unapologetic: https://medium.com/ethberlin/unapologetic-9a7a8f1417d1
- ETHBerlin Zwei - Skin in the game and nothing to loose: https://medium.com/ethberlin/skin-in-the-game-and-nothing-to-lose-be2edafd2da0


# ETHBerlin 2022 - _now more than ever._

The world has changed drastically since we last met in Berlin 2018 for [ETHBerlin](https://medium.com/ethberlin/unapologetic-9a7a8f1417d1) and 2019 for [ETHBerlin ZWEI](https://medium.com/ethberlin/skin-in-the-game-and-nothing-to-lose-be2edafd2da0). Central-bank-issued fiat currencies devalue faster every year, with a current annual inflation rate between 7.4% ([Europe, March 2022](https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/72328/umfrage/entwicklung-der-jaehrlichen-inflationsrate-in-der-eurozone/)) and 8.5% ([United States, March 2022](https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/inflation-cpi)). Military spending reached an all-time high of [$2.1 trillion](https://www.sipri.org/media/press-release/2022/world-military-expenditure-passes-2-trillion-first-time) worldwide with the armed conflicts raging in Myanmar, Ethiopia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and many more places. Over the last two years, the global crackdown on privacy, freedom of movement, and the [right to transact](https://twitter.com/punk6529/status/1494444624630403083) by governments worldwide put us on the edge of a new dark age of regression.

We want to invite you to Berlin to hack the system, _now more than ever._ We want to remind each other of the original [cypherpunk vision](https://nakamotoinstitute.org/cypherpunk-manifesto/) and add to it. Furthermore, we aim to teach and educate a new generation of hackers about what you can achieve with cryptography, blockchain, and peer-to-peer network technologies. Therefore, we will encourage hackathon tracks, workshops, and supporters at ETHBerlin 2022 to focus on the following key aspects:
* Private: there is no need for your name, data, or ID.
* Usable: it has to be accessible and user-friendly.
* Direct: it does not ask for permission.
* Subversive: it transforms established orders and structures of power.
* Social: it empowers people and makes a difference in everyone's life.
* Clandestine: it will not comply.
* Independent: it will not rely on governments or institutions.
* Impactful: it intends to make a difference.
* Secure: it does not put anyone at risk.
* Libre: it will be free both as in free speech and free beer.

This year's hackathon theme will be hyperinflation. Berlin has a dark history of financial scandals, [hyperinflation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperinflation_in_the_Weimar_Republic), and bank runs. Nevertheless, it shall serve as a reminder that the system we live in is not fallible, and it's up to us to progress towards change.

In the previous years, ETHBerlin always tried to be a different hackathon, pioneering the use of decentralized technologies and nurturing the ecosystem. Significant projects emerged from the events, such as [IPFS Pinata](https://www.pinata.cloud/) or the [Goerli Testnet](https://github.com/goerli). Legend has it that the Dune Analytics founders [started their career](https://dune.com/blog/money-aint-a-thang) at ETHBerlin.

Are you committing to making a difference? We are, _now more than ever._
