participant-3927, 3:09 AM, March 16
I have redesigned the website to have a fresh, benevolent look. I have removed the pastel colors, and added more contrast and blue tones.
participant-3927, 3:16 AM, March 16
The hero image may change, but it will remain the concept of a projected life in the new society. I’d prefer a painting of Hiroshi Nagai, but it’s copyrighted. However, I don’t want it to have palm trees, becaues that selects relaxed Florida like lifestyle. I like Hiroshi’s gloryfication of civilization as the backdrop to the good life.
participant-3927, 3:32 AM, March 17
I changed the backdrop again, now to an image in the Hiroshi Nagai style, generated by Gemini Nano Banana 2.
participant-4603, 4:12 PM, March 18
I like it a lot!
participant-3927, 4:42 PM, March 18
New definition, which includes giving up reforming:
Anthemism (or going anthem) is the abandonment of reforming existing states and instead aiming to found a new sovereign state whose political system is laissez-faire capitalism consistent with Objectivism.
participant-3927, 4:53 PM, March 18
With this definition the prefix “anthe” has a new connotatino of “anti” — since we are abandoning something (anti something).
participant-3927, 11:22 PM, March 18
Belgian cryptocurrency millionaire Olivier Janssens is working to create a special economic zone on the island of Nevis. The project’s website is destiny.com and there are several articles in the media published this month about it.
participant-3927, 11:23 PM, March 18
Is this another Freeport all over again?
participant-2294, 11:29 PM, March 18
“Special Sustainability Zone”
participant-3927, 11:39 PM, March 18
These are the same people who had publicity about it in 2017
participant-3927, 11:40 PM, March 18
Free Society Foundation
participant-3927, 3:04 AM, March 19
This is the legal Act passed in Nevis that authorized the zone. It requires the zone to have its own court system.
participant-3927, 3:05 AM, March 19
Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew described the Bill as “a practical tool to attract foreign direct investment and create long-term job opportunities while protecting our environment.” He emphasised that the legislation “is a framework for doing big projects the right way,” underlining its importance in advancing strategic national goals.
participant-3927, 3:40 AM, March 19
Let me get some popcorn to watch this fail. The Act, as with Freeport and Honduras ZEDE, retains control of immigration at the host state level. It’s a development contract not a charter.
Also, you have to ask for permission to innovate. A startup in the SSZ inventing a flying taxi still needs permission from the Host government to avoid regulation. The Act says the Host government has the final say on safety, and everything not specifically forbidden, still must be approved by it.
participant-3927, 3:59 AM, March 19
Destiny is a little smarter than Prospera, trying to cater to the local population, rather than simply shutting it out in apartheid. Olivier Janssens originally proposed a 5% profit-sharing model. This month (Financial Times, March 13) he dramatically increased this to a direct payment of $100 per month to every resident of Nevis, including children, to be paid immediately upon government approval of the project. For a family of four, this is $4,800 a year. This is like Crassus buying votes in ancient Rome. Opposition politicians on Nevis have already called this “clear influence-buying” and “interference in domestic affairs.”
participant-3927, 4:08 AM, March 19
Finally, to top this off, the “paradise” that this free society is building is going to be anarchism: no government. Whatever freedom SSZ/Destiny does gain via the Act, it will be controlled by local mafia (the man with the biggest gun will set the laws.)
participant-3927, 4:30 AM, March 19
I wrote an email to Olivier to the contact email address published on the website. If anyone of you is in direct contact with him, please forward this message @participant-4233 @participant-4603
My name is Boris Reitman, I am the founder of Anthemism.
Anthemism (or going anthem) is the abandonment of reforming existing states and instead aiming to found a new sovereign state whose political system is laissez-faire capitalism consistent with Objectivism.
The direction you are going with Destiny will result in failure, the same way as Freeport, Prospera, and the earlier Minerva & Vanuatu. It’s not too late to pivot. Reply and we can chat.
participant-4603, 2:17 PM, March 19
I get asked this question often, and oddly enough, I’ve never met him. Supposedly, Massimo, the fellow behind Morazan, has bumped into him a few times in Monaco, where they both live. What is interesting is how supposedly OJ does not have Roger Ver on board with this latest development, at least not publicly. I suspect, even though Roger reached a settlement with the US DOJ, that it is still a reputational risk.
The reason I bring it up is because he was involved with Free Society. The New York Times article that ran about what’s going on in Nevis, I don’t think it’s going to be the final word on the subject, but if it is an indicator of what’s to come, then yeah, I don’t think it’s going to be a big smashing success. I do know OJ did not participate or cooperate in the New York Times piece, and from my understanding, he doesn’t like to do many things publicly, but I really don’t have a lot of insight into his world or what’s been going on.
If I had to speculate, it would be that he has come, in his mind, to the realisation that full independent statehood is a bridge too far, whereas I think he had it right before, and anything less than that is just not as worthwhile.
participant-4233, 3:10 PM, March 19
The way this letter is worded doesnt seem like a great way to get a person to engage, perhaps due to their ego or sunk costs psychology
participant-2294, 4:31 PM, March 19
Also: Próspera didn’t fail
participant-4603, 4:33 PM, March 19
Any idea why Olivier called it a joke? Because I’ve been scratching my head on that one. Could it just be because they didn’t go far enough? Or did he get burned financially by them?
participant-2294, 4:37 PM, March 19
From a marketing POV, Próspera presents itself as an innovation that creates a market of regulators. Destiny, on the other hand, is the usual radical chic bs that won’t work. This Olivier is probably one of those individuals who think they have to come across as gay in order to win.
participant-3927, 4:57 PM, March 19
It will never get to him, it will go to spam folder directly or via secretary. These kind of things can be done only via personal introductions. In addition, I have neither money nor followers, only ideas that libertarians reject, so he has no interest to talk to me. I am a little dog that barks at the elephant, as in Басни Крылова. Don’t worry, I’m not gullible. Ideas alone matter only when they are inline with fashion. If they are contradictory to fashion, they need some backing to be heard.
participant-3927, 9:26 PM, March 19
Neither did Freeport, if you move the goalposts. It’s less regulated than other places, but even this is precarious.
participant-3927, 9:49 PM, March 19
The mafia element has already happened with Prospera: the Prospera administration set unfair law concerning public streets (it has jurisdiction but not ownership of the land). It being: unless you pay a bribe of $1000 per year, you can’t come in the territory. That’s a regulation.
participant-4603, 9:51 PM, March 19
One of the things that has become clearer to me while writing both Startup States and How To Build New Countries is that, for those interested in establishing new countries, several lines of reasoning can work.
First, there is no hidden agenda because sovereignty and statehood are front and centre, so there is no concern about undermining anything.
Second, and importantly, there is little free rider issue. Subnational entities tend to rely heavily on the benefits and infrastructure of their host, whereas those creating new countries must assume those burdens themselves and pay their own way in areas such as courts, policing, and defence. In many respects, it is more honest to be bolder and more upfront.
participant-3927, 10:02 PM, March 19
They don’t care about free rider. I bet they are afraid of theft. The locals are much poorer. They are also probably less cultured and will make the region less classy and pleasant.
participant-3927, 10:04 PM, March 19
The way to protect from theft is to have a better police force, which the administration probably (I don’t know @participant-6053 ?) doesn’t control. And, private property can be restricted by the owner . But so long as the streets are public (no owner), they can’t be restricted.
participant-3927, 10:20 PM, March 19
When you solve problems by dictat, it breeds xenophobia. When I mentioned the issue in another channel which had a guy who is involved with Prospera, he got angry and rude. That’s hatred speaking.
On a larger scale it is happening in the U.S. thanks to Trump. It started in his first term, resulted in BLM and DEI as a reaction under Biden , and now the hatred has been redirected towards the immigrants.
