Episode 1: What Is a Cypherpunk?

Episode 1: What Is a Cypherpunk? Your browser does not support the audio element. Download MP3 Duration: ~12 minutes | Format: Awakener (Philosophy) Episode Summary In 1993, a mathematician named Eric Hughes wrote nine words that would define a movement: “Cypherpunks write code. Privacy is necessary for an open society.” Three decades later, those words matter more than ever. But what exactly is a cypherpunk? And why should you care? ...

December 13, 2025 · 2 min · Cypherpunk School

Week 1a: Cypherpunk Philosophy & The Manifesto

Goal Understand the ethos, purpose, and mindset of a cypherpunk. Learn why privacy matters in the digital age and why “cypherpunks write code.” Prerequisites: Basic Linux CLI familiarity This is Part 1 of 3 - Covers philosophy, history, and the manifesto. 1. What Is a Cypherpunk? “Privacy is necessary for an open society in the electronic age. Privacy is not secrecy. A private matter is something one doesn’t want the whole world to know, but a secret matter is something one doesn’t want anybody to know. Privacy is the power to selectively reveal oneself to the world.” ...

October 14, 2025 · 6 min · Cypherpunk School