Know Your Alien: Stark of Zenon

In the vast and varied universe of Zenon, each alien - or let's say, each community member - brings a unique story to the table. Their backgrounds, views, and skills paint a picture of what Zenon truly embodies: decentralization.

Welcome to "Know Your Alien," where we sit down (virtually, of course) with these ecosystem builders for a casual, yet revealing chat. Today, I have the pleasure of introducing you to Stark, an individual whose contributions and presence in Zenon are as vivid and impactful as his opinions.

The Stark Contrast: A Conversation with Zenon's Outspoken Contributor

Welcome to the inaugural article of the 'Know Your Alien' series, Stark! You're quite the figure in our community, known for your vocal and active participation. Everyone's curious, so let's dive in.

Discovering Zenon - The First Encounter

Every first encounter with Zenon is unique. Some find it mesmerizing from the start, while others might wonder what they've stepped into, given its distinct community and way of doing things. This makes us wonder: what was your first impression?

Q: How and when did you first stumble upon Zenon? What was it about our network that grabbed your attention?

I found Zenon on Reddit in early 2020. I could immediately tell that Zenon was unlike other projects, primarily because nobody was trying to sell it to me. When I arrived in the community, I kind of felt like I was intruding, and people didn't want me to infringe upon their 0.9 rewards. That was my first indication that ZNN is a valuable asset.

Q: At what point did you decide to contribute to the Zenon ecosystem? Was this a part of your initial plan, or did your intention to contribute evolve over time?

As a crypto enthusiast, I had previously promised myself I would never again participate in any project where I felt compelled to step in or step up. It's generally much wiser to take such a signal as a red flag and move on. However, Zenon inspired me, leading me to break that promise. One of my first small contributions was to help out by assembling the media kit and creating vector logo files for what I believe was called "Warpdrive." When it became apparent that Zenon had fully decentralized, I realized that achieving our vision relied on the community. Since then, my commitment to Zenon has become a central theme in my life story.

Q: I see decentralization as a spectrum. I believe you meant sufficiently decentralized, not fully. Anyway, I digress. If there's one thing about Zenon you wish was more widely known, what would it be? Also, could you share a particularly memorable moment or a surprising lesson you've encountered while working on Zenon?

Zenon is complicated. There isn't necessarily any one thing I wish people knew, but I wish that people could more readily see how all of the facets fit together, and how invaluable Zenon is for having such a comprehensive architecture. I experienced a series of gut-wrenchingly bizarre synchronicities, of which the sat names pattern is only a small sample. Several of them I can't discuss. These experiences have motivated me to commit to Zenon fully.

The Evolution of Zenon - An Independent Entity.

Zenon began as a simple placeholder chain. It started as a humble yet ground-breaking idea, taking a page from Bitcoin's book. It has since grown into a robust, independent entity, its architecture a unique, feeless dual distributed ledger. Guided by a strict Bitcoin ethos, Zenon's path towards progressive decentralization is powered by its dual-coin economy. Today, it stands proudly as a symbol of community-driven governance and innovation.

Q: Considering the unique and leaderless nature of Zenon, often described as a self-evolving superorganism, what do you think about how Zenon started and what it's become?

The history of Zenon is very strange, but the future is becoming increasingly clear. There is no such thing as a perfect plan, which is why a lot has changed over the years. Most people do not operate according to a vision, and they don't like changes in plans. They would rather repeat a sequence of known steps around a predetermined point, instead of navigating into the unknown. Zenon is an adventure.

Q: What's your take on what Zenon has achieved so far, particularly in terms of the innovations it has introduced and the pace at which these developments have unfolded?

I believe that the technology Zenon is developing will blur the line between virtual and reality. In regards to the pace of development: refraining from judging forces and timelines that are greater than me has granted me a lot of mental and emotional freedom. The pace has also allowed me to accumulate more ZNN and QSR than I would have dreamed possible in 2020. I feel grateful and fortunate.

Q: What's your vision for the ideal decentralized network, and how does Zenon compare?

Whoever designed Zenon possessed great intelligence that spanned numerous fields. I believe people throughout the world will soon start to realize how absolutely crucial and empowering it is for our digitized reality to operate on a decentralized network.

Q: What's the biggest challenge you’ve faced in the Zenon ecosystem and how did you overcome it?

The best way to overcome the ZNN blues is to just market buy.

Q: What's a common misconception about Zenon that you’d like to clarify?

I'd like to clarify that you don't have to understand every aspect of Zenon to participate.

Q: What excites you most about Zenon's future developments? Why?

Zenon will serve markets that bring the remaining 38% of humankind online. Zenon Network is the nervous system of a planetary scale intelligence.

The Edge - An Unique Alien

This next segment is a part of our conversation with an extraordinary member of the Zenon community. He is not a programmer, but a voice that resonates throughout. He's a builder of an Ordinals collection, a thinker, and an icebreaker among aliens.

Stark, you stand out in our community, especially as someone who's more about ideas than code. Your role is different but just as vital.

Q: For those out of the loop, explain what is Zenon Core? What sparked this idea and what message are you hoping to convey?

It was important to me that the history of Zenon be honored and memorialized. In remembrance of the X-Stakes distribution of Zenon, the Bitcoin blockchain provided the perfect medium to inscribe the Zenon legacy. I put in countless hours of research to learn, double-check, and artistically capture the details with block numbers, memorable events, etc. I embraced a deep sense of responsibility and honor in the creation of each unique piece. Thank you to the OGs who jogged their memories.

One of my goals was to establish Zenon on Bitcoin with a high-quality art collection. I feel proud of having achieved that outcome, and I'm very pleased with the resulting pieces. Part of me doesn't even really want to sell them, lol. But it's wonderful and rewarding to see people enjoy and appreciate them.

Q: You chose Ordinals over NFTs. For those who might not know, can you explain the difference and why you went that route?

In general, NFTs on other chains consist of a token containing a URL that points to an off-chain JPEG, usually stored on some sort of cloud. However, when an ordinal inscription is created on Bitcoin, the image data is stored directly on Bitcoin. This results in a much higher level of security and ensures that the inscription will persist as a timeless heirloom.

Q: As someone who isn't a programmer, how do you see your role in a tech-focused ecosystem like Zenon?

The success of Zenon depends on the contributions of people with many skills and knowledge bases.

Q: How do you view the importance of community within Zenon, and what part do you play in growing it?

The community is everything in Zenon. My way of contributing is by informing and inspiring people to get involved with Zenon.

Q: Looking forward, where do you think Zenon is headed in the next few years, and what role do you see for yourself in that journey?

Today, I saw one of the top BTC Ordinals influencers extolling the virtues of fair launching a project. The cryptosphere is maturing. More and more people are heeding the lessons of past cycles. With that information and experience, they are learning to distinguish the signal from the noise. I foresee Zenon gaining a tremendous mass of participation. I plan to launch a pillar and increase decentralized synergy within the network.

Q: In an ecosystem where privacy is highly valued, and many choose to stay behind creative usernames, you’ve taken a different path by revealing your identity. What inspired you to make this decision, and do you believe others in the community should consider doing the same?

Doxxing is a very personal decision that each person must weigh for themselves. I felt that Zenon could really use a human touch, so I decided to offer a friendly face to represent the brand. I think it says a lot about a project when someone is willing to put their face on it. This approach also enables me to create much more content, much more quickly. I am choosing to focus less on the liabilities and more on the positives.

The Fun Part - An Alien Unwind

This part of our chat is crucial, yet it's also where the fun really starts. My goal with this series isn't just to delve into the nuts and bolts of the Zenon Network. It's about building bridges, connecting Zenon contributors on a personal level. Getting to know the person behind the profile. We're peeling back the layers to uncover the human beneath the alien exterior. It's time to explore hobbies, dreams, and those little quirks that make each contributor unique.

Q: What was your first computer or tech device, what fond memories do you have of it?

I'm not sure what kind of computer it was, maybe a Commodore 64. I remember playing "Zork." I never even got past the troll, but interacting with the text-based game captivated my imagination. I also had a Vectrex arcade console. That was actually a fantastic system, with analog vibes.

Q: What's your favorite activity to unwind from the daily routine?

I practice a form of movement that is a cross between jiu-jitsu and acro yoga. It's a form of moving meditation.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

The world is not asking to be judged by you. You can choose to have no opinion.

Q: There's always that one movie or book that sticks with us. What's yours?

Fight Club

Q: We all have our heroes. Is there a historical or celebrity figure who lights that spark in you? Who are they, and why do they inspire you?

I discovered Alan Watts around 2005. That was a major game-changer.

Q: If you could have dinner with anyone (alive or historical), who would it be?

My sons.

Q: If you could pick any superpower, what would it be?

Superdad.

Q: Impossible question: ZNN or QSR?

QSR.

Q: Our series is all about voices from Zenon. Who's the next alien you think we should grab a coffee with?

Türkiye!

Q: Here's a fun one - 1 $ZNN in your pocket now, or double it for the next interviewee in the series?

Double it.

Q: Before we wrap up, how can our readers keep in touch with you and your work? Any final thoughts or exciting projects on the horizon you'd like to share with us?

I'm @stark_of_zenon on every platform and zenonzenon.com is coming soon! Thanks! This was fun!

Thanks for chatting with us. Your stories are great, and we can't wait to see what you do next in Zenon. I'll be the first to delegate some ZNN to you! Keep up the good work!