The Real Innovator

In this world, there are people who want to prove their existence even if it means holding others back. Regardless if they realize it or not, they are not productive when they are criticizing others.
In the world of cryptocurrencies, many people are considered “shady” if not downright frauds, and thus they have many enemies. Many are criticized, by people standing in the safe zone, for being “gray” simply because the gray zone is so large.
However, in my opinion, it was those people who are now considered “gray” that first saw the possibility of ICO and the use case for next-generation blockchain. In fact, from my experience of interacting with a wide range of people, I have realized that people who reside on the extremes are truly admirable.

I first noticed the possibility of ICO when the phrase “ICO” had not yet emerged. Upon seeing the method of fundraising by preselling cryptocurrencies, I felt a new possibility that is different from financing through VCs.
I do not think the issuance of cryptocurrencies alone is too attractive. However, the format of defining them not as a currency, but as a token, in other words, a right to something, and then selling them, really impressed me. No matter the outcome, I approach it as the definition of a new format that is free from all the financial bindings that have existed until this point.
Consequently, I know many people who started changing their cash flow many years ago, in preparation for the sales of tokens becoming the standard for financing in the world.
Among these people, some were criticized for exploiting the gray zone too aggressively. They were bashed for not being entirely transparent. I have witnessed many people who are not afraid to try new things receive harsh criticisms. Several of these stories are told to me directly by those who received the objections. After hearing from them, I have come to respect them from the bottom of my heart for their brilliance. They are the real innovators, for they lay their eyes upon new things, challenge them, and are able to commit to them even when the situation is not clear.
On the other hand, I have also witnessed people, who dare not face any risks, criticize things that are not yet clear or things that oppose their ideologies. Though I do not wish to judge what is good or bad, without a doubt, I would not want to be such a person who criticizes others while not doing anything on their own.
I do not wish to be one of the people who sit in their chairs criticizing with their Tweets people who dare to face the innovative, yet challenging world of cryptocurrencies. I admire those who would challenge something new rather than sit back and criticize those who do. I know of many people in Japan as well as in the world who explore the absolute limit while abiding by the rules, and I aspire to become one of them. Those who first taught me the word “ICO” and its possibilities were all this kind of people.
If things paid off, then they are achievers, if not then they are called frauds. Maybe that is all there is to it. However, I do have one thing to say: among those around me, no one acts with ill intents, and everyone has their own standards and things they want to achieve. Therefore I would like to challenge myself.
There is nothing lamer than pulling, from a safe zone, the legs of people who want to challenge themselves.