CoinDesk Confidential is a version of the Proust questionnaire, an interview style that was popular in the French writer's time. A series of questions are asked - some personal, some philosophical, some bizarre - to get to the bottom of a person's true character. Today's interviewee, a fintech consultant at the Financial Services Commission in Mauritius, Loretta Joseph, is a champion of financial inclusion. She comes from "the land down under" and sees crypto as a tool for global good. She is a speaker at CoinDesk's Consensus Festival. If you would like to participate in the survey, you can find it here.
Do you own bitcoin?
Yes.
Do you own dogecoin?
Yes.
What about SHIB?
No.
Where are you from?
I'm from the land down under.
Biggest fear?
Eels.
Greatest joy?
My daughter.
What quality do you value most in a man/woman/person?
Sincerity.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Loyalty.
Do you often remember your dreams?
Always.
Do you like lemons?
Absolutely.
Is cryptocurrency still thriving?
Yes, of course it is.
Is crypto an ugly duck?
No, it is a young swan.
Should Elon Musk be running Twitter?
God, no.
Should countries be run like businesses?
No, because most people are not sincere.
Will there be more or less types of money in 100 years?
A lot more.
Is the U.S. dollar a Ponzi scheme?
Lol. No.
Who is your favorite politician? And why?
Mahatma Gandhi ... He was the OG (original gangster) of freedom fighters.
Is bitcoin forever?
Forever and beyond ...
Which living person do you admire the most?
His Holiness Dalai Lama (14th),
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Lying on a beach.
Ću vi parolas esperanton?
No.
Do what you want or do what you have to?
Do what you have to do.
Would you choose a green thumb or an absolute guarantee that you'll never get gangrene?
The latter.
What's your best attribute?
My integrity.
What trait do you complain about most in yourself?
My honesty.
Do you use a hardware wallet?
Yes.
Biggest extravagance?
French champagne.
Your biggest regret?
Unsaid words.
Your favorite show? (What are you watching right now?)
The Kardashians ... who's to say they're not badass.
Any words of wisdom?
"Live and let live."
You can invite a historical figure to coffee, who do you choose?
Cleopatra ... Wow, what did you really say to these men?
Jack Dorsey wanted a "blue sky" for Twitter; should the web be built only on open protocols?
I have the privilege of being mentored by Bob Kahn on open systems; if he taught me one thing, it's that it should be natural.
Approximate size - depth and width - of the largest hole you dug?
15 centimeters by 15 centimeters ... I tried to dig a cube.
What is your biggest accomplishment?
My school in Ladakh, India, the Lamdon Jamyang School under the patronage of His Holiness the Dalai Lama 14.
AI. Being persecuted?
The horse has bolted....
What is your current state of mind?
Accepting.
Would you prefer to live forever? Why or why not?
No, because I have an expiration date.
Do cars look like faces to you?
No.
Dogs or cats?
Dogs.
Can dogs smile?
Only from the inside.
Who is your favorite singer?
Sting.
Napkins: for or against them?
For.
Do you have a library card?
Yes.
How's the weather today?
Pretty damn good.
On what occasion do you lie?
When I've eaten all the chocolates.
What don't you like about your appearance?
My Roman nose.
Which living person do you despise the most?
Putin.
Do you write a list before you go shopping?
Never.
If you could be catapulted somewhere safely, would you rather walk?
Yes, and in high heels.
Do you own a piece of clothing that could be considered indigo?
I certainly don't.
Bees see ultraviolet; do you see the same world (or most of it)?
No ... that's a question for Millennials.
Bagels from New York or San Francisco?
Neither. I have a gluten intolerance.
How many glasses of water do you drink a day?
Twenty-five.
Are birds real?
Is this a trick question?
What drives you?
To change the world.
Would you ever drive a red convertible on a regular basis?
No.
What or who is the greatest love in your life?
My daughter.
What words or phrases do you most often overuse?
Really?
What is your strongest belief that you would be "fired" for?
That men and women are equal.
What's the funniest/smartest tweet you've seen that you can recall off the top of your head?
"Poor again" CZ.
Single favorite meme?
Mr. Bean - Being Single
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Telepathy.
How would you like to die?
In my sleep.
In three words or less, what is the greatest harm currently being done to society?
Climate change.
In three words or less: What is the greatest hope for society right now?
The next generation.