Generation Z rebelled against the state system: young people created a special formation, they empty bank accounts of private corporations, convert stolen money into bitcoins and restore justice as noble robbers. This is not the plot of a futuristic film, but a real-life war game developed by the US Department of Defense. The Pentagon leadership likes to conduct exercises with modeling of various situations that, in their opinion, could happen in real life.One such scenario was released last Friday by The Intercept. What is the essence of the game, who are its main characters and what role do cryptocurrencies play in all this? Read in the material from DeCenter.
Zbellion Uprising “Planned” in Mid-2020s
Thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, a document fell into the hands of journalists, according to which the US Department of Defense in 2018 developed a strategic program for the joint training of the country's land, air and sea forces under the name JLASS (Joint Land, Air and Sea Strategic). The program was worked out in practice by cadets and teachers of US military colleges, where future generals and admirals are trained.
The 200-page document contains several stories played out within the framework of JLASS. Among them are the intensification of Islamic militants, anti-capitalist extremists, Islamic State successors and so on. As conceived by the military ministers, each of the plots is intended to reflect "a plausible idea of ??the development of situations under the influence of certain events and their impact on the situation in different regions of the world."
Of particular interest to journalists was the modeling of the following situation: in 2025, opposition-minded youth, the so-called Generation Z (those who were born between 1997 and the present), begin a protest movement against the state system.
Events unfold gradually. Small groups of young people gather in parks and cafes, organize protests - first in Seattle, then in New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Austin. Later, all this develops into a mass movement called Zbellion (rebellion - “rebellion” and generation Z). Its participants are launching a “global cyber campaign to expose injustice and corruption and to promote processes that they consider beneficial.”
New recruits when joining Zbellion are instructed face-to-face by mentors. They are instructed to visit Darknet sites, gain access to sophisticated malware and, with their help, steal funds from corporations, financial institutions and non-profit organizations that support the "powers that be." Further, these funds are converted into bitcoins and distributed among the "worthy", including the members of Zbellion themselves, who need financial support.
According to the scenario, the organizers of the movement assure participants that law enforcement agencies will not be able to track such a redistribution of funds in the style of Robin Hood. Moreover, they argue that the actions of the rebels are "ultimately legitimate," since the targets for hacker attacks are selected on the basis of a "closed vote by network delegates."Although Zbellion originated in America, by the end of the 2020s, its activity was noted in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, that is, literally all over the planet. The most belligerent representatives of the movement, in fact, have taken the right to levy privately taxes from large corporations and other institutions in order to combat income inequality - as the authors of the script put it, "rebels use cyber peace to spread calls for anarchy."
The main characters of the uprising and its causes
According to the scenario, many representatives of Generation Z were psychologically traumatized in childhood by the events of 9/11 and the global economic crisis. Growing up, they felt crushed under the weight of circumstances surrounding reality. Young people have lost hope for a good life and are confident that the state system is opposed to them. This is how the origins of the rebellion are described in the document:
“The September 11 terrorist attacks and the Great Recession, with equal significance, influenced Generation Z, who grew up in the United States, leading to a sense of anxiety and insecurity. Although the millennials also survived these events, then they were already in adulthood. While Generation Z perceived what was happening as part of their childhood - as a reality that influenced their worldview ... many found themselves in excessive debt for paying for education when they found that employment options did not meet their expectations. Generation Z is often described as people striving for independence and new opportunities.However, they are less likely than others to believe in the “American dream” and believe that the system is opposed to them. Often they see themselves as catalysts for social change, they crave realization and excitement in their work to help “move the world forward.” Despite the technological skills they possess, Generation Z actually prefers personal contact rather than online interaction. They describe themselves as being involved in virtual and material communities and as rejecting excessive consumerism. ”
Is such a scenario likely?
It is curious that the information about JLASS got into the media just at a time of extremely unstable situation in the USA. In the light of recent events unfolding in the country after the death of African-American George Floyd at the hands of the police, the plot of this game looks quite real. People rebelled against racism and police brutality.
Peaceful stocks quickly grew into riots with arson and looting, covering almost the entire country. The National Guard is already deployed in various places, and part of the active forces has been sent to the Washington, DC area by order of the Trump administration to forcibly suppress the protests. The situation really echoes the above scenario, or rather, with its beginning. What will happen next is difficult to predict.
Why Bitcoin?
In one of the materials, DeCenter already wrote that in the coming decades more than $ 68 trillion of US capital will go into the hands of millennials (generation Y), and from them, respectively, to the very generation Z. Recall that, according to studies by Provoke Insights, 43% Millennials trust cryptocurrencies more than stock markets, and 71% are ready to buy digital assets if a law is passed on their full legalization.
Since the change of generations always helps accelerate innovation, it is reasonable to assume that children of millennials will perceive cryptocurrencies as an integral part of their lives. The editor of the In Bitcoin We Trust project, Sylvain Saurel, holds the same view. He believes that generations Y and Z have a positive opinion about cryptocurrency, and he is confident that “Generation Z will be the first to get the full benefit from Bitcoin without even thinking about it.” That is, digital assets for today's youth will become the same everyday reality that computers, mobile phones and the Internet have become for millennials - they will take them by default.
What role do cryptocurrencies play during protests
Based on the fact that the Pentagon creates scenarios for its games that are as close to reality as possible, it can be judged that bitcoin was not chosen randomly as a means of calculation in JLASS. Surely the military analyzed more than one situation with mass protests around the world and concluded that rebels are much more comfortable and more profitable to use cryptocurrency in their activities than fiat money.
First, financing the process, as well as receiving donations, is easier and safer in digital assets, including BTC. Although it is possible to guarantee complete anonymity when making transactions on a Bitcoin network only using cryptomixers, it is still several times higher than when making bank transfers, where the participants in the transaction are visible in full view. This property of bitcoin causes conflicting opinions about it.Critics are confident that in this way, Bitcoin attracts criminals, terrorists and other offenders, allowing them to commit illegal acts and remain unpunished. However, crime and terrorism existed and actively manifested themselves long before the advent of digital money. At the same time, numerous supporters of the first cryptocurrency, including Anthony Pompliano, co-founder of Morgan Creek Digital, believe that the "impossibility of capturing" bitcoin is becoming increasingly attractive in times of geopolitical crisis.
Secondly, the principles of protesters largely coincide with the principles that crypto enthusiasts adhere to. Many modern protest movements do not have pronounced leaders, just as they do not exist in the Bitcoin environment. And it is logical that these two phenomena began to go hand in hand.The rallying of people in protests is primarily due to the unity of their values ??and goals, and to coordinate actions they often use instant messengers with end-to-end encryption, for example, Telegram, Bridgefy and FireChat (the latter two work even without the Internet). A striking example of mass protests without pronounced leaders is the Yellow Vest Movement in France. The principles adopted by the protesters based on decentralization can make such movements very popular. And this, in turn, can forever change the geopolitical landscape.
Thirdly, cryptocurrencies during protests can be used as a protective asset, a certain offshore zone, or even as a way to undermine the existing financial system. For example, the same "Yellow vests", among other things, called on people to withdraw money from banks and buy bitcoins. A similar situation with the rebellion against raising tariffs for the population occurred in Chile. Then the rebels burned several banks and smashed nearly 1,000 ATMs. During these events, the demand for bitcoin almost doubled.
Today there are many examples of decentralized protest movements. And though not every one of them achieves their goals, one way or another they all contribute to the mass popularization of bitcoin and blockchain technology.
Well, in conclusion, we can say that cryptocurrencies are serious and long-term, even if the Pentagon considers bitcoin as an element of the scenario for its teachings.
