Belonging is the Crypto-Currency that trades on the Human Exchange

“All the lonely people, where do they all come from? All the lonely people, where do they all belong?” - The Beatles

The emotional need of a human for interpersonal interactions, affiliating, togetherness, and being a part of a group is critical for survival. This could include belonging to a peer group at school, joining a sports team, or simply being accepted by coworkers at the office. We are all members of a family, a neighbourhood, or an ethnic community. More than just being connected or affiliated to a group, one demands acceptance and likeness from the group they are a part of. We simultaneously belong to different groups because they satisfy different needs. A sense of belonging is fundamental to every individual. When Saikhom Mirabai Chanu won a silver medal in weightlifting at the Tokyo Olympics 2021, we, proud Indians, flooded social media with congratulations and well wishes.  This was simply because Mirabai belonged to India and all of us felt a sense of achievement as a country. 

Belonging can be easily related to cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrencies are online payment systems that allow for secure transactions. The term "cryptocurrency" refers to the use of encryption to verify transactions. The encryption's goal is to provide security and safety. This sense of security and safety is what people also experience with belongingness. Being with people who share similar interests brings a sense of comfort and protection. As a result, one is less vulnerable to threats. 

Cryptocurrency is a medium that allows human exchange. It's a shared public ledger that keeps track of all the transactions that have ever occurred in a network. As a result, everyone on the network can see every transaction that occurs, as well as other people's balances. Similarly, when we belong to a group, all our activities are noticed by the other members. In the process of goal achievement, the action of one individual affects the group as a whole. While each member is dependent on the other, there is also a strict vigilance on the activity of each member. 

Cryptocurrency provides attack resistance. These systems are more expensive to attack and destroy or manipulate because they don’t have vulnerable points. This is the same case with someone who belongs to a group. Consider a Bollywood movie fight or simply a fight you might have seen. Individuals always call a backup to attack the other person. Even if it is a fight between two people, a group of people will be there for support. This is because belonging with or to someone makes you stronger. 

Belonging somewhere gives us a sense of recognition which improves our self-confidence and self-esteem. There is also a sense of satisfaction with one’s psychological and social needs such as receiving attention, giving or receiving love, and sharing power. An individual's sense of interpersonal belonging and their ratings of happiness and subjective wellbeing has a strong positive relationship. When our workplace or school gets mentioned in a newspaper, makes a profit, or wins in a competition, we perceive ourselves to be important and experience a sense of power as we belong to a group or community. 

Each cryptocurrency attempts to solve a different value exchange aspect. There is an inclination towards problem-solving which is also done in a group where one belongs.  There are certain goals that one may not be able to attain independently. There is more power in the majority and goals get achieved efficiently. Members of the group can assist one another in breaking down all of the tasks that must be completed to achieve parts of the goal and each activity.

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In today’s times, where the world is getting digitized, one can often meet people through chat rooms and talk to strangers. Still, nothing can replace physical proximity. There is also cross-culture evidence supporting the role of similarity. People are most attracted to others similar to themselves. This may be done unconsciously. For psychological attributes, the similarity of attitudes and values seem to matter the most. This can be because people with similar attitudes validate our perspectives and views related to anything and everything. 

However, proximity and similarity do not guarantee a sense of belongingness. It is the quality of the connection or motivation that defines your belongingness. Belonging is actually about recognizing oneself as a member of a community and the higher-quality relationships that come with it. Interactions over time are what help us grow into full, true human beings. Therefore, belongingness is subjective and unique to each individual.

While trading, cryptocurrency does not exchange attributes in a single position. Everyone on the network should be able to read it. This makes it both transparent and difficult to change, as there is no single weak point susceptible to hacking or human or software error. Even within a group, because members are dispersed throughout, it is difficult for someone outside of the group to break it. Even if there is a weak link, it is only visible to those in the group, and someone from outside may not notice it. Belongingness makes you stronger.

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Belonging roots from our biology. From the time we are born, we strive to build a connection with our caregivers. For children and young people to develop self-confidence and a feeling of identity, they must create a sense of belonging. Children and adolescents who develop a sense of belongingness tend to be high on self-esteem and self-confidence. On the other hand, children who feel alone and isolated, find difficulties in building strong relationships, emotional regulation, and making effective decisions. Therefore, belongingness is primary for our survival.

Belonging is also inextricably linked to social identity, which is defined as a set of shared values or ideals. You must feel unity and a shared sense of character with and among members of your group to properly feel a sense of belonging. It's a network of connections and a sense of belonging in which you feel linked to activities, tradition, and the group as a whole. When you feel a part of a larger community, your motivation, health, and happiness all improve. When noticing how interconnected you are with others, you realize that everyone struggles and experiences difficult times. You're not alone, which is reassuring and encouraging.