Interview with Patri Friedman, Seasteading Institute Founder

Patri “walks the plank” at Ephemerisle in his Classics. Note the pirate pajamas! (photo credit: DangerRanger)

Background: Patri Friedman is perhaps best known as founder of the Seasteading Institute, an organization whose stated mission is “To further the establishment and growth of permanent, autonomous ocean communities, enabling innovation with new political and social systems.” In addition to working towards changing our paradigm of governance, Patri is a fan of Vibram FiveFingers. Given the overlaps between VFFs and Seasteading, I asked Patri if he’d answer a few questions about Seasteading for BirthdayShoes.com and he kindly obliged.

What originally attracted you to FiveFingers?

I’m a sucker for anything with an evolutionary explanation. Plus, I’m a narcissist and they attract attention. Once I got used to them, I loved the feel and the extra control of getting to use my toes (amazing for stop-and-go traffic, for example).

What VFFs do you own? Do you wear any other minimalist footwear?

VFFs: Black KSOs and Black Classics. Non-VFFs: ASICS Onitsuka Tiger and my current main shoes, Terra Plana Vivo Barefoots.

What have you mostly been doing in your Five Fingers?

Anything, really, from CrossFit to going to a conference. I’m most likely to wear them when I’m appearing in a formal business setting, interestingly enough — but then, I have an unusual business :).

Your current work is focused on the Seasteading Institute, an organization whose goal is to create new frontiers on the open sea by way of manufacturing floating nation-states in the ocean. I can’t help but see a tie-in between the Seasteading Institute and VFFs — and I don’t mean the fact that Vibrams were originally marketed as boat shoes.

There is definitely a tie-in. I am a contrarian – I like finding ideas which are true but not accepted by the mainstream. But to be a contrarian, you have to be smart, you can’t just embrace any fringe idea or you’ll be a crackpot. I see barefoot shoes and seasteading as both smart contrarian plays, unusual at first glance but backed by solid science. Wearing my VFFs helps emphasize that I’m calculatedly different.

Both VFFs and floating nation-states have the ability to increase human freedom. What makes seasteading so powerfully freeing?

Both are a return to an environment humans are better suited for. Our bodies were made to operate barefoot, and our minds were made to operate in small tribes. The modern world where we have no personal interaction with our leaders, where we can’t build coalitions of our friends to change policies, and where we can’t easily leave if we want to start a new tribe, is very different. Seasteading is a return to the world we were designed for, where any small group of people with a passionate vision for a better way of life can pursue it.

VFFs share another common characteristic with seasteads — the idea of a foot glove was (and still is to many) considered fringe and impractical. How do you overcome the resistance you encounter when promoting an unconventional idea like ad hoc nation states at sea?

People usually think it’s crazy when they first hear it, but usually it just takes a single 15 to 30 minute talk to change their minds. I’d say there are three basic techniques. First and most important is to get them excited about the outcome, about the innovation we’d get if we had a startup sector for governments. That changes their whole perspective — from coming up with problems to coming up with solutions. Second is to use existing examples, like pointing out that cruise ships are cities at sea, and oil-rigs are permanent ocean installations. And third is to get into the details — let them state their concerns, since we have good answers for all but a few common questions (the true challenges, not the mirages).

You recently held the first Ephemerisle, a self-proclaimed “floating festival of politics, community and art,” which took place on a make-shift raft of rafts, boats, and other floating structures. Looks like you wore your FiveFingers for the event. How did they hold up to the task?

They were great for hanging off the sides of boats, jumping around, etc*. Only downside is that my feet got wet, as the VFFs aren’t so waterproof.

Check this excellent eight minute glimpse into the 2009 Ephemerisle. Patri is featured therein, and if you’re paying attention you might catch his VFFs:

Thank you, Patri!

More on the Seasteading Institute and Ephemerisle:

Interested in taking to the oceans as a new frontier for experiments in governance? Check out the Seasteading Institute. Or read about the Seasteading Institute on Wikipedia. Here is the official Ephemerisle website if you want to learn more or participate in 2010.

An article on Ephemerisle by Reason.com. One participant’s experience at Ephemerisle. The IrishTimes on the event. Finally, below is a rendering of what a seastead might look like by Andras Gyorf:

* Et cetera includes Patri making good use of his VFFs in a Zorb (see here, here, here, and here)

Topmost photo credit: Chris Rasch