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feat: add "The Gnome" (#85)
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* add The Gnome

* change title, update slug

* change time

* rename folder, add banner

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leohhhn authored May 21, 2024
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1 change: 0 additions & 1 deletion posts/2024-05-10_kv-stores-indexer/README.md
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---
title: "Key/Value Stores: How We Improved the Performance of Our tx-indexer by 10x"
publication_date: 2024-05-10T13:37:00Z
slug: kv-stores-indexer
tags: [blog, post, tx-indexer, dev]
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92 changes: 92 additions & 0 deletions posts/2024-05-21_the-gnome/README.md
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---
publication_date: 2024-05-21T12:33:00Z
slug: the-gnome
tags: [gnome, brand-update, new-logo]
authors: [gno.land]
---

# Introducing our new Gno.land logo: the gnome

[![banner](https://gnolang.github.io/blog/2024-05-21_the-gnome/src/thumbs/banner.png)](https://gnolang.github.io/blog/2024-05-21_the-gnome/src/banner.png)

We are excited to introduce our new Gno.land logo, a significant shift that
reflects the true spirit of our project.

From the very beginning, the character of the "gnome" has been a source of
inspiration for gno.land, representing the essence of our journey and values.
In time, this character has not only inspired our project but has also become
part of gno.land’s identity.

The black hole of the previous logo represented
finality, inevitability, the ultimate end state, and was an interesting
representation of something that cannot be seen; but it also had nothing to do
with gnomes. Gnomes are warm and inviting in character, are the opposite of the
cold and unemotional void of black holes, where all that is known is pulled in
and ceases to exist.

_But why gnomes?_

In Greek, _gnomi_ means “the means of knowing; mind; intelligence; judgment”.
_Gnomic poetry_ refers to a type of poetry involving short memorable maxims of
wisdom that flourished in the 6th century in Greece. Today, when we hear _gnome_
we think of earth-dwelling figures often found in lush blue-green gardens,
guarding or simply enjoying the land they are in.

Nobody knows for sure the origin of these gnomes, but the earliest known
reference to it comes from Paracelsus as _gnomus_, a Swiss Christian theologian
philosopher and alchemist of the Renaissance. He also called them _pygmies_ in
his _“A book on Nymphs, Sylphs, Pygmies, and Salamanders, and on Other Spirits”_
published in 1566, a study on myth creatures as they relate to Christianity.

While the depiction of gnomes are varied, their general character was described
by Paracelsus:
_“the Pygmies (gnomes) are mountain people who keep pledges, are honest, hard
working, loyal to man, and “have money, because they themselves coin it” -
Paracelsus_

(perhaps Paracelsus would have preferred to be identified as a gnome, since he was also an alchemist).

This character is consistent with Swiss folklore, as gnomes are said to have
caused the landslide that destroyed the Swiss village of Plurs in 1618 - the
villagers had become wealthy from a local gold mine created by the gnomes, who
had poured liquid gold down into a vein for the benefit of humans. The villagers
were corrupted by this newfound prosperity, which greatly offended the Gnomes.
(Wikipedia on Gnomes).

By combining Swiss folklore and the original description by Paracelsus, we can
describe gnomes in the following manner:
1. At first, gnomes create timeless value for humanity.
2. Humanity becomes corrupted through greed and abuses these timeless values.
3. Finally, the gnomes take remedial action.

Whether the timeless value is that of an element such as gold, or that of a
protocol such as crypto(currencies), gnomes are hardworking alchemists who wish
the best for humanity and actively resist corruption and greed as a matter of
principle. This quality of character is sorely needed in the field of
cryptocurrencies and blockchain, where it is so easy to become corrupted by
greed and bag-holder syndrome, resulting in stalled innovation and broken
promises at best, and the loss of life savings and the death of the wellbeing
of entire communities at worse (thus far).

Our field of crypto needs more gnomes to create timeless software and protocols
for humanity. Such technology should be:
1. intuitive (easy to use and understand)
2. expressive (for societal infrastructure; finance, social, knowledge)
3. finalized (completed)
4. secure (unhackable)
5. scalable (affordable)

These are timeless values we strive to bring to the world through gno.land. In
addition, gnomes are not afraid to take a stance against greed and evil. Some
say that gnomes wear the Phrygian cap, which represents Zoroaster, the “three Magi”
from the east, or the revolutionary pursuit of liberty. Gnomes are also earth
dwellers, masons of the rock, and the guardians of the land.

Gnomes are thus an ideal representation of the builders behind gno.land. That’s
why the logo had to change. We hope you like the new logo, an iconic depiction
of the gnome with cap; and hope that the gnomic spirit can help guide us to build
a better honest world for all of us.

_- the gnomes of gno.land_


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