The hi-tech era has thrown up many personalities. In the fast-paced world of tech, many come and go, but few leave a mark quite like John McAfee. Let’s take a look at John McAfee’s life and legacy.
The Beginnings
Seventy-six years to the day, in a small town in Gloucestershire, John David McAfee was born to an American father, who was stationed in the UK with the US army, and a British mother. Enjoying British and American citizenship, McAfee received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1967 from Roanoke College in Virginia.
McAfee was expelled from Northeast Louisiana State College whilst studying for a doctorate in Mathematics. However, he soon found employment as a programmer at NASA’s Institute for Space Studies in New York City. In 1986, whilst employed by Lockheed, he read about the Brain computer virus and sensing a business opportunity, he created an antivirus software that could detect the computer virus and remove it automatically. and thus McAfee Associates Inc. was born.
Having sold his stake in the anti-virus software company, McAfee proceeded to invest in a number of tech companies – some successful, some not so. However, it was during the crypto years that McAfee went to cement a legacy that will last on for generations.
McAfee – The Crypto Years
The explosion of the crypto and blockchain world reignited something in McAfee that hadn’t been seen for a decade. As a vocal libertarian, advocating the decriminalization of cannabis, non-state intervention and a free market economy, the decentralized and somewhat rebellious nature of crypto was a match made in heaven for the man who ran as a Libertarian candidate in the 2016 and 2020 US Presidential elections.
McAfee threw himself into the world of crypto and involved himself in a number of crypto projects including the McAfee Magic trading platform and WHACKD the community-driven project built upon a decentralized Community Governance system and run with full Libertarian values.
The thrice-married entrepreneur gained global notoriety for his crypto enthusiasm and Bitcoin predictions. In July 2017, McAfee predicted on Twitter that the price of a bitcoin would jump to $500,000 within three years, adding: “If not, I will eat my own dick on national television.” In July 2019, he predicted a price of $1 million by the end of 2020. Despite neither the price happening nor the dick eating, people always listened to John MacAfee’s words and loved him for his maverick way of life.
McAfee – His Death and His Legacy
When John McAfee was found dead hanging in his Spanish prison cell on 23rd June 2021, the conspiracy theories kicked off instantly. Despite a coroner’s autopsy ruling suicide by hanging and even a supposed suicide note found in McAfee’s pocket, there are plenty of people that believe he was ‘bumped off’ or has faked his own death and is living quietly somewhere far, far away.
However, what is clear, is that the John McAfee legacy does live on. His words and his actions touched many people. Admittedly, he wasn’t for everyone. His brash, carefree and sometimes irresponsible ways tended to rub some people, most notably the authorities, the wrong way. John generally said what he liked and did what he wanted. But for many it was this maverick, don’t play by the rules spirit that was so inspiring.
In WHACKD, which was created in November of 2019 by John McAfee and his team. the spirit truly does live on and his legacy continues. Designed as the ultimate social experiment, the price of WHACKD has skyrocketed since John’s death as libertarians and those inspired by the life and times of McAfee find a cause in the McAfee crypto vision.
John McAfee may be officially listed as dead, but his teachings, his vision, his spirit and his crypto legacy will live on.
Happy Birthday John McAfee – wherever you are!
