When MySpace hit circa 2005 we were sure people would figure out they were the product being sold and they'd do this:
So we wrote the world's 1st private network in 2007. They said we were crazy. Nobody cared.
A few years later I wrote that one day our elections would be swayed by social media.
Then I wrote “social media is a social disease”.
I was right. About everything.
Look where we are. One could argue social media is the root of all our problems. Or for a look back and a warning sign of what was to come watch Ondi Timoner's seminal documentary, We Live In Public
I’d rather not be on Twitter. But unfortunately, Twitter is ground zero for crypto. It has always baffled me why a movement about privacy would take place on a platform that's anything but privacy. But that's where the action is and I wanna be where the action is.
I’m not a fan of the metaverse. I think we need less screen time not more. Bill Maher summed up my feelings well in his 11.12.21 "Avatar Time" New Rule:
But if it’s gonna happen, here's to hoping the young people leading the charge do it right. Now's their chance to do what we couldn't do, to do something really important. To "make a dent" as Steve Jobs would say.
The metaverse should be about privacy, privacy, and privacy. It should be the polar opposite of Facebook or the social networking model the world ostensibly is addicted to.
Ryan Gill is Co-founder & CEO of Crucible. He wrote a piece laying out what he believes the metaverse should be.
What he wrote is noble. But I'm skeptical. I think young Ryan doesn't understand what he's up against. I think he's blind to the fact that Gen Z and Millenials don't give a fuck about privacy. I'm not at all convinced Ryan will stay true to his vision once he starts getting billions thrown at his feet by the white socks crowd - VC's, privaty equity, Wall Street fuckwads.
Because I've seen this story before. I've seen guys like Ryan write idyllic pieces of what they want the world to look like. But then the money shows up. The white paper they wrote is set aside for billions. After pocketing their ill-gotten gains they pronounce now, they can see it all. Web4! Now, they're finally going to change the world.
If Ryan's vision is to come true, he'll literally have to change the world. Good luck with that, and I mean it with all sincerity. I'll be paying attention to Ryan. But I'll also be sleeping with one eye open.
