Maren Altman: Crypto’s TikTok Astrologer

Andreessen, by contrast, is a crypto polyamorist. He thinks the blockchain should be used not just for Bitcoin but for any coin with a new idea behind it.

“Crypto talent comes from all over the world, which I think is phenomenal. Crypto talent is often so positive and so creative. I think Vitalik Buterin in particular is just one of the most important thinkers today.”

Applications include decentralized domain name system, autonomous organizations, prediction, and financial markets, and non-fungible tokens

There’s only one exception to the lack of interest in blockchain apps today: apps for trading cryptocurrencies themselves. What results is an almost hermetically sealed economy, whose currencies exist only to be traded and become derivatives of themselves. If you squint, it looks like an absurd art project.

I think a lot of crypto space, maybe because of its roots in cypherpunk culture, tries to reinvent the wheel on things that regular financial, governmental structures have A/B tested for a very long time and produced battle-tested solutions for. And some of these innovations do make sense in a new environment. But many of the changes are trying to ... See more

Blockchains are not simply about money. The modern-day alchemists who minted Bitcoin and other digital assets have animated a generation of technologists to reimagine how the financial and commercial world operates. The vision that these technologists aim to bring to fruition is not just about payment systems and other financial instruments. Large ... See more

Next, we get Balaji's overview of the political realignments in recent history, and finally we get to his core model of politics in the present day: NYT (Woke Capital), CCP (Communist Capital), BTC (Crypto Capital).

But pretty soon, Balaji's examples do start to point to some particular themes: