History & Purpose
How this newsletter came to be, its purpose, my 520 week commitment, and free vs paid version.
Historical context 🔍
I have chosen to start this newsletter in a very turbulent time for the blockchain space. FTX, the second-largest crypto exchange, has just collapsed. The tragic irony is that its founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, had been shmoozing the US Congress with generous donations and talks of helping bring regulation and safety to investors. The twist - he was fraudulently using customer funds for naughty things and it all came crashing down. Only a few months ago, a similar thing happened with the collapse of Celcius who also promised 5-10% yield on user assets and promised they would be safe. Instead, Celcius gambled with user funds, and lost.
With the market sentiment and prices being so low, the only possible silver lining is summarised by one of Warren Buffett's most famous quotes:
“Only when the tide goes out do you learn who has been swimming naked.”
Many companies and projects that were over-leveraged, or overhyped, have been removed from the scene, like a forest fire clearing dead scrub. This clears the way for true projects that have real utility and continue to build.
These projects are part of the next generation of the internet (Web3), a transition towards empowering users through the following principles:
Decentralisation - No single person, company, or group controls the network and no central point of failure. This makes it very hard to be censored or shut down.
Transparency - Blockchains allow for transparency so you can verify what has been done and hold people accountable
Trustless - Because you are interacting with software code that can be easily audited, you don’t have to trust a human not to be a bad actor.
Permissionless - Anyone anywhere in the world with an internet connection can participate. Even the unbanked can access financial services such as lending and insurance.
While all this is going on, something curious is happening. In the background, big companies, banks, and even nation-states are embracing blockchain & Web3 and are quietly preparing the next wave and mass adoption. McDonalds & Wallmart, have been preparing for the Metaverse. Nike has already made $185 million from their line of NFTs. JP Morgan, previously outspoken against crypto, have lodged a trademark for their own crypto wallet.
My primary thesis is therefore based on the following:
Despite current market conditions, blockchain technology will continue to disrupt, transform and add value across industries. Therefore companies and individuals can benefit from learning about blockchain, Web3, and other emerging technology - helping them bridge into the emerging Metaverse.
For most investors, a balanced investment portfolio is key to achieving their long-term financial goals. Selected digital assets can be a valuable part of this portfolio, with appropriate risk management in place. Market downturns present good buying opportunities.
A knowledge gap exists in the community regarding the first two points, and therefore an opportunity to add value through this newsletter as well as workshops and consulting through Johnson & Hunt Consulting.
Purpose of this newsletter 🦾
Let me be your guide through the world of blockchain, Web3, and the emerging metaverse. Whether your goal is investing in a new financial system, or seeking business opportunities in the next generation of the internet, I'll help you protect yourself, master the basics and join the ranks of early adopters in this exciting new space.
You can expect weekly curated news and market updates, along with educational content to benefit both individuals and businesses. While most content will be useful regardless of your geographic location, New Zealanders will be given priority. This means optimising for the NZ timezone, showcasing Kiwi Web3 leaders, and the odd piece of NZ economy news.
My 520 week commitment 📅
This newsletter is also a form of digital anthropology, which involves examining how people interact with digital technologies and the impact of these technologies on society, culture, and communication.
I am committing to a decade of coverage, following the latest news & innovation in digital assets, emerging technology, and our exciting path to the Metaverse. In the context of documenting our path to the emerging metaverse, digital anthropology is the focus on understanding how people are using digital technologies to create, interact with, and navigate virtual worlds. I am holding a microscope up to the social dynamics of virtual communities, the evolution of virtual economies, and the ways in which people are using virtual reality and other immersive technologies to explore and experience new forms of culture and identity.
As we move closer to the emergence of the metaverse, digital anthropology will play an increasingly important role in helping us understand the social and cultural implications of this new digital frontier. By documenting and analyzing the ways in which people are using digital technologies to create and navigate virtual worlds, we can gain insights into how the metaverse is shaping our collective experience of reality and what it means to be human in an increasingly digital world.
Free version vs paid version 💳
The free version of this newsletter will include market updates, news, and beginner educational content.
The paid version is priced to be the equivalent of buying me a weekly coffee. In return for this, you additional premium content and resources, behind-the-curtain knowledge of what I’m buying, discounts off workshops, and other exciting things.