I hear this all the time, ‘NFTs are a scam and waste of time’. I think that anyone who has spent any real amount of time in this space hears the same thing, maybe more often than we would like to admit. Who wants to own a JPEG? Why would I buy an image that I can download for free?
The most important thing to keep in mind, whether you are collecting NFTs or working within a traditional business setting is that if you are not passionate about what you are doing then you are in the wrong field.
I have been through many phases in my own life while searching for what I want to do. What is my passion? What is my purpose? I think we all have this inner dialogue where we question our purpose and wonder if we are making the right decisions.
How does any of this relate to NFTs? Allow me to elaborate. If you are young, please read this next paragraph. Most young people have to take jobs they are not passionate about, especially while attending college. There is no right or wrong path to happiness or success. Enjoy the journey and look at every experience as a chance to learn, grow your knowledge and understand who you are.
My own experiences have led me to where I am, just as yours have led you to where you are today. I have worked good jobs, bad jobs, went to college, started failed businesses, started more failed businesses, started successful businesses and so on. The one thing that I always do is continue to pursue knowledge in fields that I am truly passionate about.
I found out who I am along the way and knowing yourself is the most important piece of the equation. How can we ever find our purpose if we don’t know who we truly are?
I know that I am a people person. I enjoy conversating and learning from others. I am not happy with the trajectory of the worlds socioeconomic structure. I enjoy making people happy. I enjoy sharing what I have with others. I enjoy technology and collecting pieces of plastic and cardboard from my childhood. I also want to make an impact and better the world.
Cryptopunks was the first NFT project I discovered, and my first thought was: Why would anyone buy a digital JPEG? Why are people paying Ethereum for this worthless, low-quality, 8-bit Nintendo looking image? I didn’t see the utility in owning an image. Of course, time has proven my initial analysis wrong, but it took me several years to see the bigger picture.
I am still not a huge fan of most of the NFTs without utility. There will always be exceptions to the rule such as Punks or Beeple art for example. For the most part, I’m just not a huge fan of this sector. Remember, I am an idealist in that I am looking for a product that can add value to the world.
The first project that caught my eye in this way was Alien Worlds. The NFTs in the game have utility and provide something in return for owning them, thus incentivizing ownership of the NFTs. I honestly don’t know if that fact alone would have pushed me to invest in the Alien Worlds Metaverse, but it certainly opened my eyes.
I then discovered DAOs and learned that each of the planets within Alien Worlds is a DAO. I also learned that real people like you and I will have the power to make decisions as a collective and decide what happens with the treasuries on each of the planets. These treasures are valued at 7 figures in total. We are not talking about a few dollars of financial impact.
This blew my mind! What if people from around the world can come together and decide what’s best for their community as a group. Not just a voting mechanism, but voting that will actually make a difference. How many times have we all fell for the old left-right paradigm and thought that our vote really makes a difference in our respective political landscapes? I would venture to guess that most everyone reading this article has felt betrayed at one point or another by their elected officials. DAOs in conjunction with NFTs can change this! We can choose to build our own reality, our own world on top of the corrupt, bloated world we currently reside in. One without dictators. One with less suffering and more smiles. A world that we all can call be proud to call home.
At the end of the day there are always going to be vultures attempting to capitalize on the success of games like Alien Worlds, Axies and The Sandbox. There will be bad actors. Many projects will come and go. You have to ask yourself what it is that you are passionate about and find like-minded people interested in the same. If NFTs have piqued your interest, do not just jump in and start buying trending projects. Take the time to research a project and their intentions. Join the community and see if their members are people truly interested in the mechanics of the project and not just a flip for a quick buck. There are endless NFT projects on the WAX blockchain, some AAA titles are even starting to incorporate NFTs into their products. You have to decide who you are and what it is that you are looking for.
Find projects with innovative products, that are here for the long-haul, for the right reasons. Alien Worlds is a good place to start in that the intentions are clearly stated. The DAOs are the secret ingredient that will allow you the power to change the world, or just relax and spend some time with new friends innovating the ideas of tomorrow. To get started visit: https://alienworlds.io/
NFTs and Me an Introspective Look at the Metaverse
Wax Gamer 