Web 3.0 has the potential to radically alter much of society. This seems like a bold statement but it really is not. Would anyone deny the Internet changed a great deal about how we work and play? Society is radically different today due to this one medium as compared to 40 years ago.
For this reason, when dealing with even more powerful technology, it is not a stretch to believe it can have similar impact. We often discuss the idea of the network-state. Here we see a reworking of the structure with the digital network at the center of it all.
This is much different from a nation, which is a geographic piece of land, with the state strung over the top.
Of course, if we are dealing with a network-state, one of the keys is to change the mindset.
This is an important point.
There is an enormous difference between a citizen and user. Even just thinking about the words conveys a difference in magnitude.
Users have no stake. The commitment level simply is not there.
If I am a user of Facebook, how much dedication do I really have? While all my social media activity might be focused there, it is not difficult to leave, at least from a technical perspective. One only has to log off (or close the account) and it is done.
This is not the case with being a citizen. Changing this is not easy. While the network-state will simplify this process, the motivation behind it is still the same.
Humans like to assemble. Few are truly loners (different than being lonely). Most prefer some type of social interaction.
Being a citizen means having a vested interest. To what degree is up to the individual. However, we see many other factors entering.
For example, governance is an issue. Citizens often head to the polls to select different leaders. We also have the economy. The population of a nation is dependent upon the economy for survival. While most will not think about it in these terms, the nation is better off when the economy is doing well.
When it comes to a network like Hive, the concept of citizenship is rarely discussed. Instead, most approach it like they are using just another platform.
This is not exclusive to Hive.
It seems all of Web 3.0 is hindered because few have drawn the correlation of where we are now and how things could be unfolding. Most are stuck in the Web 2.0 mindset, a cancer that is stopping growth. If the people who are involved in it do not understand what is going on, how are those who are only encountering it suppose to grasp it?
We know this simply is not going to happen.
The digital and physical worlds are going to be merging. Some call this The Spatial Web. However we frame it, the concept is value. With more sensors being installed, digital twins are being produced. A simple idea such as 3-D mapping exemplifies what is occurring.
Apple made news with its new headset.
Here is a step forward toward mixed reality. This is the epitome of the merging.
All of this is something most understand. If that is the case, how come so few have transitioned to the idea of the network-state? Move past cryptocurrency and we see how blockchain can really impact things.
Hive is an opportunity. This is something repeatedly espoused.
One of the paramount ideas is to grasp what it means to be an early adopter. This could be something much larger than a new technology although that certainly is value.
We are likely discussing a completely new societal structure. Our form of government, one based upon geography, has been with us a long time. Suddenly, we have something that has a legitimate chance of changing this in the next half century.
While it is true many of us will not be around to see it in totality, the fact that we are already starting the process is a step forward. It is also a unique opportunity.
I often use the town analogy to describe what is taking place because I think it is applicable.
We are basically dealing with a piece of prairie land. This is why building is so important. At the moment, we have done nothing more than clear a few trees and run a bit of underground utilities. It is so early we have not even built the saloon or general store.
The other reason why the analogy is applicable is because, as mentioned, this will not reside solely in the digital realm. As the spatial web becomes more of a reality, blockchains will have a larger role in what is taking place.
Essentially, this boils down to building for us.
This sounds counter to the common mindset due to the fact that most are still thinking about things from a Web 2.0 perspective. Let us consider the formation of nations.
Did most of them form and develop with the intention of drawing more citizens in? Were the early settlers in any area doing so with the intention of pulling people in from around the world? Is that why they build churches, saloons, and housing?
The answer is no.
Those were constructed to serve the members of the community. Over time, things grew based upon the appeal of the area. The factors that go into that are outside the scope of this particular article yet the totality of what is offered is considered.
In other words, did the United States, in the early 1800s "market" other parts of the world for people to join? What did the individuals who were living in the nation at that time do? Were they calling for this or were the busy building their lives? How did the country develop the legal framework, infrastructure, businesses, and services that people used?
Certainly not by focusing outside their communities.
Instead, they got busy building what they needed. Any problems that arose, they tried to address them. This is what citizens do. In fact, they built the state as a solution to some of the issues that were previously faced.
This is a point missed completely within Web 3.0 in my opinion. People look at something like Hive as being a user. As stated, this is common throughout the entire Web 3.0 realm.
Words convey more than meaning. They have the ability to impart not only emotion but also affect the mindset one has. With Web 3.0, it is crucial we start making this transition.
