A silent mission statement of web3 is that "it" as a concept or mindset aims to provide a more inclusive and equitable internet experience by making it more accessible to people around the world. We get there by utilizing peer-to-peer networks, which enable resource and data sharing without the need for centralized servers in many circumstances. web3 represents, in my opinion, the real-time production of a new generation of the internet, within our current internet, with the goal of providing a more open, safe, and egalitarian internet experience. While web3 as a concept is still in its infancy, and despite the fact that the technology has made enormous progress that, unfortunately, often gets lost in the never-ending feed of swaying public opinion surrounding its more speculative aspects, I am confident that it has the potential to significantly improve the way we interact and transact online in the future. However, in order to do this effectively, web3 must focus on making itself disappear.
My motivation to investigate the concept of technology that eventually fades stems from viewing this tweet.
@sorrelsalb posits to the collective their thoughts on what needs to happen within the web3 space in order to make its encompassing technologies "disappear." As an aside, I'm sure many members of the collective would prefer to see web3 vanish, but we'll leave them on the "uninitiated" side of this debate and history. "The most meaningful technologies are those that disappear," as the saying goes. The declaration emphasizes the significance of technology that is smoothly incorporated into our daily lives. I'd like to point out that "seamless integration" is more of an ideal to strive for, than something that should be expected of a technology right off the bat, although it is conceivable. The concept of disappearing technology refers to the idea that being introduced to a technology should not instantly result in a hindrance, but rather as an augmentation to human experiences. To effectively integrate into the collective, technology must become so intuitive and natural that we don't even notice it's there. When people declare their resistance to technology, I believe the core of the remark, originally delivered by the late "Father of Ubiquitous Computing," Mark Weiser, is most powerfully demonstrated. Though this is frequently done with a focus on digital technologies, the point remains. Certain technology has become so deeply engrained in all of our lives we at times may find ourselves feeling a bit spoiled by it, leading to the expression of contempt towards it. In doing so, many life-changing technological advances are relegated to the sidelines in favor of a rosy recollection of the past. Modern plumbing, safe electrical infrastructure, and even the porcelain toilet are just a few illustrations of these "invisible marvels" or "disappearing technologies" that, despite being heavily leaned upon, assimilate into the background.
The smartphone is one of the most visible examples of this. For many in our collective, our smartphones are an extension of ourselves. We use it to interact with friends and family, access information quickly, and, in certain circumstances, control other gadgets in our dwellings. Conversely, when we think about it, we don't pay much attention to the technology underlying it. We don't purposefully consider the complex algorithms and software that power Twitter; we just want our tweets to go out, and for "Fleets" to return. We merely know that when we need it, with all of its seamless, thoughtless, technological instant gratification, it's there, and ideally, it works. Smartphones were considered a luxury item when they were initially released. However, they have subsequently become a need for many individuals, and it is challenging to imagine going through a day without one, although this may be an essential intervention on occasion.
Much like the elevator, the refrigerator, and the air conditioner, web3 technologies have the potential to revolutionize the way we interact in our daily lives, the keyword being "potential." web3 currently declares itself to be permissionless and thus borderless. However, web3's mnemonic, internet-culture-centric character, along with its "arms-wide-open" directive, creates the mistaken impression that even the average Joe can leverage these technologies for success with only minimal abilities. I purposefully did not identify a specific skill set to reflect the ambiguity that surrounds web3. As previously stated, web3 can be equated to a new version of the internet itself. With this in mind, how does one go about accurately and efficiently boxing or containing the internet? This is not a simple task, but it is not limited to web3. The disappearance of web3 begins with the onboarding process. One of the most major obstacles in onboarding individuals into web3 is raising knowledge of the various tiers that comprise the space, in my opinion. When discussing blockchain in general, it is widespread procedure to use the singular phrase "cryptocurrency" to describe a wide range of topics. For example, one can invest in a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin. Such an investor would be referred to as "being in crypto" by the general public. Given a moderate amount of research into the space, the idea that such an investor is therefore "in web3" isn't too far off, albeit this isn't quite correct in my opinion. An investor in Bitcoin is undoubtedly involved with cryptocurrency, decentralized blockchain technology, and permissionless systems, all of which are components of web3, yet our investor and someone in web3 are mutually exclusive. Downloading a financial app that allows you to purchase and sell assets does not indicate that you are a member of web3. Despite the existence of various semantics and phrases with different meanings in web3, I believe this is due to happenstance rather than intent. web3 isn't meant to be, nor is it trying to be a club, though it shares many characteristics with the concept.
A better emphasis on the practical use cases and implementations of web3 technology is another critical shift I feel needs to happen for the space. With this move, I anticipate there will be some friction, which is unavoidable given the anonymous nature of being online in general. People's aversion to sharing any personal information about themselves online can limit the collective's capacity to connect with their work and accomplishments. Knowing where someone comes from and what personal challenges they may have faced while coping with technical stumbling blocks might assist to better depict and convey the reality of what it takes to engage in this space. We would expose how symbiotic relationships with web3 can be by doing a better job of showcasing the many instances of people literally starting with nothing but a wallet address, building their knowledge base, and being rewarded by receiving a "airdrop" of funds simply for being present and interested. I can personally attest to how paying greater attention to the web3 space impacted my life for the better. The stigma of web3 is that it desires to move further away from most, if not all, matters centralized. We are directly confronted with the "Horseshoe Dilemma" by being committed to this mindset in my opinion. I believe that interacting with platforms that already have a broad range of influence and integrating web3 technology into their existing systems will benefit all parties. I also believe that by making it easier for users to access web3 without having to learn and understand too many new disciplines all at once, people will have a better time transitioning from the ambiguity conveyed about web3 in traditional media and essentially knowing nothing, to actually crafting a natural desire to be more involved and deducing a way they can contribute in their own way.
To summarize my opinions, I believe the key hinderance to web3 performing its much needed "disappearing act" lies within its onboarding process. Being open and honest with individuals interested in web3 about the highly unique, complex, and difficult discipline that it is will be critical for the ecosystem to attain its full potential. web3 will be able to transition from being the oblong periwinkle elephant in the room to not being noticed at all by providing palatable educational resources, building user-friendly interfaces, fostering communities with aligned incentives, highlighting real-life use cases, and partnering with existing platforms.
