The New York Times is still here and it is my favorite newspaper. But Web 1 set out to displace the New York Times around 1994. It largely succeeded. There are rich social media. People and places from various segments of my life spread out over geographies manage to inform me about what’s going on, and all that news is not coming to me via the New York Times. Most people are not trying to become influencers with mass followings. A few dozen followers might be enough. Too much is too much.

I suspect the dollar might still be there when crypto is in full bloom say by 2030. But the crypto’s value has to come from somewhere. And that value comes from fiat. That much-derided fiat in the crypto world. You still need to go buy milk. I still prefer to read my books in hard copy. Cash might still be king, though more a constitutional monarch like in several European countries.

NFT is not a scam. It is about finally valuing creativity. You don’t have to code. You can simply create art. And you will get paid. I think that is a beautiful thing. But NFT is not just about making a watercolor and then scanning it. Mostly it will be about creating new forms of art not even possible before. When photos don’t cost you any money, look at all the photography you do that you did not do when you had to pay for every print.

I attended a Twitter Space a few weeks ago, and someone boasted of a 70-person all-remote orchestra. That richness was not possible before. NFT art is like going from watercolors to movies. It is a different experience.

When you translate a dollar into crypto, and then move that dollar at great velocity, you might create a million dollars in new wealth in a minute. And the original dollar is still sitting there. That is where the Age Of Abundance comes from. And it needs to happen bottom-up. We need to take digital identity and super easy bank accounts to everybody but everybody. And give them “free” money. Because crypto velocity will make that “free” money inflation-free. The money will need to move. And the dollar a day people will move it. They are the most creditworthy people on the planet. You just have not scooped them yet. By free money I mean easy credit. Super easy credit.

I suspect Benjamin will still. be around, and I don’t mind at all.