The work story of how an anon (a friend of mine) lost his way. But at the brink of no return, there was still enough of the anon left in his deteriorating brain to save himself.

When his studies were completed, the anon worked in small environments, some periods alone and others with companions. He explored the crypto landscape as it was just starting up. By the end of this period, the anon had built multiple dApps. He even started a DAO together with like-minded anons. During this time, the anon thrived. He had a clear vision and purpose.

Then one day, Moloch came knocking on his door; it was the anon and his closest time to suffer. The world started looking bleak. The anon no longer felt the creative juices flowing.

Over time he got confused about the world and his vision. At the same time, the Financial Bottling Company (FBC) published a new job listing. It was this new kind of prestigious job with a good salary. Safe and excellent benefits. Everybody in town who wear offered a position at FBC worked there until they retired. So it had to be a good place to work. The naive anon saw the listing. He was unsure of his qualifications, but in the end, he got the job.

The anon left the world of crypto...

The anon started the new position with high spirits. He did not know that his position was a small cog on the outscore of a large machine and that there was absolutely no need for the anon's skills of envisioning and building new things. Here his task was to count the bottles in different ways and deliver the results to other larger cogs. The anon's creativity and ideas were not part of the job; that was clear. To amuse himself, the anon figured out different ways of counting the bottles. He even took classes in counting and counting automation. An issue was that nobody else at FBC knew about counting, and nobody understood the anon's work, just the results. Not just did nobody know of counting bottles, but none of them had even counted before.

The anon felt alone...

The anon automated things to the point he was unsure if anybody would notice if he did not show up to work. There were no expectations of the anon. The anon was starting to become dull, and his brain started wasting away, although he did not notice it at the time.

…

By now, the anon had been at FBC for a large period. He was bored.

A moment of clarity jolted the anon into thinking big thoughts.

"What's my life going to be like in 10 years?"

"Am I proud of what I am doing?"

"Am I making the world a better place?"

"Do I want to live a safe and boring life?"

"What will be my biggest regrets?"

He started looking at his life and figuring out when he was the happiest.

His path was clear. Crypto was the way!

Even with the risks involved, the dangers of staying at FBC were far larger to him. FBC is where creative people get paid for letting go of their dreams, for going on autopilot and letting life pass by.

The anon understood why people stayed at FBC; they were trapped. It starts out with prestige and high salary and, over time turns people into unconscious work zombies on autopilot.

Going back to crypto, the anon was both scared and excited. What he did not know was that during his time at FBC, his brain had become unsharp and his vision unclear. Also, his productivity, one of his proudest abilities, had taken a significant hit.

What was happening? Was he becoming old?

His old anon friends expected him to pick up the sword where he had left it and keep fighting as he did earlier. But something was different. There were no creative juices, no clear vision, no cause...

Even so, the anon was pushing through. It took over a year of grit and studying of every new aspect of his former homeland for the anon to return to his former self.

In the end, the spark that woke the anon up, was a weekend project. Something about working intensely and tirelessly on a project with full autonomy got the anon back on track. The anon got back his powers, vision, energy, and purpose.

The anon thought, "Never again!".

This is a warning for the anon himself and anybody in a cushy job where not much is expected and where you cannot fully express your abilities. This deteriorates your brain, even if you can't feel it at the time. The way back is long and hard; if you stay too long, I am afraid there is no way back.

No amount of cushiness is more important than your brain.

Also, a note: many good people can work together to uphold an immoral thing even if everybody by themselves is good… if they are unconsciously going on autopilot.