With social media being a core part of our lives we are automatically installing so many pedestals around us and uplift many onto them. It is almost like we forgot the significance of these pedestals and to continuously re-examine them.

What is their true importance, how to see these pedestals for what they really are, navigate them, and how to turn them into a tool for growth?

WHAT IS THE THING:

Unique and active presence of projects and influencers in media is arguably more important for growth in our ecosystem right now than in Web2 practices ever.

We tend to idolize and look up to those who achieved things we haven't yet, telling ourselves a story of who we think they are by who we want them to be, while subconsciously putting ourselves down.

If you zoom out far enough social systems are horizontal. When we are thinking a pedestal into existence, the person will stay on this flat level, oblivious to the fact “they are supposed to be” higher up now based on your standards. However, we are actually digging a little hole for ourselves to change our POV and make that pedestal possible on this horizontal plane.

EXAMPLES OF PEDESTALS IN WEB2 & WEB3:

WEB2:

You probably have put your teachers, mentors, and celebrities on pedestals at some point without a second thought. You most likely won't reach a point in your life to be close to the achievements of an A-list singer. Still, sometimes you will get to peek behind those curtains and eventually discover that, contrary to popular belief, they are also only humans, evening out that raised pedestal a lil.

WEB3:

Having even a tiny but consistent media presence is essential for the success and growth of anything in the space right now. Crypto-Twitter influencers with even as many as 30k followers, through their network and voice, have gigantic say in where we are going and how we are getting there. Though, as you move along your web3 journey, you'll have to become a little critical to find authentic voices that are not just shilling you their bags.

MORE ON WEB3 INFLUENCER CULTURE:

The whole concept of influencing is that the creator is on a form of pedestal, having an impact on others’ perceptions. These personas are essential to the internet as we know it. In some way, each one of us is an influencer even on a micro-scale.

There is a marketing term “nano-influencer” for personas with less than 5000 in their audience.

In crypto media, things work a little differently due to the space's nascence, innovation speed, and a generally high level of anonymity.

We tend to gift a social status for influencers based on the projects they participate in, who they know or generally based on being early in the space. In a very short period of time, many have built insaaane social capital. We put them on pedestals and take their word, as we have collectively agreed to deem them as experts in something (insert spicy governance delegate questions here😏*).*

Though this crafted social hierarchy based on subjective credentials can crumble pretty fast, just think of all the "canceling events" in recent years.

Some CT influencers’ brand is to be shilling and sharing cutting-edge things for educational and news purposes. Often they or their friends are invested in the ‘post-worthy’ subjects as well. My friends, you can hate on this all you want, but this is the true ownership we are talking about in Web3 ideology, with all of its financial, legal, and social inclinations. Embrace its beauty.

TL;DR on navigating pedestals as the audience we all are:

• Pick and choose who you follow, based on how authentic you want your feed to be.

• Take everything with a grain of salt, even if the people seem to be experts in a certain topic.

• Follow the people that give you good vibes, no matter the genre.
  Good vibez are a stable, go for the vibez.

TL;DR on navigating pedestals as the nano-influencers we all are:

• Get to know who you are creating for.

• Be mindful of the impact you are having on an individual and the whole space.

• Become as authentic as you are comfortable with, the more the better.

POTENTIAL OF CREDENTIALS:

Credentials are a qualification and information on a person's background, great to gauge their suitability for something, like becoming a governance delegate. These badges can help with giving context in a more trustless way. Having proof of actions, reputation, and social position can still distort reality but could give more grasp of perspective about the truth. Hopefully giving us the potential to make better choices and judge more accurately, while we are installing pedestals.

+ AND - OF PEDESTALS:

What we generally gain and give up by installing and maintaining these imaginary podiums. None of these aspects are meant to stay there forever, they change over time, molding constantly with our perception of the given pedestal.

+:

• Entertainment and education: large value-add to gain new information or just giggle so conveniently. Perfectly curated for you by you and an algorithm.

• Goals: Showing what you like about others and may lack in yourself. Opening new doors and broadening your imagination about what is possible.

• Inspiration: in any shape or form you'll be moved to think, create or act differently.

-:

• Distraction: valuable information and our focus can get lost in the noise of different voices, your headspace and attention are priceless.

• Misinformation: be critical of the information you encounter, not everything is well-researched that sounds well-put. Choose what you internalize as truth.

• Insecurities and anxieties: being subconsciously prompted to dig deeper into undiscovered parts of ourselves without consent.

Can we use pedestals as a tool for fueling good growth? Heck ye.

HOMEWORK:

Assuming you have people on pedestals around you, all with unique reasons for admiration, even if one day you magically attained all their achievements, status, or gains you won't be able to live them to the fullest. You need to grow on this journey, to go step by step whatever the steps mean for you. Progress on your own path will allow you to be looking at those pedestals differently.

Naturally, in some ways, big or small, we are still going to put people on pedestals, which can hinder us from seeing who they actually are. It takes away a level of humanity and replaces it with focusing on feeling our lackings. Everyone has different flaws, but to turn this into a positive force I urge you to:

• Question those pedestals and discover why you have put certain people there.

• See what qualities, achievements, or status you feel important they have and you don't.

• Investigate what you like about them because the things you admire them for might be great pointers for where you want to grow as a person.

Aim this admiration and the answers to the above prompts into motivation and inspiration to become more of what you truly want to be. This way the true importance of pedestals will show, which is:

flipping the script and using them to empower you.