racing towards decentralization

decentralization is a term often synonymous to web3. loosely defined as the process of distributing power or responsibility away from a central authority. in the context of web3, this means creating a more open, transparent and accessible internet where users are in control of their data and interactions.

but the concept of decentralization is not limited to web3, and it’s interesting to see how creators are already leaning towards these foundational web3 principles without any actual association. decentralized content creators are emerging without use of decentralized networks. let’s unpack this.

today’s social media landscape is an abundance machine. the main point in this being that the most successful creators leverage multiple social media platforms to maximize the surface area of their content.

the past decade featured a reasonable playbook: content creators had individual personal accounts across platforms. each platform used typically brought a different type of content and had a varying audience. the thing that I want to key on here is the origin of the content distribution. it was always reasonable to assume that the creators themselves were putting out their most attention worthy material.

recently, there has been a shift. and the reason for this change might have been unintended by the original creators.

a new method of content distribution, often by controversial figures, seems to lean away from sharing this content in a centralized fashion. example: creator films podcast, breaks it into hundreds of digestible clips, and hires others to share it from dozens of different accounts across multiple platforms. in the cases I’m alluding to, the content creator doesn’t even have an official social media account. this is just decentralized content distribution.

i hinted towards the origins of this distribution method being controversial figures; reverting to this means of sharing because they are already de-platformed. and it’s interesting to observe. it seems the most vexed individuals actually illuminate flawed systems through their own flawed actions.

this also relates to creators battling against the algorithms and opens up the door for opinions around censorship and other conversations about cc0; i’ll leave you to think on how those concepts tie into everything said today.

the main point: we’re seeing a portion of content creators distribute their ideals in a decentralized manner using centralized platforms. and it’s something to watch as we talk about web3 and everything else. creators lead the charge, and networks typically follow.

there’s a concept in economics surrounding creative destruction called schumpeter’s gale. the "gale of creative destruction" describes the "process of industrial mutation that continuously revolutionizes the economic structure from within, incessantly destroying the old one, incessantly creating a new one".

in the context of this quote, industrial mutation alluded to negative effects of capitalism. for the purpose of this point, industrial mutation means positive technological innovation. specifically in what we’re seeing with web3.

those at the edges of the internet are learning to be independent and recognize the downfalls of being reliant of any one platform. as rudimentary web3 concepts are being attached to in fragments, the full picture becomes clearer. slowly, then all at once.

the upmost thanks to those who choose to give me some of your attention by reading. with something as scarce as spending time, unsubscribing will always be understandable. this newsletter is finding roots in being a place for me to leave myself trails of thought. all love!