#10: ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE METAVERSE
I told you I’d be back it only took 5 months and a walker/royce show.
You know, the most difficult thing about writing is not trying too hard. It’s fucking hard. Take the first paragraph for example. The risk of sounding basic, cheesy, cheap. They teach you how to write like shit growing up so one must unlearn. They teach you how to write the same way they teach you how to do everything else - to be the same.
Everything is written like a piece of news in the substack era. Little personality. Little emotion. Little risk. It all sounds like it comes from the same person, the same machine. People don’t care about the writing anymore as long as it delivers the information properly. The writing itself becomes invisible.
There was a time when people weren’t so obsessed with information.
Each additional word written is a blessing though. Taking you further and further away from that dreadful first paragraph. The idea, the purpose behind the writing begins to take form and present itself. Voice appears. Attention is grasped. Time is either enjoyed or wasted. That’s up to me but also up to you.
Almost every single thing I’ve seen around the metaverse in the current stage we’re in (using the term ‘metaverse’ to encompass anything web3/nfts/crypto etc) seems like it’s been coming from similar minds. People just regurgitating information and throwing in a couple new opinions. Writing or talking delicately as to not say anything too radical for the fear of little traction. Duplicate philosophies, duplicate products.
So idk what you would call this piece bc it’s definitely not about the “information” of the metaverse or what the collective believes about it right now. There are thousands of blogs, podcasts, articles about that. At the end if the day it’s just a story being propelled. Propelled fast. A story that will eventually turn into reality - a story that’s currently turning into reality - but a story that needs MUCH more innovative thought for this next chapter. Especially if we want to avoid Zuck’s dystopian vision at all costs (and believe me we do).
For a story to turn into reality it needs the belief and willpower of very large groups but with that also comes the risk of conformity. “Think different” sounds sexy but is actually really difficult in practice (and honestly, why would anyone want to think differently? It’s not like it feels good. It’s like showing up with no costume to the costume party. It’s human nature to want to think like everyone else especially when there’s so much hype around a certain way of thought).
Of course there are benefits to conformity. If everyone believes the same story then that becomes the collective energy that’s needed to will that story into reality, but again, there is little innovation in conformity. That’s why I believe in order for a story like the metaverse, or the internet, to actually come to reality, it needs the BELIEF of large groups but the INNOVATION of the 1% of people that are genuinely thinking differently about it. Groupthink and original thought. Just like with everything, you need both sides of the coin. ☯️
There’s also bound to be strong resistance with such a powerful story like this one. Resistance only lasts so long though. Resistance is a key indicator that the story is “working.” That it’s actually becoming real. The fact that a large cohort of Gen Z is actively hating against NFTs right now is a telltale sign that this shit’s coming. Because after hate will come indifference and then love. But things need to be done differently to get there. The story needs to shift and evolve.
How does one do that? By being cool first of all (not making a joke I’m being dead serious - and the space is in desperate need of cool right now). By providing more utility, of course. But by also understanding stories and why we’re all so easily influenced by them. On a societal and personal level.
Stories run US ALL. Everything. Every single thing you think or do in your life is being influenced by a story, either of your own making or of others.
The mind delivers us information in the form of stories. We consume our mind’s delivery in the form of stories. We interact with each other through stories. We make decisions based on which story sounds better. Humanity itself is a one big collective story. Imagination is storytelling. Each individual life is a story, a story that is so incredibly different yet so frighteningly similar for all of us.
Why though? Why are we so easily influenced?
Most of us spend our entire lives chasing a story we don’t even realize we’re chasing. A story that was planted in us during childhood and held onto by our subconscious. The act of manifesting is simply bringing your own story into reality. We navigate ourselves, others, and the world through the lens of a story.
Philosophy aside, the best leaders, the best brands, the best innovators, the best products, the best artists, the happiest people, even the best tiktoks all understand the power of a story. Consciously or not. Intentionally or not. You’re either part of a story or you’re telling the story.
The ruler of the world, the ruler of your world, is the ruler of the story.
Because again, stories precede reality - or “experience.”
Experience is the present moment. The only way to avoid stories altogether is to exist in the present because the present is simply an experience to be experienced. But as soon as you turn your mind on, you’re a story sucking machine.
Take a thought. A single thought.
I’m convinced every single thought in our head is either a story in itself or a speck that’s part of a larger story. No single thought exists in a vacuum. They come from somewhere. They are attached to something. Thoughts are the results of subconscious storytelling.
A single thought is merely a “sentence” in your own personal and unique story. Every thought has an origin and if you pay attention you can usually trace that origin back to a larger story. The story of those 5 minutes, that week, that month, that year, or your entire life. Your mind is quite literally your own personal storyteller (which is why it’s important to monitor that narrator of yours). When an external story resonates with your internal story in some way, you feel attracted to it.
The trick with humans is we’re all so ~independent~ but we all pretty much think and feel the same shit. Especially if you’re part of a group. Gen Z all shares a story that no other generation can experience. Girls share a story that guys can’t experience. Couples share a story that singles can’t experience. Athletes share a story that authors can’t experience. Of course there is overlap. Overlap is where wisdom and compassion are born. The overlap is what brings us together as humans, but the story is also equally unique to the individual and the group which is really fascinating.
Pretend you’re in line at starbucks, deciding between coffee or tea. Are you actually looking at those two objectively for what they are? Or do you have a story attached to coffee and a story attached to tea? And that’s really what you’re making your decision based on? It could be you imagining how it’ll taste, imagining how it’ll make you feel. Those don’t have anything to do with the objective nature of the decision. They are small little stories that have developed and attached themselves to the choice at hand. The person next to you has had a different experience with coffee, and a different experience with tea, and thus they have totally different stories driving that decision.
Zoom out a bit and it gets even more clear. Can’t decide whether to go out tonight or stay in? That’s your mind telling yourself two stories and you eventually making a decision based on which one sounds better. Zoom out even more. Decide to stay in because you want to wake up with no hangover? Cool, why? Big day tomorrow? Trying to be healthier? Why? So you can be more productive? Why? So you can be more successful? Why? To gain freedom? These are each scenes, chapters, books, that play over and over in your head. Each leading to another and another and another until you unravel the story, the vision, of your entire life. Pull that thread to find out what you’re really after. Pull that thread to influence it before it influences you.
Understand yourself as a story, understand others as stories, understand society as a story, and you can become an author.
I think that’s all to say for now. The metaverse is coming, it’s already here. Things are moving fast. The story is opened to be influenced. The question now is who’s going to make it cool? Who’s going to rule the story?
Btw I apologize for saying the word story 400 times.
Also fuck sorry one more thing: this song is SO GOOD (best song from euphoria so far).
Love peace happiness 🧚🍄✨🥒