Yes and no, of course. Web 3.0 and beyond is both fascinating and terrifying.
Did you read Ready Player One or see the movie?
If not, let me sum up one major aspect of the story. There is a virtual world called The Oasis where people immerse themselves via VR glasses, as well as partial and full-body suits. They have digital avatars of themselves and collect coins and pop-culture toys as they explore the metaverse that is The Oasis.
Like it or not – The Oasis – or a metaverse like it – is coming to the web near you. It’s already here, but it’s still evolving into a more approachable and easily consumed form.
Three elements of the metaverse in particular are impacting the world more and more. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs), blockchains, and cryptocurrency.
NFTs are defined by coinbase.com thus: “NFTs (or “non-fungible tokens”) are a special kind of cryptoasset in which each token is unique — as opposed to “fungible” assets like Bitcoin and dollar bills, which are all worth exactly the same amount. Because every NFT is unique, they can be used to authenticate ownership of digital assets like artworks, recordings, and virtual real estate or pets.”
Investopedia explains blockchains this way: “A blockchain is a distributed database that is shared among the nodes of a computer network. As a database, a blockchain stores information electronically in digital format. Blockchains are best known for their crucial role in cryptocurrency systems, such as Bitcoin, for maintaining a secure and decentralized record of transactions.”
Cryptocurrency is akin to dollars and Euros – except it’s decentralized, and thus not issued by a government bank like the US Treasury.
The impact of this on the arts is already being felt.
What the hell is the metaverse?
Please excuse how crude this is – I’m still wrapping my head around it.
The metaverse is akin to the whole of the cosmos. It contains every galaxy, every solar system, every planet, and all the rest within it.
But it’s digital. The metaverse is a virtual universe containing within it the galaxies, solar systems, planets, and the like. Whole universes of virtual real estate that exists in ones and zeros in various ways.
Ready for the complication? There are multiple metaverses.
Like the notion in science of the multiverse – simultaneously existing universes beyond our own that parallel it in numerous ways – metaverses coexist in parallel, representing different notions, ideas, and directions.
To sum up – the metaverse is a digital version of the real universe. It contains worlds upon worlds and nearly endless potential and possibility.
Thus far, most people are familiar with this in immersive games played with people all around the world. In many respects, MMORPGs like World of Warcraft and EVE Online are the Pong of the coming metaverse gaming experience.
Is the future of the arts digital (Web 3.0 and Beyond)?
At least in part – yes. As the metaverse expands it is gaining in popularity and influence. Over time, people will probably have digital variations of their lives that match (and potentially exceed) their actual lives.
How deeply we immerse ourselves into the metaverse will be a personal choice. But as Jayden Sage said on the Unleash Your Supernova podcast – the metaverse “train” is in the station. You can choose to get on it or watch it pass you by.
Art in the metaverse isn’t going to replace paintings, sculptures, books, and whatnot. It will, however, take the form of new immersive options we’ve only just begun to fathom.
What’s more, the metaverse is open to anyone and everyone. How that will fall out remains to be seen – but a lot of the ideas within it coming to fruition will be dependent on broad access.
In Ready Player One, the Oasis as created was more or less open-source. Meaning anyone can create things within it. When its creator passes away, he leaves behind a contest to determine who will take control of the Oasis – and if it will remain free and open or become commercialized.
The metaverse is vast, so while there will be centralized ‘verses (like what Meta – formerly Facebook – is likely to create) and decentralized ‘verses (referred to as DeFi) open to a broader range of creators.
Are the arts ready for this? Yes and no. But that’s how these things always play out. Yesterday’s fiction is tomorrow’s reality.
Not ready for Web 3.0? That’s okay – in some circles, they’re already exploring what Web 4.0 will look like.
Ready or not, Web 3.0 and beyond is upon us
Technology changes at a speed never before experienced. Particularly in the last century.
Advancements in tech were gradual for nearly a thousand years. Very slight and slow changes in technology occurred from the fall of the Roman Empire up until the late 1800s. Then, communications expanded with the telegraph and telephone and the industrial revolution shifted the tide of change.
In the 20th century, we saw an unprecedented change. Technologies advanced in ways and on levels exponentially faster than ever before. In less than 100 years, we found our way to orbit and beyond, developed instantaneous global communications, information access on handheld devices, and more.
It’s easy to take it for granted. The flash drive I back my data up to is infinitely more powerful than the first computer I got just 37 years ago. My iPhone is exponentially more capable than the first cellular phone I got in 1997 – just 25 years ago. It’s almost surreal – and makes it both fascinating and terrifying on analysis.
This is why I chose to self-publish rather than continue seeking traditional publishing routes. The world of publishing changed – and I do not doubt that it’ll continue to change with Web 3.0 and beyond even more. What will that look like? I have no idea.
I’m both excited and terrified of these developments. Though I still barely understand all of this – please take much of what I’ve shared here with a grain of salt – I desire to be part of it.
Why? Because Web 3.0 and beyond is creating options for artists to find new and better ways to make a living via their creations. Being part of that from the beginning could help me help others as they join the revolution in their time.
Are the arts ready for Web 3.0 and beyond? Yes and no, – and this is both fascinating and terrifying.
But I find that knowledge is the best medicine to invigorate fascination over terror.
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