The most populous life form on earth isn’t mankind. It’s mycelium. The invisible living threads. It lives everywhere. In soil, tree roots, rocks, air, your hair, skin, and teeth, even under the ocean and in space. Its existence is composed of networks. A map of the human circulation system reveals a vast network of veins and arteries. A subway map of Tokyo or London reveals an image that looks like linked computers mining crypto. Maps of linked computers can mirror the image the receptors of our brain. We tend to only think of fungi- mushrooms, mosses but they are just the flowering of this mighty organism.
So, WTF you ask? What does this have to do with my new NFT art drop?
Noted NFT photographer Dave Krugman shared this concept with me. I wanted to know his secret of NFT success. How did he make it big generating formidable sales in less than a year? He explained how the networks in nature, our brain, subways, linked computers mining crypto, are similar to the human network of the NFT space.
He explained how the network works and feeds itself.
He jumped in on Clubhouse, then Twitter and really spent time becoming part of the community. Giving his insights, talents, experience.
An oversimplified example is this: NFT collector and Liverpool based gallerist Amir aka Mondoir was among the first to discover and collect NFT’s by then unknown artist Fewocious. Fewocious one day came across an unknown 16-year-old from Seattle named Jaiden, aka Jasti. Jasti had posted his first NFT work, thinking it would sell for maybe $30 dollars? Suddenly someone out of the network bid 10eth, then other bidders jumped in until it hit 20eth. He started dropping other NFT’s- 20eth, 30eth, 40eth, WOW! This led to his life to change in an instant.
Jasti’s parents were like many during the pandemic living with just enough money to get by. Suddenly money poured in. His mother Tracie recognizing that when the door opens walk through it. She took him out of school, and they started attending NFT conferences to meet others in the mycelium NFT network. Within a year he has said he’s generated a million dollars in NFT sales, been featured on a CBS television documentary, and in April spoke on a panel at Veecon with moderator Keith Grossman, the president of Time Magazine.
Mr. Grossman casually remarked to me a few weeks ago in the Veecon speakers lounge how he was surprised to meet Jasti for the first time and marveled at how young he is.
Mondoir=Fewocious=Jasti=CBS=Veefriends=Keith Grossman/Time.
This is likely an oversimplification, yet it shows how powerful this concept works in real life. The future is wide open to him, as they say “to the moon!”
It’s the network. Different than networking. The network effect like vast sprawling tendrils of artists, start-ups spread and join together leading to the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Much of this is felt in the PFP communities. The support amongst members, friends and new business relationships is organic and viral. We’ll cover this PFP network effect in a follow-up article.
I became fascinated with the concept that the NFT space mirrors our brain wiring, and mirrors the network of computers mining crypto, and the living mycelium in the soil that keeps life on earth living. We are individual, yet we are all part of something interconnected and greater.
Okay you may ask… I’m just starting out and don’t know any of these big shot NFT influencers. How do I even get started, it all seems weird and overwhelming?
Start listening to Twitter Spaces and other regular groups that host conversations, join discord groups. Within your budget attend an IRL meet up either in your local community, or one of the larger conferences like June 20-23rd at NFTNYC. Just by showing up, things will happen.
Be true to yourself and at the same time be part of something greater.
