China is a Process: Understanding the Chinese Crypto Diaspora Community
Dec 17, 2023
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Afra Wang, a Chinese diaspora journalist, talks about China's involvement with cryptocurrency, how the Chinese diasporic community builds on crypto differently, and their experience at ZuConnect. They discuss the decline of internet access and tech companies in China, the Chinese attraction to cryptocurrency and the Ethereum ecosystem, the Chinese crypto diaspora community in Southeast Asia, China as a process of immigration, building for the Western crypto space, colonialism's impact on Chinese entrepreneurs, and the creation of Zuzalu and Zuzu Connect events.
Zuzu Connect successfully maintains a vibrant and collaborative atmosphere, fostering connections and knowledge sharing.
Chinese entrepreneurs face language barriers and biases in the Western crypto space, highlighting colonial disparities and lack of representation.
Zuzu Lu and Zuzu Connect promote pluralism, inclusivity, and healthy debates within the crypto community.
Deep dives
Overview of Zuzu Connect
Zuzu Connect is a shorter version of the Zuzu Lou event that took place in Istanbul, Turkey. It aimed to bring together a diverse community of individuals interested in crypto and innovation. The event featured different theme days including AI and art, network states, decentralized science and biology, and decentralized social. Participants had the opportunity to eat breakfast, co-work, and engage in various discussions and activities, fostering connections and knowledge sharing. Despite concerns that the magic of Zuzu Lou might be lost in the overwhelming city setting, Zuzu Connect successfully maintained the community's vibrant and collaborative atmosphere.
Challenges Faced by Chinese Entrepreneurs
Chinese entrepreneurs, particularly in the crypto space, face difficulties due to language barriers and contextual gaps. An inability to align with Western ideologies affects their ability to present their projects effectively and connect with the crypto community. This challenge highlights the colonial disparities and lack of representation from non-Western perspectives in the crypto space. Chinese entrepreneurs must navigate these biases to establish themselves and succeed in the English-speaking world of crypto.
Importance of Pluralism and Inclusion
Zuzu Lu and Zuzu Connect stand out for their ability to bring together diverse communities and foster connections. The events provide a unique space for individuals to exchange ideas and challenge each other's perspectives. The pluralism within the community allows for the coexistence of different tribes and encourages healthy debates and interactions. Zuzu Connect aims to continue nurturing this spirit of pluralism and inclusion, inviting participants from all backgrounds to engage in meaningful discussions and collaborations.
Promoting Anti-Censorship through Matters.Town
Matters.Town, an IPFS-based Chinese language writing platform, provides a platform for Chinese-speaking individuals to freely exchange ideas without fear of censorship. Though not a crypto-native project, Matters.Town supports decentralization and anti-censorship mechanisms. By incorporating Ethereum wallet login options, the platform showcases a promising use case of crypto and decentralization. Matters.Town connects Chinese writers and intellectuals across various regions and enables a broad exchange of ideas, challenging the restrictive nature of many social media platforms in China.
Acknowledging Geopolitical Realities
The challenges faced by Chinese entrepreneurs in the Western crypto space stem from broader geopolitical realities and historical factors. Colonialism, past exploitation, and cultural differences influence how Chinese entrepreneurs engage with the Western crypto community. Acknowledging and addressing these geopolitical realities can contribute to a more inclusive and equitable crypto space that fosters collaboration and understanding.
In this episode I spoke to Afra Wang, a Chinese diaspora journalist who has been in crypto now for a year and a half with Mask Network and organizer of the ZuConnect Decentralized Social Day in Istanbul where I moderated a panel on technology addiction in crypto. Given that usually crypto is often seen through and talked about from a western lens, Afra was a great guest to help bring a Chinese diasporic point of view.
During the discussion we spoke about the tumultuous history of China's involvement with cryptocurrency, how those involved in the crypto space in China responded, and how the Chinese diasporic community build on crypto differently. We also spoke about our experience at ZuConnect and how we hope for it to evolve. It was nice to hear from Afra that our work on coordi-nations was something that she identified with from the last Zuzalu and we hope one day to debate with Balaji about it.
If you liked the podcast be sure to give it a review on your preferred podcast platform. If you find content like this important consider donating to my Patreon starting at just $3 per month. It takes quite a lot of my time and resources so any amount helps. Follow me on Twitter (@TBSocialist) or Mastodon (@theblockchainsocialist@social.coop) and join the r/CryptoLeftists subreddit and Discord to join the discussion.
ICYMI I've written a book about, no surprise, blockchains through a left political framework! The title is Blockchain Radicals: How Capitalism Ruined Crypto and How to Fix Itand is being published through Repeater Books, the publishing house started by Mark Fisher who’s work influenced me a lot in my thinking.
The book is officially published and you use this linktree to find where you can purchase the book based on your region / country.
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