NET Society

The Net Society crew dives into a wide-ranging conversation on crypto’s evolving landscape and its uneasy rivalry with AI. Chris opens by questioning his own “bearish” stance, leading to a lively debate on distribution, developer momentum, and the shifting perception of tokens as tools versus speculation. The group explores how AI and blockchain may ultimately converge, touching on Hyperreal Hospitality, post-authorship, and the importance of long-term relationships between builders and users. Later, they discuss postmodern exhaustion, prediction as a new cultural logic, and the consolidation of major players like Coinbase, Base, and Tether as crypto matures into its next institutional phase.Mentioned in the episodeADIN https://x.com/adinonlineOpenAI hires 100 investment bankers https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/openai-hires-100-investment-bankers-to-train-its-ai-20251022-p5n4erPrediction is the successor to postmodernism https://a16z.com/prediction-the-successor-to-postmodernism/David Phelps chains owning apps https://x.com/divine_economy/status/1981006512500720113Tether https://x.com/Tether_toShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Bearish on Crypto (02:07) - AI vs Crypto Tokens (10:07) - Comparing Tech and Scale (15:38) - Building with Crypto and AI (19:12) - Product vs Community (26:09) - Postmodern Prediction (32:00) - Consolidation and the New Banks (49:28) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew returns live and in person from Marfa for a special episode featuring Jonas from FlamingoDAO. Recorded during Art Blocks Weekend, the group reflects on five years of Flamingo, the evolution of Marfa as a cultural hub, and the abundance mindset shaping digital art. They dive into early NFT history, the legendary Alien Punk purchase, and the origins of Glitch Gallery. Chris shares insights from Hyperreal Hospitality and the future of intelligent design spaces, while the group explores the next generation of builders pushing creative and technical boundaries. A lively conversation full of stories, nostalgia, and vision for what’s next.Mentioned in the episodeJonas https://x.com/jonaslamis404 (Bittensor) https://x.com/404gen_?lang=enRemembering Flamingo buying alien punk https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2021/01/23/early-cryptopunk-digital-collectible-sells-for-762k-in-etherRekt by Chris https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/74924371-rektShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Live from Marfa (01:37) - FlamingoDAO at Five (06:09) - Marfa and the Culture of Abundance (10:11) - The Next Generation of Builders (13:07) - Hyperreal Hospitality and the Future of Worlds (18:20) - Early NFT Days and the Alien Punk (24:36) - Marfa Memories and Glitch Evolution (37:07) - Welcome & Disclaimer

For their 50th episode, the Net Society crew marks the milestone with a timely conversation that captures the pulse of digital art and crypto innovation. They kick things off reacting live to Lava Labs’ Quine drop on Art Blocks, then look ahead to Marfa Weekend and what its growing scale means for the culture. The discussion moves through reflections on Burning Man, the evolution of creative communities, and parallels to crypto’s own cycles of growth. From there, they unpack Zcash’s resurgence, explore store-of-value narratives across assets and networks, and close with thoughts on the return of old ideas like decentralized storage and the rise of prediction markets.Mentioned in the episodeQuine by Larva Labs on Art Blocks https://www.artblocks.io/collection/quine-by-larva-labsBurning Man https://burningman.org/Geeks, MOPs, and sociopaths https://meaningness.com/geeks-mops-sociopathsZero-knowledge proof https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-knowledge_proof$2 Billion investment in Polymarket https://finance.yahoo.com/news/york-stock-exchange-parent-company-135836830.htmlShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Quine Drop and Lava Labs (06:10) - Marfa Weekend Plans (08:56) - Burning Man and Cultural Growth (16:10) - Crypto Art and Protocol Reflections (26:00) - Zcash and Privacy Tech (31:27) - Store of Value and Network Effects (36:10) - Old Ideas Returning and Prediction Markets (43:12) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew talks about gearing up for Marfa with a look at the upcoming programming at Glitch, live coding competitions, and Chris’ upcoming book and apps. The conversation turns to the rise of Sora and Meta’s AI social experiments, and what new feed mechanics could mean for personalized algorithms. They dive into the risks of post-literacy, media evolution, and shifting cultural power, drawing parallels from Gutenberg to TikTok to memes as political weapons. The episode closes with a discussion on AI in Hollywood and the creative industries, and what comes next as adaptive media systems reshape how stories are told.Mentioned in the episodeMeta Vibes AI video feed https://x.com/alexandr_wang/status/1971295156411433228Sora 2 https://x.com/OpenAI/status/1973075422058623274The age of books and brainrot https://resobscura.substack.com/p/the-age-of-books-and-the-age-of-brainrotTilly Norwood https://x.com/Variety/status/1972792784752193553Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Marfa Countdown and Vibe Coding (02:06) - Glitch Marfa Events (and Competitions) (06:54) - Chris’ Book, Apps, and Complex Adaptive Media (10:12) - Sora, Meta Backlash, and AI Social Platforms (17:22) - The Future of Feeds and Personalized Algorithms (31:44) - Post-Literacy, Media Evolution, and Cultural Shifts (45:25) - AI in Hollywood, Creative Industries, and Beyond (50:43) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew returns with a lively mix of culture, tech, and markets. They kick off with coffee rituals and the rise of the “performative male,” before turning to the resurgence of old tech titans and massive AI cross-investments that feel like the early stages of Skynet. The conversation shifts to media consolidation and empire building, then dives into TikTok’s valuation, the end of the attention economy, and the rise of the token economy. The group explores new NFT Strategy experiments aimed at Squiggles/generative art liquidity, before unpacking Kraken’s IPO path and what scaling does to company culture. They close with a speculative look at AI agents, robot futures, and how media might be reshaped in the years to come.Mentioned in the episodeFemale popstars and mediocre men https://www.economist.com/culture/2025/09/08/why-female-pop-stars-are-lambasting-mediocre-menEric Schmidt AI and tech innovation in the US https://www.rdworldonline.com/dont-screw-it-up-eric-schmidts-warning-on-u-s-innovation-as-new-data-shows-china-on-track-to-take-rd-lead/Cloudflare and NET Dollar https://x.com/Cloudflare/status/1971212556011196859TokenWorks releases new projects (SquiggleStrategy) https://x.com/token_works/status/1971590630762856910Rizzbot https://www.instagram.com/p/DOQ0TuADYEh/Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Coffee, Blank Street, and Performative Male Aesthetics (09:03) - Old Tech Titans, Skynet Investments, and Cross-Pollination (15:26) - Media Consolidation and Empire Building (20:08) - TikTok Valuation, Attention Economy, and Token Economy (31:10) - NFT Strategy, Punk Strategy, and Generative Art Liquidity (38:26) - Kraken IPO, Scaling Companies, and Culture Shifts (44:19) - AI Agents, Robot Futures, and Media of Tomorrow (56:46) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew gears up for Marfa while unpacking the latest waves of on-chain experimentation. They dive into the launch of $PNKSTR and its protocol mechanics, weighing the lessons from early hiccups and the potential for new NFT-ERC20 hybrids. From there, the conversation broadens into questions of utility and adoption, tracing connections to low-risk DeFi and Vitalik’s vision for Ethereum’s future. The group considers the mounting pressure stablecoins place on global banking and the trillions waiting in money markets, before shifting to AI’s recent milestones and the media power plays shaping culture. The episode closes with a deep appreciation of Eric De Giuli’s Zero and reflections on the evolving role of collectors.Mentioned in the episode$PNKSTR and NFTStrategy https://x.com/token_works/status/1968361945226166754Low-risk defi from Vitalik https://x.com/VitalikButerin/status/1969522612750672132Aave https://x.com/aave/status/1969036780151169064Bank of England stablecoin caps https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bank-england-plan-cap-stablecoin-064322101.htmlEric De Giuli - Zero (Broken Symmetry) https://x.com/eeedg__/status/1966175168142913979Ask Aaron about getting link to open ai winning coding competitionPoet Engineer https://x.com/poetengineer__Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:16) - Marfa Anticipation and Event Planning (02:07) - $PNKSTR NFTStrategy and Protocol Innovation (07:15) - Utility, Adoption, and Builder Strategies (12:07) - Low-Risk DeFi and Vitalik’s Vision (16:02) - Stablecoins, Banking Pressure, and Money Markets (24:09) - AI Milestones, Models, and Media Power Plays (38:12) - Eric De Giuli’s Zero and Collector Reflections (47:38) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew returns with a sweeping conversation that spans regulation, culture, and technology. Derek kicks things off with a recap of his recent trip to Washington, where he led an SEC workshop on AI and crypto. From there, the group dives into the rise of custom AI stacks, the tension between open source models and tokenized services, and what it means for the future of software. Talk shifts toward escapism in an age of surveillance, touching on music, bunkers, and Marfa as a much-needed oasis. The crew wrestles with algorithms, radicalization, and the illusion of control, before zooming out to consider global unrest, institutional turnover, and generational frustration. They close with a forward look at AI agents, video models, and the seismic changes barreling toward media, advertising, and education.Mentioned in the episodeDerek visits the SEC in DC https://x.com/derekedws/status/1965272290548920610Palantir https://x.com/PalantirTechExit Society Meme https://conceptbureau.substack.com/p/exit-society?r=xww4p&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=trueNepal chooses next PM on Discord https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/gen-z-protestors-have-chosen-next-nepal-pm-via-vote-on-discord-what-is-discord-and-how-it-is-used-2786279-2025-09-12Albania’s new AI ‘minister’ https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/albanias-leader-new-cabinet-includes-ai-minister-fight-125504401AI generated podcasts https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/ai-podcast-start-up-plan-shows-1236361367/Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - AI and Crypto at the SEC (07:19) - Building Custom AI Stacks (13:01) - Escapism and Surveillance (23:32) - Marfa as Escape Hatch (26:15) - Algorithms, Radicalization, and Control (31:01) - Global Unrest and Institutional Shifts (49:10) - AI Agents, Video Models, and the Future of Media (01:01:35) - Welcome & Disclaimer

Seth Goldstein, a builder and entrepreneur focused on creative AI agents, shares insights on the fascinating world of AI and technology. He discusses the rising fears about job loss due to AI, the empowerment sparked by ‘coding benders,’ and the unique vibe coding trend that blends creativity with technology. Seth also delves into on-chain creative agents and their potential to shape digital art, while exploring the cultural shifts around AI adoption. The conversation wraps up with thoughts on the chaotic nature of AI and its possible emergence as a new cultural phenomenon.

Aaron and Derek are both out this week, leaving Chris and Pri to hold down the fort for Net Society’s first ever two-person episode. Things get a little unhinged as they wander into the woods of digital culture, comparing fairy tales and existential plays to the state of crypto. The conversation turns to Kanye’s short-lived token and the meme coin churn, then drifts through waterparks, slang, and the curious emergence of “clanker” as an AI slur. From there they unpack the world of AI boyfriends and what it says about loneliness in 2025, before diving into Jerome Powell’s latest remarks and the Fed’s shifting policy stance. The back half of the episode revisits radicalizing moments from the Iraq war to the 2008 bailouts, connecting them to Bitcoin’s origins, and closes with a hopeful turn as the pair find themselves excited again about generative art.Mentioned in the episodeKanye launches $YZY memecoin https://x.com/WatcherGuru/status/1958708989576806714American Dream Mall Waterpark https://www.americandream.com/venue/dreamworks-water-parkMy Boyfriend is AI Subreddit https://www.reddit.com/r/MyBoyfriendIsAI/Fed Chair Jerome Powell announcement https://x.com/WatcherGuru/status/1958893683299717477Quantizer by Harm van den Dorpel https://verse.works/series/quantizer-by-harm-van-den-dorpelScribbs by Fingacode https://verse.works/series/scribbs-by-fingacodeDominoes in Fluxus by Ivona Tau https://braindrops.cloud/projects/24Zach Lieberman https://x.com/zachliebermanShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Hansel & Gretel Opener (05:01) - Kanye’s Token and Meme Coin Chaos (07:07) - Waterparks, Slang, and the Rise of “Clanker” (11:34) - AI Boyfriends and the Loneliness Question (18:10) - Powell, Policy, and the Fed’s Balancing Act (30:23) - Radicalizing Moments and Bitcoin’s Origin Story (42:01) - Generative Art Rekindled (47:46) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew returns without Derek this week, diving into a caffeine-fueled opener that spirals into musings on Ayn Rand, Objectivism, and strange hotel lobby encounters. From there, they pivot to Moonbirds’ unexpected resurgence, the shifting middle tier of the NFT market, and how squiggles and character IP are competing for cultural relevance. The conversation widens to explore NFT IP as Hollywood’s new frontier, from Pudgy Penguin backpacks to hypothetical Pete Davidson cameos. A detour into Washington’s mixed signals on Bitcoin reserves morphs into satirical pitches for a Milady movie, before the group digs into the risks of LLM overuse, school phone bans, and how AI could reshape education. They close with thoughts on the SEC’s sudden pro-crypto tone, Solana’s place in the market cycle, and a timeline takeover of Howard Stern-era media nostalgia.Mentioned in the episodeThe Fountainhead by Ayn Rand https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_FountainheadMoonbirds https://x.com/moonbirdsMilady Maker https://x.com/MiladyMaker333WSJ Autism and LLMs article https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-autism-risks-openai-chatgpt-2311254dShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Chris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiProduction & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra