NET Society

The Net Society crew is together in person this week during NFT NYC with special guest Erick Calderon, aka Snowfro, founder of Art Blocks and creator of the Chromie Squiggle. What starts as a reflection on the energy of NFT NYC and the evolution of NFT culture opens up into a wide-ranging discussion. The group digs into the maturation of the space, the idea of homeostasis versus equilibrium, and why digital art’s native display might just be your phone screen. From there, they explore the tension between abundance and scarcity in collectibles, the blurred lines between art, product, and entertainment, and what it will take to bring collecting to a global scale without tipping into cringe. Along the way, they wrestle with the role of physical galleries, the memory of the speculative mania of 2021, and how to stay at the forefront of the next wave of innovation.Mentioned in the episodeSpecial guest Snowfro https://x.com/ArtOnBlockchainGlitch x Snowfro https://x.com/glitchmarfa/status/1938206917001613430Joe Pease https://x.com/joepeaseDie With The Most Likes https://x.com/toadswibackShow & 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) - NFT NYC Week and First Reflections (05:47) - Snowfro on Maturity, Homeostasis, and the NFT Journey (20:21) - Digital Art Display, Internet Culture, and Hypocrisy (38:10) - The Role of Physical Galleries vs Digital Presentation (43:11) - Scale, Abundance, and the Future of Collecting (48:06) - Art vs Collectible vs Product: The Blurred Lines (56:11) - Final Thoughts on Craft, Value, and the NFT Singularity (58:48) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew goes fully freeform this week in an episode aptly titled The Podcast About Nothing. What starts as a conversation about die with the most likes's Gristle Buddeez quickly unravels into reflections on novelty in NFT art, the implications of the Genius stablecoin bill for DeFi, and how AI models are getting a little too chatty. From there, it spirals into heatwaves in New York, NBA playoff drama, and the Telegram founder’s 100-child inheritance plan. The gang rounds it out with thoughts on brand-driven advertising, the $10B Lakers valuation, and whether private equity is the new Steve Aoki of sports franchise buyers.Mentioned in the episodeGenius stablecoin bill https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/17/genius-stablecoin-bill-crypto.htmlNFT NYC https://x.com/NFT_NYCTelegram founder says his 100+ children will get a share of his estate https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/20/tech/durov-100-children-inheritance-scli-intlShow & 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) - Winging It and Gristle Buddies (04:42) - Novelty Fatigue and Creative Stagnation (06:13) - Clarity Act and the Future of DeFi (13:26) - Digital Art Mile and NYC Heat (15:26) - NBA Playoffs, AI Chatbots, and Weird UX (20:36) - 100 Kids and the Tech-Futurist Ethos (39:01) - Branding, Basketball, and Billion-Dollar Franchises (51:52) - Welcome & Disclaimer

Derek is out this week, so the Net Society crew is joined by special guest Colby Mugrabi, founder of mmERCH, for a deep dive into the intersection of fashion, fandom, and crypto infrastructure. The episode opens with the gang dissecting Stripe’s acquisition of Privy and a wave of stablecoin developments, before zooming out to examine what these signals mean for digital assets and institutional adoption. They explore the evolving role of NFTs, drawing parallels between fashion houses and iconic collections like Meebits. Colby shares the vision behind mmERCH 2.0, a new layer of networked experience powered by wearable tech and gamified incentives. The conversation moves toward the future of on-chain consumer behavior, the limits of app fatigue, and how tokens might become the new links of the internet. The crew closes with a speculative look at hardware breakthroughs, AR glasses, and whether the post-phone era is already here.Mentioned in the episodeSpecial guest Colby Mugrabi https://x.com/MinnieMuse_ethShopify accepting USDC https://x.com/base/status/1933236681836282171mmERCH https://x.com/mmERCHLife After Lifestyle by Toby Shorin https://subpixel.space/entries/life-after-lifestyle/New Snapchat Spectacles https://www.spectacles.com/spectacles-24Show & 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) - Stablecoins and Stripe’s Crypto Play (06:46) - NFTs, Market Momentum, and Institutional Shifts (11:02) - Meebits, Fashion, and IP Revival (19:05) - mmERCH 2.0 and the Rise of Experience Networks (30:59) - Superfans, Wearable Wallets, and Gamified Fandom (42:09) - AR, Smart Glasses, and Future Hardware (46:57) - Tokens, Networks, and the End of the Phone Era (57:46) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew dives into the headline-grabbing showdown between Elon Musk and Donald Trump, unpacking what it reveals about power, influence, and the shifting relationship between Silicon Valley and Washington. They explore whether tech leaders are now more powerful than governments and what a “Valley-backed” political realignment could look like. From there, the conversation shifts to ADIN, Tribute Labs new AI-powered investment tool, and how it represents the dawn of algorithmic venture capital. They break down the architecture behind ADIN’s autonomous agents, why Moneyball is the perfect analogy for the future of private markets, and how AI might soon outperform traditional investors. The episode closes with a look at the Circle IPO, the ETH finance landscape, PolyMarket’s deal with X, and a final sidestep into coaching changes and playoff narratives from the world of sports.Mentioned in the episodeElon tweets about Trump in Epstein files https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1930703865801810022Tired of attention economy tweet https://x.com/BoonaETH/status/1930834503917813830ADIN https://x.com/ADINonlineCircle IPO https://x.com/circle/status/1930595433220386997X and Polymarket partnership https://x.com/X/status/1931001329129844987Show & 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) - Elon vs Trump and the Political Power Games (07:08) - Silicon Valley’s Real Influence on Policy (19:02) - Inside ADIN: Algorithmic Venture and Autonomous Agents (31:02) - Moneyball for Private Markets (40:02) - Human-AI Decision Loops and the Future of Work (45:40) - Circle IPO, ETH Finance Tools, and PolyMarket’s Big Win (50:39) - Neoliberalism, Coach Tibbs, and Sports Talk Closeout (50:45) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew returns for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of crypto, AI, and digital culture. They explore the installation phase of crypto, the role of blockchain in gaming, and whether asset ownership is the real unlock. The conversation shifts to Worldcoin’s user growth and the broader question of identity in an AI-driven world, before zooming out to examine how Web2 giants like Meta and OpenAI could reshape crypto’s future. They close by debating the post-iPhone landscape, new interaction models, and the promise of AI as the next layer of infrastructure.Mentioned in the episodeWorldcoin https://x.com/worldcoinSam Altman and Jony Ive introduce io https://openai.com/sam-and-jony/World model https://odyssey.world/Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsChris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Production & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - The Installation Phase and Crypto’s Business Logic (05:06) - Gaming on Blockchain: Hype vs. Reality (12:23) - Worldcoin, Identity, and the Human-Bot Divide (25:33) - Web2 Giants Entering Crypto: A Tectonic Shift (38:06) - Post-iPhone World: New Devices and Interaction Models (53:58) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew does some subscriber appreciation before getting down to the business of NFTs and metaverse viability. From there, the crew gives a tour of top signals of the past and present in the context of mainstream adoption. The conversation shifts to Crypto Twitter, analyzing its decline in engagement and what that says about attention dynamics and the fragmentation of online communities. From there, the group outlines how crypto might reframe its cultural and social ambitions going forward, focusing less on speculative energy and more on infrastructure and transaction layers. They revisit the role of AI agents in shaping both tech and culture, then close with a discussion of Moodeng’s unexpected reappearance via Robinhood, and what it signals about longevity and narrative in crypto. Mentioned in the episodeMeebits https://x.com/MeebitsNFTsGenius Act https://x.com/SenatorHagerty/status/1924643607899685205$MOODENG on Robinhood https://x.com/RobinhoodApp/status/1925651095503675611Jony Ive x Open AI https://x.com/OpenAI/status/1925235156157440438Mark Zuckerberg interview https://x.com/collision/status/1920579882976723284DX Terminal + DXRG https://x.com/DXRGai/status/1919784428521529592Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsChris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Production & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra

The Net Society crew dives into the limits of economic theory, kicking things off with a sharp critique of rational market assumptions and the myth of the economist as a neutral observer. From there, they explore the shifting role of the U.S. dollar, imagining a world of FX swaps and decentralized monetary systems. The conversation pivots to big news in NFTs as Yuga Labs transfers CryptoPunks IP to Node Foundation, sparking a broader discussion on cultural stewardship, scarcity, and the future of digital art. Celebrity conviction enters the chat as Jay-Z’s punk loyalty leads to speculation on long-term holders. The gang explores value across enduring, ephemeral, and emergent networked economies, from meme tokens to programmable incentives. They unpack the Grok system prompt leak and question transparency and control in AI systems before closing with a deep dive on Bittensor, where incentive design becomes a new frontier for organizing intelligence.Mentioned in the episodeNODE acquires CryptoPunks https://x.com/nodefnd/status/1922291376533995555JayZ still has CryptoPunk pfp https://x.com/scGrok system prompt hack https://x.com/xai/status/1923183620606619649Believe Token Launch https://www.coingecko.com/learn/what-is-believe-token-launchpadBlackbird rewards program https://x.com/blackbird_xyz/status/1909600973510652119Bittensor TAO https://x.com/bittensor_Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsChris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Production & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - The Economics Roast (07:45) - Rethinking Reserve Currencies (16:00) - The Cryptopunks IP Transfer (29:00) - Celebrity Holders and NFT Legacy (31:00) - The Grok Prompt Leak and Algorithmic Transparency (32:45) - Launchpads, Tokens, and Internet Capital Markets (50:00) - BitTensor and the Incentive Layer for Intelligence (01:05:10) - Welcome & Disclaimer

Derek is out this week, so the Net Society crew is joined by special guest Poof for a mind-bending journey into simulations, AI, and the future of media. The episode opens with the origin story behind Poof’s name and career pivot into crypto, before diving into his latest project: a large-scale, multi-agent simulation “DX Terminal.” From there, the crew explores strange emergent behaviors from synthetic agents, including scam coin schemes and binary-only communication. A wide-ranging discussion follows on simulation theory, self-reinforcing media loops, and the coming age of customizable digital realities. They close with a candid look at the stagnation of traditional media, the tyranny of algorithms, and what it might take to break the internet open again.Mentioned in the episodeSpecial guest Poof joins this week https://x.com/poof_ethDX Research Group https://x.com/dxrgaiTweet from Mat Dryhurst https://x.com/matdryhurst/status/1920130715129131161Show & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsChris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Production & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Origin of Poof and Entry into Crypto (03:37) - The X Terminal and Simulated Agents (09:05) - Strange Behaviors in Multi-Agent Simulations (17:08) - Simulation Theory and Living in Customized Realities (33:00) - AI Training, Reinforcement Learning, and Self-Play (48:00) - The Medium Is the Network: Matt Dryhurst’s Thesis (54:28) - Cultural Stagnation, Algorithms, and Distribution Gridlock (01:15:07) - Welcome & Disclaimer

Pri is out this week, so the Net Society crew is joined by special guest VonMises for a deep dive into the shifting terrain of NFTs, crypto art, and AI. The conversation opens with a look at Grant Yun’s recent Fellowship drop and what it signals about the use of AI in contemporary art. From there, they explore the generative art landscape, asking whether the early hand-coded era is entering its golden age in hindsight. A spirited debate unfolds around ETH versus NFTs as long-term stores of value, before turning to which collections belong in the NFT canon. Squiggles take center stage with a wide-ranging discussion on their historical and technical significance. The crew then zooms out to the future of programmable media and dynamic art, closing with VonMises’ take on trade policy, global markets, and why the best may still be ahead.Mentioned in the episodeSpecial Guest VonMises joins this week https://x.com/VonMises14Grant Yun ‘Spaces’ Fellowship release https://x.com/fellowshiptrust/status/1917959157128523973Provenance pod https://x.com/provenanceartChromie Squiggles https://opensea.io/collection/chromie-squiggle-by-snowfroShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsChris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Production & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Grant’s AI Drop and the Artist’s Role (08:04) - Generative Art, AI, and the Golden Era (19:06) - ETH vs NFTs as Stores of Value (27:31) - The Blue-Chip NFT Canon (35:32) - The Case for Squiggles (42:34) - Dynamic Media and the Future of Onchain Art (48:11) - Tariffs, Trade Wars, and Closing Thoughts (50:33) - Welcome & Disclaimer

The Net Society crew is back this week, with Derek returning, to pick up part two of Death by a Thousand Turnings (just kidding). They open with a look at crypto art’s physical renaissance in New York and the emergence of the Node Foundation as a new cultural force. From there, they unpack the growing flattening of culture, tracing the rise of beige luxury, bland logos, and the slow erasure of aesthetic diversity. The conversation shifts toward Bitcoin, exploring why it may be entering its true decade of global relevance. They revisit Meebits and remnants, reflecting on the resilience of mass appeal and cultural persistence. The second half takes a detour into AI side hustles, from ghostwritten Amazon books to OnlyFans AI personas, before zooming out to Ethereum’s quiet resurgence and a fresh wave of conviction around crypto art as a store of value. They close with a meditation on scarcity, network effects, and why the next era may be shaped by those who build through the noise.Mentioned in the episodeHeft Gallery opening https://x.com/heft_gallery/status/1915509377290703303Node opens gallery in Palo Alto https://x.com/nodefnd/status/1912862607964577858Why AI company logos look like buttholes https://velvetshark.com/ai-company-logos-that-look-like-buttholesBeige is the color of money https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/14/style/beige-is-the-color-of-money.htmlDerek’s Squiggle Bronco https://x.com/derekedws/status/1915109593518346481Glitch Meebit https://opensea.io/item/ethereum/0x7bd29408f11d2bfc23c34f18275bbf23bb716bc7/6863Noper x Meebits https://x.com/MeebitsNFTs/status/1915767768516878846Chris’s NFT Collection https://opensea.io/collection/starholderShow & HostsNet Society: https://x.com/net__societyDerek Edwards: https://x.com/derekedwsChris F: https://x.com/ChrisF_0xPriyanka Desai: https://x.com/pridesaiAaron Wright: https://x.com/awrigh01Production & MarketingEditor: https://x.com/0xFnklSocial: https://x.com/v_kirra(00:00) - Death by a Thousand Turnings: Part 2 (not really) (04:00) - Crypto Art’s New Physical Footprint: NYC and Node Foundation (12:00) - The Flattening of Culture and the Beige Economy (19:00) - Bitcoin’s Role in a New Decade of Risk and Wealth Preservation (26:00) - Revisiting Meebits, NFTs, and Cultural Mass Appeal (30:00) - AI Side Hustles: Amazon Ghostwriting and AI OnlyFans (41:00) - Ethereum’s Quiet Strength and a Crypto Art Reawakening (56:40) - Welcome & Disclaimer