Consolidation and Stagnation

Since the Web3 piece was released, I had initially been trying to find a solution to expanding on providing living wages to more people that don't rely on larger platforms to be intermediaries. As I researched, a clear path forward wasn't clear to me, so I transitioned to think at a broader level. Recently we saw large announcements for acquisitions of Activision-Blizzard and Bungie. These consolidations of large entities are troubling as a small creator. Will we one day have to make exclusivity deals in hopes of insulating ourselves from the costs of creating? Or can we find better solutions so that content can be monetized directly between the producer and consumer?

SocietyErich WenzelMarch 4, 2022Web3, Content Creation, meritocracyComment

Cancel-Culture and the Joe Rogan Controversy

In order to discuss the controversy surrounding Joe Rogan, and the subtleties of cancel-culture, we first need to understand what cancel-culture is. Columnist Ross Douthat, in the New York Times, said, “cancellation, properly understood, refers to an attack on someone’s employment and reputation by a determined collective of critics, based on an opinion or an action that is alleged to be disgraceful and disqualifying.” There are two balancing components we should highlight in this definition, the first being an opinion or action is allegedly distasteful.

The Wonders of Web3

Web3 seems to be gaining more and more mind share in the tech world these days. I recently listened to a podcast between Chris Dixon and Naval Ravikant on the Tim Ferriss show. I found the juggling act between Chris and Naval instrumental in thinking about the ideas in the space of Web3. I've said before that crypto is only scratching the surface of what's coming. So I wanted to share some of the ideas I found interesting from this conversation and other thoughts on Web3.

Science, Society, TechnologyErich WenzelJanuary 22, 2022Web3, Chris Dixon, Naval Ravikant, NFT, Internet, Decentralize, Tim Ferriss ShowComment

When Inequality is Good

About a year ago, I was in a political philosophy class in which “equality” was referred to as a royal decree, an absolute good proclaimed by God. Consider the differences in individual choices and their effects on income? “But, equality!”…

Society, PhilosophyJoseph JackowskiMay 10, 2021Politics, Philosophy, equality, BLM, Feminism, Intellectual Dark WebComment

The Year 2025

In the Year 2025, we have learned from our mistakes from The Great Pause. We have created a better society. How did we get there?

Society, Arts and WritingErich WenzelJuly 28, 2020The Year 2025, A future that could be, ReflectionComment

Open Skies Treaty: A Primer

Several journalism agencies broke news in the early morning hours of Thursday, May 21, 2020 that the Trump administration plans to withdraw from the ‘Open Skies Treaty’ the next day of May 22…

Society, Science, TechnologyJT IkeohveddaMay 25, 2020Politics, Nuclear, Energy, Open Skies Treaty, TrumpComment

COVID-19: A Healthworker’s Perspective

Amidst a global pandemic, one thing remains clear: healthcare workers are at the forefront of COVID-19 (Coronavirus). When schools, businesses, shopping centers, bars, and restaurants shut their doors, the hospital must keep theirs open. What is it like, then, for the thousands of healthcare workers who are working alongside this virus?